With these
surrounding individuals Hannah treated on a footing of equality, bringing
to her mistress accounts of their various goings on; "how No. 6 was let;
how No. 9 had not paid his rent again; how the first floor at 27 had game
almost every day, and made-dishes from Mutton's; how the family who had
taken Mrs. Bugsby's had left as usual after the very first night, the
poor little infant blistered all over with bites on its little dear face;
how the Miss Learys was going on shameful with the two young men,
actially in their setting-room, mum, where one of them offered Miss Laura
Leary a cigar; how Mrs. Cribb still went cuttin' pounds and pounds of
meat off the lodgers' jints, emptying their tea-caddies, actially reading
their letters. Sally had been told so by Polly the Cribb's maid, who was
kep, how that poor child was kep, hearing language perfectly hawful!"
These tales and anecdotes, not altogether redounding to their neighbours'
credit, Hannah copiously collected and brought to her mistress's
tea-table, or served at her frugal little supper when Miss Honeyman, the
labours of the day over, partook of that cheerful meal.
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