The moment Eliza entered she rushed to the bed and fell on her knees beside it. She was quiet, however, and after a moment's pause she raised her head and laying a hand on the folded hands said: "Ah, han's ov God t' be so cold an' still!"
Anna stood beside her until she thought she had stayed long enough, then led her gently away. From that moment Anna directed the wake and the funeral from her chimney-corner.
"Here's a basket ov flowers for Henry, Anna, the childther gethered thim th' day," Maggie McKinstry said as she laid them down on the hearthstones beside Anna.
"Ye've got some time, Maggie?"
"Oh, aye."
"Make a chain ov them an' let it go all th' way aroun' th' body, they'll look purty that way, don't ye think so?"
"Illigant, indeed, to be shure! 'Deed I'll do it." And it was done.
To Eliza Conlon was given the task of providing refreshments. I say "task," for after the carpenter was paid for the coffin and Jamie Scott for the hearse there was only six shillings left.
"Get whey for th' childther," Anna said, and "childther" in this catalog ran up into the twenties.
For the older "childther" there was something from Mrs. Lorimer's public house—something that was kept under cover and passed around late, and later still diluted and passed around again. Concerning this item Anna said: "Wather it well, dear, an' save their wits; they've got little enough now, God save us all!"