Long before the rest were done sweet Hattie Butler had finished her single slice of bread and butter, one cracker and a cup of tea, and gone to her room. Grim and silent, yet keenly overlooking the appetite of each boarder, sat Miss Scrimp, until all were through, and had gone to their rooms, or into the old dingy room, slanderously called a parlor, to chat awhile before retiring.
Then Biddy Lanigan came in with two extra cups of strong tea, one for the mistress, the other for herself—a plate of baked potatoes and a couple of nice chops.
Poor Jessie Albemarle had her supper to make from the little—the very little the hungry boarders had left.
Miss Scrimp was not long at the table. She was burning with curiosity about the letter in her pocket, and so she took a small lamp in her hand and threaded her way up the steep, narrow, uncarpeted stairs to the attic where our heroine lodged.
Knocking at the door, it was opened by Hattie quickly, who, with her wealth of jet-black hair, glossy as silk, all let down over her shoulders, looked, if possible, tenfold more beautiful than she had below, with her hair neatly bound up so as not to be in the way when she was at her work.
Hattie had been reading, for on her little stand, near the bed, was a lamp and an open book.
There were not two chairs in the room, but Hattie proffered her only one to Miss Scrimp, and waited to learn the cause of this unexpected visit, for Miss Scrimp never called on a boarder without she was behindhand in her board, and then her calls were not visits of compliment or pleasure either.
“I do declare—only one chair here, Miss Hattie? It’s a shame—I’ll rate Jess soundly for her neglect!” said Miss Scrimp, looking around as if she did not know how poorly the room was furnished.
“Do not scold her, Miss Scrimp. I do not need but one chair—I never have any company to occupy another. Sit down—I will sit on my bed as I often do.”
“Well—thankee, I will sit down, for it is tiresome coming up those long stairs. I came up to tell you I had a letter for you the letter-carrier left to-day. I didn’t want to give it to you down at table, for them giddy girls are always noticing everything, and they might have thought it was a love-letter, and tried to tease you. Here it is.”