"You wouldn't deprive a poor cratur of all the comfort she has in the world, would ye, hinny?"
"You ought to take comfort in keeping your house and children clean, Bridget".
In the meanwhile, Bridget had washed Johnny's face, and there being no clean dress ready for the little fellow, Adèle said, "Come, Bridget, put on a kettle of water, pick up your clothes, and do your washing".
"Shure, and I will, if ye say so, Miss Ady".
The poor shiftless thing having placed the baby on the floor again, began to stir about and make ready.
Adèle sat poking and turning over the chubby little Johnny with her foot.
At last, Pat appeared with a moderate quantity of hemlock boughs, which Adèle told him to throw upon the floor,—then to hand her the knife and sit down by her side and learn to make a broom. She selected, clipped, and laid together the boughs, until she had made quite a pile; sent Pat for a strong piece of twine and an old broom handle and then secured the boughs firmly upon it.
"Now Pat", she said, "here is a nice, new jack-knife. If you will promise me that you will cut boughs and make your mother two new brooms, just like this, every week, the knife shall be yours".
Pat, with eyes that stood out an unmentionable distance, and mouth stretched from ear to ear, promised, and Adèle proceeded vigorously to sweep the apartment. In the course of half an hour, the room wore a wholly different aspect.
"And who tould the like of ye, how to make a brum like that, hinny?" said Bridget, looking on in admiration of her skill.