Soon after father comes in for his breakfast. Betty looks up eagerly. Alas! he also has forgotten.
After this, mother's forgetfulness is not surprising. She, too, takes her breakfast almost in silence, and disappears into the kitchen rather earlier than usual.
Betty's heart is very sore as she sets about her morning work. Her head aches, and she feels tired all over. She has just tidied the fireplace when mother enters.
"The kitchen-range is smoking again, Betty. I'm not going to have any more of it, so I've sent Clara for the sweep."
Betty is horrified. "Why, mother, there's no dinner cooked—not even a bit of pudding!"
"Well, we'll have to make do with this fire—it can't be helped."
This is too much. Betty knows what "having the sweep in" means.
"Why couldn't you wait until to-morrow?" she breaks out angrily. "It's too bad—that it is! Isn't everything horrid enough already without this?"
And she covers her face with her hands, and bursts into a passion of tears.
"Why, Betty—Betty, for goodness' sake, don't—what can be the matter?"