"That's grandma all over!" exclaimed Charity; "but if she's disagreeable, I'll tell you what, girls, I'd rather scrub floors. 'Tain't my vocation to do ugly folks good."
"Charity," said Mrs. Armadale, "it is your vocation. It is what everybody is called to do."
"It's what you've been trying to do to me all my life, ain't it?" said Charity, laughing. "But you've got to keep on, mother; it ain't done yet. But I declare! there ought to be somebody in a house who can be disagreeable by spells, or the rest of the world'd grow rampant."
CHAPTER XX.
SHAMPUASHUH.
It was in vain to try to talk of anything else; the conversation ran on that one subject all the evening. Indeed, there was a great deal to be thought of and to be done, and it must of necessity be talked of first.
"How soon does she want to come?" Mrs. Armadale asked, meaning of course the new inmate proposed for the house.
"Just as soon as we are ready for her; didn't you hear what I read, grandmother? She wants to get into the country air."
"A queer time to come into the country!" said Charity. "I thought city folks kept to the city in winter. But it's good for us."
"We must get in some coal for the parlour," remarked Madge.