"Give me some more water first. Anne and Letty are going away, Tilly; and I cannot be up and see to anything; and I can't hire a woman to do what's to be done. You tell Maria, from me, she must stay home from school and take care of the house. You will do what you can, Tilly—oh, my head!—you can put rooms in order and such things; and Maria must go down into the kitchen and get the breakfast——"
"Must Maria get the dinner too, mamma?"
"Yes, the dinner——"
"But can she, mamma?"
"She must; or else your aunt Candy will hire somebody to do it; and that will come out of what she pays me, and we shall not have enough left. She must, Tilly."
"But aunt Candy wouldn't mind, just while you are sick, mamma, would she?"
"Yes! I know. Just you do as I tell you; promise me that you will."
"I will, mamma."
"Promise me that Maria will."
"I guess she will, mamma. I'll try and make her. Shall I bring her here, and you tell her yourself?"