eternal toil must Johanna have silently endured in order to do all
those things which till now had seemed to do themselves!

Therefore, after much cogitation as to the best and most prudent way
to amend matters, and perceiving with her clear common sense that,
willing as she might be to work in the kitchen, her own time would be
much more valuably spent in teaching their growing school. It was
Hilary who these Christmas holidays, first started the bold idea, "We
must have a servant;" and therefore, it being necessary to begin with
a very small servant on very low wages, (£3 per annum was, I fear the
maximum), did they take this Elizabeth Hand. So, hanging behind her
parent, an anxious-eyed, and rather sad-voiced woman, did Elizabeth
enter the kitchen of the Misses Leaf.

The ladies were all there. Johanna arranging the table for their
early tea: Selina lying on the sofa trying to cut bread and butter:
Hilary on her knees before the fire, making the bit of toast, her
eldest sister's one luxury. This was the picture that her three
mistresses presented to Elizabeth's eyes: which, though they seemed
to notice nothing, must, in reality, have noticed every thing.

"I've brought my daughter, ma'am, as you sent word you'd take on
trial," said Mrs. Hand, addressing herself to Selina, who, as the
tallest, the best dressed, and the most imposing, was usually
regarded by strangers as the head of the family.

"Oh. Joanna, my dear."

Miss Leaf came forward, rather uncertainly, for she was of a shy
nature, and had been so long accustomed to do the servant's work of