"'Good gracious, Hannah,' cried I, 'what can be the matter? Has the
soot come down the chimney? Speak!'

"'It's nothing of that sort, ma'am,' answered Hannah, 'it's the
cook!'

"'The cook!' I shouted. 'I wish you would not be so foolish, Hannah,
but speak out at once. What about Cook?'

"'Please, m'm, the cook's lost!' says Hannah. 'We can't find her!'

"'Your wits are lost, Hannah, _I_ think,' cried I, and sent her to
tidy the rooms while I slipt downstairs to look for the cook.

"Fancy a lost cook, ma'am! Was there ever such a ridiculous idea?
And on the day of a dinner-party too! Did you ever hear of such a
trial to a lady's feelings before?"

"Never, I am sure," responded the lady opposite. "Did YOU, ma'am?"
turning to her neighbour.

But the other three ladies all shook their heads, bit their lips, and
declared that they "Never had, they were sure!"

"I thought not!" ejaculated the narrator. "Well, ma'am, I went into
the kitchens, the larder, the pantries, the cellars, and all sorts of
places, and still no cook! Do you know, she really was nowhere!
Actually, ma'am, the cook was lost!"