J. COLE. 19

a@ mornin’ at ’ome; and I ’ad to ’elp father
afore I could go to be with Dick, and I was
with Dick a’most every mornin’ by seven, and
a good mile and a arf to walk to ’is place.
Shall I bring in the breakfust, mum? Mary’s
told me what to do.”

Having given permission, Joe set to work
to get through his duties, this time without
any help, and I actually trembled when I
saw him enter with a tray containing all
things necessary for my morning meal, he
looked so over-weighted; but he was quite
equal to it as far as landing the tray safely
on the sideboard. But, alas! then came the
ordeal; not one thing did poor Joe know
where to place, and stood with the coffee-
pot in his hand, undecided whether it went
before me, or at the end of the table, or
whether he was to pour out my coffee for
me.

I saw he was getting very nervous, so took
it from him, and in order to put him at his
ease, I remarked, —

“J think, perhaps, I had better show you,
Joe, just for once, how I like my breakfast