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<v Speaker 1>Story tin of Dubliner's. This is a LibriVox recording. All

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<v Speaker 1>LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information

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<v Speaker 1>or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by

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<v Speaker 1>Carol Stripling. Dubliners by James Joyce, story tin Clay. The

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<v Speaker 1>matron had given her leave to go out as soon

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<v Speaker 1>as a women's tea was over, and Maria looked forward

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<v Speaker 1>to her evening out. The kitchen was spick and span,

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<v Speaker 1>the cook said, you could see yourself in the big

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<v Speaker 1>copper boilers. The fire was nice and bright, and on

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<v Speaker 1>one of the side tables were four very big barmbracks.

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<v Speaker 1>These barmbracks seemed uncut, but if you went closer you

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<v Speaker 1>would see that they had been cut into long, thick

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<v Speaker 1>even slices and were ready to be handed round at tea.

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<v Speaker 1>Maria had cut them herself. Maria was a very very

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<v Speaker 1>small person, indeed, but she had a very long nose

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<v Speaker 1>and a very long chin. She talked a little through

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<v Speaker 1>her nose, always soothingly, Yes, my dear, and no, my dear.

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<v Speaker 1>She was always sent for when the women quarreled over

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<v Speaker 1>their tubs, and always succeeded in making peace one day

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<v Speaker 1>the matron had said to her, Maria, you are a

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<v Speaker 1>veritable peacemaker. And the sub matron and two of the

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<v Speaker 1>board ladies had heard the compliment, and Ginger Mooney was

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<v Speaker 1>always saying what she wouldn't do to the dummy who

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<v Speaker 1>had charge of the irons if it wasn't for Maria.

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<v Speaker 1>Everyone was so fond of Maria. The women would have

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<v Speaker 1>their tea at six o'clock and she would be able

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<v Speaker 1>to get away before seven. From Ballsbridge to the pillar

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<v Speaker 1>twenty minutes, from the pillar to Drumcondra twenty minutes, and

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<v Speaker 1>twenty minutes to the things. She would be there before eight.

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<v Speaker 1>She took out her purse with the silver clasps and

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<v Speaker 1>read again the words a present from Belfast. She was

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<v Speaker 1>very fond of that purse because Joe had brought it

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<v Speaker 1>to her five years before when he and Alfy had

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<v Speaker 1>gone to Belfast on a whit Monday trip. In the

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<v Speaker 1>purse were two half crowns and some coppers. She would

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<v Speaker 1>have five shillings clear after paying tram fare. What a

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<v Speaker 1>nice evening they would have, all the children singing. Only

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<v Speaker 1>she hoped that Joe wouldn't come in drunk. He was

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<v Speaker 1>so different when he took any drink. Often he had

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<v Speaker 1>wanted her to go and live with them, but she

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<v Speaker 1>would have felt herself in the way. Though Joe's wife

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<v Speaker 1>was ever so nice with her, and she had become

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<v Speaker 1>accustomed to the life of the laundry. Joe was a

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<v Speaker 1>good fellow. She had nursed him and Alfie too, and

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<v Speaker 1>Joe used often say, Mamma is mamma, but Maria is

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<v Speaker 1>my proper mother. After the break up at home, the

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<v Speaker 1>boys had got her that position in the Dublin by

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<v Speaker 1>Lamplight laundry, and she liked it. She used to have

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<v Speaker 1>such a bad opinion of Protestants, but now she thought

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<v Speaker 1>they were very nice people, a little quiet and serious,

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<v Speaker 1>but still very nice people to live with. Then she

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<v Speaker 1>had her plants in the conservatory and she liked looking

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<v Speaker 1>after them. She had lovely ferns and wax plants, and

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<v Speaker 1>whenever any one came to visit her, she always gave

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<v Speaker 1>the visitor one or two slips from her conservatory. There

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<v Speaker 1>was one thing she didn't like, and that was the

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<v Speaker 1>tracks on the walks. But the matron was such a

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<v Speaker 1>nice person to deal with, so genteel. When the cook

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<v Speaker 1>told her everything was ready, she went into the women's

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<v Speaker 1>room and began to pull the big bell. In a

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<v Speaker 1>few minutes, the women began to come in by twos

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<v Speaker 1>and three, wiping their steaming hands and their petticoats, and

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<v Speaker 1>pulling down the sleeves of their blouses over their red

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<v Speaker 1>steaming arms. They settled down before their huge mugs, which

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<v Speaker 1>the cook and the dummy filled up with hot tea

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<v Speaker 1>already mixed with milk and sugar in huge tin cans.

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<v Speaker 1>Maria superintended the distribution of the barnbrack and saw that

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<v Speaker 1>every woman got her four slices. There was a great

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<v Speaker 1>deal of laughing and joking during the meal. Lizzie Fleming

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<v Speaker 1>said Maria was sure to get the ring, and though

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<v Speaker 1>Fleming had said that for so many hollow eves, Maria

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<v Speaker 1>had to laugh and say she didn't want any ring

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<v Speaker 1>or man either. And when she laughed, her gray green

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<v Speaker 1>eyes sparkled with disappointed shyness, and the tip of her

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<v Speaker 1>nose nearly met the tip of her chin. Then Ginger

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<v Speaker 1>Mooney lifted her mug of tea and proposed Maria's health,

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<v Speaker 1>while all the other women clattered with their mugs on

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<v Speaker 1>the table and said she was sorry, she hadn't a

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<v Speaker 1>sup a porta to drink it in. And Maria laughed

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<v Speaker 1>again till the tip of her nose nearly met the

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<v Speaker 1>tip of her chin, and till her minute body nearly

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<v Speaker 1>shook itself asunder, because she knew that mooney meant well,

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<v Speaker 1>though of course she had the notions of a common woman.

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<v Speaker 1>But wasn't Maria glad When the women had finished their tea,

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<v Speaker 1>and the cook and the dummy had begun to clear

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<v Speaker 1>away the tea things. She went into her little bedroom, and,

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<v Speaker 1>remembering that the next morning was a mass morning, changed

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<v Speaker 1>the hand of the alarm from seven to six. Then

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<v Speaker 1>she took off her working skirt in her house boots,

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<v Speaker 1>and laid her best skirt out on the bed and

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<v Speaker 1>her tiny dress boots beside the foot of the bed.

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<v Speaker 1>She changed her blouse too, and as she stood before

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<v Speaker 1>the mirror, she thought of how she used to dress

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<v Speaker 1>for Mass on Sunday morning when she was a young girl,

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<v Speaker 1>and she looked with quaint affection at the diminutive body

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<v Speaker 1>which she had so often adorned, in spite of its years.

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<v Speaker 1>She found it a nice, tidy little body. When she

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<v Speaker 1>got outside, the streets were shining with rain, and she

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<v Speaker 1>was glad of her old brown waterproof The tram was

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<v Speaker 1>full and she had to sit on the little stool

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<v Speaker 1>at the end of the car, facing all the people,

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<v Speaker 1>with her toes barely touching the floor. She arranged in

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<v Speaker 1>her mind all she was going to do, and thought

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<v Speaker 1>how much better it was to be independent and to

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<v Speaker 1>have your own money in your pocket. She hoped they

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<v Speaker 1>would have a nice evening. She was sure they would,

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<v Speaker 1>but she could not help thinking what a pity it was.

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<v Speaker 1>Alphie and Joe were not speaking. They were always falling

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<v Speaker 1>out now, but when they were boys together they used

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<v Speaker 1>to be the best of friends. But such was life.

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<v Speaker 1>She got out of her tram at the pillar and

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<v Speaker 1>ferreted her way quickly among the crowds. She went it It

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<v Speaker 1>down cake shop, but the shop was so full of

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<v Speaker 1>people that it was a long time before she could

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<v Speaker 1>get herself attended to. She bought a dozen of mixed

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<v Speaker 1>penny cakes and at last came out of the shop

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<v Speaker 1>laden with a big bag. Then she thought what else

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<v Speaker 1>would she buy? She wanted to buy something really nice.

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<v Speaker 1>They would be sure to have plenty of apples and nuts.

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<v Speaker 1>It was hard to know what to buy. And all

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<v Speaker 1>she could think of was cake. She decided to buy

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<v Speaker 1>some plum cake, but down this plum cake had not

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<v Speaker 1>enough almond icing on top of it, so she went

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<v Speaker 1>over to a shop in Henry Street. Here she was

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<v Speaker 1>a long time in suiting herself, and the stylish young

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<v Speaker 1>lady behind the counter, who was evidently a little annoyed

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<v Speaker 1>by her, asked her was it wedding cake she wanted

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<v Speaker 1>to buy. That made Maria blush and smile at the

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<v Speaker 1>young lady, but the young lady took it all very

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<v Speaker 1>seriously and finally cut a thick slice of plum cake,

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<v Speaker 1>parceled it up and said two and four please. She

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<v Speaker 1>thought she would have to stand in the Drumcondra tram

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<v Speaker 1>because none of the young men seemed to notice her,

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<v Speaker 1>but an elderly gentleman made room for her. He was

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<v Speaker 1>a stout gentleman, and he wore a brown hard hat.

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<v Speaker 1>He had a square, red face and a grayish mustache.

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<v Speaker 1>Maria thought he was a colonel looking gentleman, and she

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<v Speaker 1>reflected how much more polite he was than the young

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<v Speaker 1>men who simply stared straight before them. The gentleman began

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<v Speaker 1>to chat with her about hollow Eve and the rainy weather.

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<v Speaker 1>He supposed the bag was full of good things for

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<v Speaker 1>the little ones, and said it was only right that

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<v Speaker 1>the youngsters should enjoy themselves while they were young. Maria

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<v Speaker 1>agreed with him, and favored him with demure nods and hems.

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<v Speaker 1>He was very nice with her, and when she was

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<v Speaker 1>getting out at the canalge, she thanked him and bowed,

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<v Speaker 1>and he bowed to her and raised his hat and

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<v Speaker 1>smiled agreeably. And while she was going up along the terrace,

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<v Speaker 1>bending her tiny head under the rain, she thought how

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<v Speaker 1>easy it was to know a gentleman, even when he

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<v Speaker 1>has a drop taken. Everybody said, oh, here's Maria. When

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<v Speaker 1>she came to Joe's house. Joe was there, having come

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<v Speaker 1>home from business, and all the children had their Sunday

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<v Speaker 1>dresses on. There were two big girls in from next door,

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<v Speaker 1>and games were going on. Maria gave the bag of

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<v Speaker 1>cakes to the eldest boy, Alphy, to divide, and missus

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<v Speaker 1>Donnelly said it was too good of her to bring

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<v Speaker 1>such a big bag of cakes, and made all the

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<v Speaker 1>children say thanks Maria. But Maria said she had brought

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<v Speaker 1>something special for Papa and Mamma, something they would be

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<v Speaker 1>sure to like, and she began to look for her

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<v Speaker 1>plum cake. She tried in Downs's bad and then in

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<v Speaker 1>the pockets of her waterproof and then on the hall stand,

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<v Speaker 1>but nowhere could she find it. Then she asked all

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<v Speaker 1>the children, had any of them eaten it by mistake,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, But the children all said no, and looked

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<v Speaker 1>as if they did not like to eat cakes if

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<v Speaker 1>they were to be accused of stealing. Everybody had a

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<v Speaker 1>solution for the mystery, and Missus Donnelly said it was

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<v Speaker 1>plain that Maria had left it behind her in the tram. Maria,

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<v Speaker 1>remembering how confused the gentleman with a grayish mustache had

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<v Speaker 1>made her, colored with shame and vexation and disappointment at

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<v Speaker 1>the thought of the failure of her little surprise, and

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<v Speaker 1>of the two and fourpence she had thrown away for nothing.

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<v Speaker 1>She nearly cried outright, but Joe said it didn't matter

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<v Speaker 1>and made her sit down by the fire. He was

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<v Speaker 1>very nice with her. He told her all that went

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<v Speaker 1>on in his office, repeating for her a smart answer

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<v Speaker 1>which he had made to the manager. Maria did not

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<v Speaker 1>understand why Joe laughed so much over the answer he

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<v Speaker 1>had made but she said that the manager must have

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<v Speaker 1>been a very overbearing person to deal with. Joe said

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<v Speaker 1>he wasn't so bad when you knew how to take him,

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<v Speaker 1>that he was a decent sort, so long as you

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<v Speaker 1>didn't rub him the wrong way. Missus Donnelly played the

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<v Speaker 1>piano for the children and they danced and sang. Then

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<v Speaker 1>the two next door girls handed round the nuts. Nobody

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<v Speaker 1>could find the nutcrackers, and Joe was nearly getting cross

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<v Speaker 1>over it and asked how did they expect Maria to

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<v Speaker 1>crack nuts without a nutcracker? But Maria said she didn't

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<v Speaker 1>like nuts and that they weren't to bother about her.

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<v Speaker 1>Then Joe asked would she take a bottle of stout,

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<v Speaker 1>and Missus Donnelly said there was port wine too in

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<v Speaker 1>the house if she would prefer that. Maria said she

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<v Speaker 1>would rather they didn't ask her to take anything, but

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<v Speaker 1>Joe insisted, so Maria let him have his way, and

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<v Speaker 1>they sat by the fire talking over old times, and

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<v Speaker 1>Maria thought she would put in a good word for Alfy,

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<v Speaker 1>but Joe cried that God might strike him stone dead

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<v Speaker 1>if ever he spoke a word to his brother again,

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<v Speaker 1>and Maria said she was sorry she had mentioned the matter,

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<v Speaker 1>Missus Donnelly told her husband it was a great shame

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<v Speaker 1>for him to speak that way of his own flesh

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<v Speaker 1>and blood. But Joe said that Alfy was no brother

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<v Speaker 1>of his, and there were nearly being a row on

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<v Speaker 1>the head of it. But Joe said he would not

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<v Speaker 1>lose his temper on account of the night it was,

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<v Speaker 1>and asked his wife to open some more stout. The

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<v Speaker 1>two next door girls had arranged some hollow eve games,

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<v Speaker 1>and soon everything was merry again. Maria was delighted to

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<v Speaker 1>see the children so merry, and Joe and his wife

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<v Speaker 1>in such good spirits. The next door girls put some

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<v Speaker 1>saucers on the table and then led the children up

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<v Speaker 1>to the table blindfold One got the prayer book and

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<v Speaker 1>the other three got the water. And when one of

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<v Speaker 1>the next door girls got the ring, Missus Donnelly shook

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<v Speaker 1>her finger at the blushing girl as much as to say, oh,

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<v Speaker 1>I know all about it. They insisted then on blindfolding

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<v Speaker 1>Maria and leading her up to the table to see

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<v Speaker 1>what she would get. And while they were putting on

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<v Speaker 1>the bandage, Maria laughed and laughed again till the tip

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<v Speaker 1>of her nose nearly met the tip of her chin.

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<v Speaker 1>They led her up to the table amid laughing and joking,

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<v Speaker 1>and she put her hand out in the air as

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<v Speaker 1>she was told to do. She moved her hand about

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<v Speaker 1>here and there in the air and descended on one

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<v Speaker 1>of the saucers. She felt a soft, wet substance with

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<v Speaker 1>her fingers, and was surprised that nobody spoke or took

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<v Speaker 1>off her bandage. There was a pause for a few seconds,

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<v Speaker 1>and then a great deal of scuffling and whispering. Somebody

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<v Speaker 1>said something about the garden, and at last Missus Donnelly

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<v Speaker 1>said something very cross to one of the next door

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<v Speaker 1>girls and told her to throw it out once that

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<v Speaker 1>was no play. Maria understood that it was wrong that time,

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<v Speaker 1>and so she had to do it over again, and

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<v Speaker 1>this time she got the prayer book. After that, Missus

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<v Speaker 1>donnelly played Miss mc cloud's reel for the children, and

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<v Speaker 1>Joe made Maria take a glass of wine. Soon they

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<v Speaker 1>were all quite merry again, and Missus Donnelly said Maria

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<v Speaker 1>would enter a convent before the year was out because

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<v Speaker 1>she had got the prayer book. Maria had never seen

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<v Speaker 1>Joe so nice to her as he was that night,

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<v Speaker 1>so full of pleasant talk and reminiscences. She said they

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<v Speaker 1>were all very good to her. At last, the children

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<v Speaker 1>grew tired and sleepy, and Joe asked Maria would she

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<v Speaker 1>not sing some little song before she went one of

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<v Speaker 1>the old songs. Missus Donnelly said, do please Maria, and

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<v Speaker 1>so Maria had to get up and stand beside her

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<v Speaker 1>the piano. Missus Donnelly bade the children be quiet and

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<v Speaker 1>listen to Maria's song. Then she played the prelude and

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<v Speaker 1>said now Maria, and Maria, blushing very much, began to

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<v Speaker 1>sing in a tiny, quavering voice. She sang, I dreamt

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<v Speaker 1>that I dwelt, And when she came to the second verse,

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<v Speaker 1>she sang again.

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<v Speaker 2>I dreamed.

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<v Speaker 1>With rustles and soot my side.

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<v Speaker 2>And all sous, and I a ragous cold booses, which pleased.

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<v Speaker 1>Thatchast musa that.

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<v Speaker 2>You that child.

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<v Speaker 1>You love pleasely, But no one tried to show her

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<v Speaker 1>her mistake. And when she had ended her song, Joe

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<v Speaker 1>was very much moved. He said that there was no

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<v Speaker 1>time like the long ago, and no music for him

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<v Speaker 1>like poor old balf whatever other people might say, and

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<v Speaker 1>his eyes filled up so much with tears that he

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<v Speaker 1>could not find what he was looking for, and in

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<v Speaker 1>the end he had to ask his wife to tell

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<v Speaker 1>him where the corkscrew was and of clay recording by

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<v Speaker 1>Carrol Stripling