“Who is that?” said the man, peering through the darkness.

“Me, pa.”

“Who are you?  Charlie?”

“No, pa.  Tom.”

“Where’s your mother?”

“She’s out at the chapel.”

“That’s right....  Did she think of leaving any dinner for me?”

“Yes, pa.  I —­”

“Light the lamp.  What do you mean by having the place in darkness?  Are the other children in bed?”

The man sat down heavily on one of the chairs while the little boy lit the lamp.  He began to mimic his son’s flat accent, saying half to himself:  “At the chapel.  At the chapel, if you please!” When the lamp was lit he banged his fist on the table and shouted: 

“What’s for my dinner?”

“I’m going... to cook it, pa,” said the little boy.

The man jumped up furiously and pointed to the fire.

“On that fire!  You let the fire out!  By God, I’ll teach you to do that again!”

He took a step to the door and seized the walking-stick which was standing behind it.

“I’ll teach you to let the fire out!” he said, rolling up his sleeve in order to give his arm free play.

The little boy cried “O, pa!” and ran whimpering round the table, but the man followed him and caught him by the coat.  The little boy looked about him wildly but, seeing no way of escape, fell upon his knees.

“Now, you’ll let the fire out the next time!” said the man striking at him vigorously with the stick.  “Take that, you little whelp!”

The boy uttered a squeal of pain as the stick cut his thigh.  He clasped his hands together in the air and his voice shook with fright.

“O, pa!” he cried.  “Don’t beat me, pa!  And I’ll...  I’ll say a Hail Mary for you....  I’ll say a Hail Mary for you, pa, if you don’t beat me....  I’ll say a Hail Mary....”

CLAY

The matron had given her leave to go out as soon as the women’s tea was over and Maria looked forward to her evening out.  The kitchen was spick and span:  the cook said you could see yourself in the big copper boilers.  The fire was nice and bright and on one of the side-tables were four very big barmbracks.  These barmbracks seemed uncut; but if you went closer you would see that they had been cut into long thick even slices and were ready to be handed round at tea.  Maria had cut them herself.

Maria was a very, very small person indeed but she had a very long nose and a very long chin.  She talked a little through her nose, always soothingly:  “Yes, my dear,” and “No, my dear.”  She was always sent for when the women quarrelled Over their tubs and always succeeded in making peace.  One day the matron had said to her: 

“Maria, you are a veritable peace-maker!”

And the sub-matron and two of the Board ladies had heard the compliment.  And Ginger Mooney was always saying what she wouldn’t do to the dummy who had charge of the irons if it wasn’t for Maria.  Everyone was so fond of Maria.