Then, as the child ran off, the stout lady began to rummage in her closet, saying, as she rattled and slammed: 

“I’ll jest take her a drawin’ of tea and a couple of nut-cakes:  mebby she’ll relish ’em, for I shouldn’t wonder ef she hadn’t had a mouthful this blessed day.  She’s dreadful slack at the best of times, but no one can much wonder, seein’ she’s got nine children, and is jest up from a rheumatic fever.  I’m sure I never grudge a meal of vittles or a hand’s turn to such as she is, though she does beat all for dependin’ on her neighbors.  I’m a thousand times obleeged.  You needn’t werry about the children, only don’t let ’em git lost, or burnt, or pitch out a winder; and when it’s done give ‘em the patty-cake that’s bakin’ for ’em.”

With which maternal orders Mrs. Wilkins assumed a sky-blue bonnet, and went beaming away with several dishes genteelly hidden under her purple shawl.

Being irresistibly attracted toward the children Christie opened the door and took a survey of her responsibilities.

Six lively infants were congregated in the “settin’-room,” and chaos seemed to have come again, for every sort of destructive amusement was in full operation.  George Washington, the eldest blossom, was shearing a resigned kitten; Gusty and Ann Eliza were concocting mud pies in the ashes; Adelaide Victoria was studying the structure of lamp-wicks, while Daniel Webster and Andrew Jackson were dragging one another in a clothes-basket, to the great detriment of the old carpet and still older chariot.

Thinking that some employment more suited to the day might be introduced, Christie soon made friends with these young persons, and, having rescued the kitten, banished the basket, lured the elder girls from their mud-piety, and quenched the curiosity of the Pickwickian Adelaide, she proposed teaching them some little hymns.

The idea was graciously received, and the class decorously seated in a row.  But before a single verse was given out, Gusty, being of a house-wifely turn of mind, suggested that the patty-cake might burn.  Instant alarm pervaded the party, and a precipitate rush was made for the cooking-stove, where Christie proved by ocular demonstration that the cake showed no signs of baking, much less of burning.  The family pronounced themselves satisfied, after each member had poked a grimy little finger into the doughy delicacy, whereon one large raisin reposed in proud pre-eminence over the vulgar herd of caraways.

Order being with difficulty restored, Christie taught her flock an appropriate hymn, and was flattering herself that their youthful minds were receiving a devotional bent, when they volunteered a song, and incited thereunto by the irreverent Wash, burst forth with a gem from Mother Goose, closing with a smart skirmish of arms and legs that set all law and order at defiance.  Hoping to quell the insurrection Christie invited the breathless rioters to calm themselves