It was not likely he would come
in person to the Elsey, he argued, and, unless told, would know nothing
about it.
But another fat, roundabout, roly-poly of humanity was to settle the
servant question finally, within a day or two. "Larrikin" had been
visiting foreign parts at Wandin, towards the west, and returning with a
new wife, stolen from one "Jacky Big-Foot," presented her to the missus.
"Him Rosy!" he said, thus introducing his booty and without further
ceremony Rosy requested permission to "sit down" on the staff. Like Cheon
she carried her qualifications on the tip of her tongue: "Me savey scrub
'im, and sweep 'im, and wash 'im, and blue 'im, and starch 'im," she said
glibly, with a flash of white teeth against a babyish pink tongue. She
was wearing a freshly washed bright blue dress, hanging loosely from her
shoulders, and looked so prettily jolly, clean, capable, and
curly-headed, that I immediately made her housemaid and Head of the
Staff.
"Great Scott!" the Maluka groaned, "that makes four of them at it!" But
Rosy had appealed to me and I pointed out that it was a chance not to be
missed and that she was worth the other three all put together.
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