Thereweremanybabieshere，andmorethanonehandsomeyoungmother。Therewereuglyyoungmothersalso，andsullenyoungmothers，andcallousyoungmothers。But，thebabieshadnotappropriatedtothemselvesanybadexpressionyet，andmighthavebeen，foranythingthatappearedtothecontraryintheirsoftfaces，PrincesImperial，andPrincessesRoyal。Ihadthepleasureofgivingapoeticalcommissiontothebaker’smantomakeacakewithalldespatchandtossitintotheovenforonered-headedyoungpauperandmyself，andfeltmuchthebetterforit。Withoutthatrefreshment，IdoubtifIshouldhavebeeninaconditionfor’theRefractories，’towardswhommyquicklittlematron-forwhoseadaptationtoherofficeIhadbythistimeconceivedagenuinerespect-drewmenext，andmarshalledmethewaythatIwasgoing。
TheRefractorieswerepickingoakum，inasmallroomgivingonayard。Theysatinlineonaform，withtheirbackstoawindow；
beforethem，atable，andtheirwork。TheoldestRefractorywas，saytwenty；youngestRefractory，saysixteen。Ihaveneveryetascertainedinthecourseofmyuncommercialtravels，whyaRefractoryhabitshouldaffectthetonsilsanduvula；but，IhavealwaysobservedthatRefractoriesofbothsexesandeverygrade，betweenaRaggedSchoolandtheOldBailey，haveonevoice，inwhichthetonsilsanduvulagainadiseasedascendency。
’Fivepoundindeed！Ihain’tagoingfurtopickfivepound，’saidtheChiefoftheRefractories，keepingtimetoherselfwithherheadandchin。’Morethanenoughtopickwhatwepicksnow，insichaplaceasthis，andonwotwegetshere！’
Thiswasinacknowledgmentofadelicateintimationthattheamountofworkwaslikelytobeincreased。Itcertainlywasnotheavythen，foroneRefractoryhadalreadydoneherday’stask-itwasbarelytwoo’clock-andwassittingbehindit，withaheadexactlymatchingit。