She then ran dripping into the house for a towel, and was dried by the hands of Mrs Bruce in her dirty apron .-- This mode of washing lasted till the first hoar-frost, after which there was a basin to be had in the kitchen, with plenty of water and not much soap.
By this time breakfast was nearly ready, and in a few minutes more, Mrs Bruce called Mr Bruce from the shop, and the children from the yard, and they all sat round the table in the kitchen--Mr Bruce to his tea and oat-cake and butter--Mrs Bruce and the children to badly-made oatmeal porridge and sky-blue milk.

This quality of the milk was remarkable, seeing they had cows of their own.

But then they sold milk.
And if any customer had accused her of watering it, Mrs Bruce's best answer would have been to show how much better what she sold was than what she retained; for she put twice as much water in what she used for her own family--with the exception of the portion destined for her husband's tea, whose two graces were long and strong enough for a better breakfast.

But then his own was good enough.
There were three children, two boys with great jaws--the elder rather older than Annie--and a very little baby.

After Mr Bruce had prayed for the blessing of the Holy Spirit upon their food, they gobbled down their breakfasts with all noises except articulate ones.