The poor lad must be hungry.

Mary, see what there is in the closet." "There's nothing but some bread, mother," said Mary.
Indeed bread and potatoes were the main living of the mother and daughter, adopted because they were cheap.

They seldom ventured on the extravagance of meat, and that was one reason, doubtless, for Mrs.
Burke's want of strength and sometimes feeling faint and dizzy while working at her needle.
"Is there no meat in the house, Mary ?" "Not a bit, mother." "Then go and see if there's an egg outside." The widow kept a few hens, having a henhouse in one corner of the back yard.

The eggs she usually sold, but Andy was at home now, and needed something hearty, so they must be more extravagant than usual.
Mary went out, and quickly returned with a couple of eggs.
"Here they are, mother, two of them.

The black hen was settin' on them, but I drove her away, and you can hear her cackling.