But, on the other side, where the Useful Work placard was put up, there was a great variety of articles, of whose unusual excellence every one might judge.

Such fine sewing, and stitching, and button-holing! Such bundles of soft delicate knitted stockings and socks; and, above all, in Lady Ludlow's eyes, such hanks of the finest spun flaxen thread! And the most delicate dainty work of all was done by Miss Galindo, as Lady Ludlow very well knew.

Yet, for all their fine sewing, it sometimes happened that Miss Galindo's patterns were of an old-fashioned kind; and the dozen nightcaps, maybe, on the materials for which she had expended bona-fide money, and on the making-up, no little time and eye-sight, would lie for months in a yellow neglected heap; and at such times, it was said, Miss Galindo was more amusing than usual, more full of dry drollery and humour; just as at the times when an order came in to X.
(the initial she had chosen) for a stock of well-paying things, she sat and stormed at her servant as she stitched away.

She herself explained her practice in this way:-- "When everything goes wrong, one would give up breathing if one could not lighten ones heart by a joke.

But when I've to sit still from morning till night, I must have something to stir my blood, or I should go off into an apoplexy; so I set to, and quarrel with Sally." Such were Miss Galindo's means and manner of living in her own house.