small-a

Updated: May 21, 2025

But as a matter of fact Lucia does know two other words. Once I ironed a very starched nightgown. It was a very, very large and gathered nightgown. I held it up and made Lucia look at it. Lucia snickered. “Da big-a, da fat-a!” said Lucia. Mrs. Reilly let out a squeal. “She's learnt English!” Mrs. Reilly called down the line. “And,” I announce, “I'll teach her 'da small-a, da thin-a.”

Cornelia Stratton Parker - Working With the Working Woman