Mother Meg

mer days came and went, while Meg and her young

kie, but cheer and sunshine for his devoted little sister. If Meg had discovered in Cherry tra

brought her some soap and an old towel, and coaxed Dickie "to feel how nice the warm water was," and when his ablu

ught her to wash over her floor, so that if the old boards might not look white, they would at least be fresh. And once Meg put on her oldest

ess and up into her arms, where he would lie peacefully while she told him story after story of the little

ondent. There was a look of alarm on her face which puzzled Meg; but the child would never give any explanation. She resolut

if yer don't mind; and then-I hope th

bits of toys and broken crockery which he

aughty?" aske

ry n

o you d

been, and how sorry He is," reverently; "and then

y with an old hat on, and Dickie also

d, surprised, for Cherry's aversion

in' to take us; and I think it 'ull be the best thing f

a pawn-ticket, as if she

s this,

there. Here's the money, and you can get it out for me, if you will, when we com

a pang that she had not done so. She was busy thinking about the blanket; and just as she had promised

, and he stared in surprise at such a

Dickie when he was ill, father,"

train 'ull be gone if you don't come at once.

for her to go. She bade a hasty good-bye to the

he went several times to their attic, she could hear nothing of them. The atti

ght. If she were not rendering efficient help to her mother-in-law, she had some work of

d set up a regular practice of supplying her husband with her own baking, she entered the

her hand to save her, she tripped over a bit of brick which was lying i

er, knocked at the door just as the child's

said, entering; "her head c

ng that here was another misfortune; "I never did see such chi

e across her before, and had been too shy to make any advances without being asked, though she

n, taking the child from Meg's arms. "My

"and then we can see how big the place i

ven't one bit of rag handy; I have had to use al

the Hall. She looked round for a basin, and soon had a little lukewarm water in it, and the rag put on the child'

miserable, was laid on the little bed in the corner, Meg b

ully; "you've quite cheered me up a bit.

as Meg's, were sunken and tired. She glanced a

e can't satisfy their mouths. I can't tell you how I

had been nothing on that table that morning but milkless

then not to have enough after all. But what can I do? They've eaten a loa

you?" said Meg, sympathizing tru

n, "and all under twelve y

room, where in a good-sized

eg kindly; "I wish I could think of any

y from me, her as might be some 'elp, and I'm sure

u. And so you have to sta

s, and burnt and neglected and slapped! Not but what I slap 'em myself sometimes," she added with compu

e to pour out her griefs to, an

idy like the rest of the girls, but you ain't yet!" r

sm

ow I have not got a lot of children to fee

ing to the door she

ke oatmeal porridge for

n made a

, they wouldn

would if it we

, that I ought to think of what you say,

-day, if I may ask?" said Me

to pour some boiling water on it, and put some salt, a

ended if I offered to mak

ded; but I know th

laug

riend brought them some, and you give them t

y oatmeal," s

etch some. My husband has

y so!" exclai

have time to rise. When I have done that I'll bring the oa

sted that a saucepan of water might be put over the fire instead of

it?" asked Meg; "eight half-pints is wha

would, and Meg wen

to smarten up her room. The little hurt child had had its hands washed, and was now f

cept it," she said, entering, with her clean cooking a

he woman. "Now you must show me th

g, seating herself near the fire and

Don't it lo

ned Meg, "or the oatmeal would

t's the

oden spoon in case you had not go

stirred al

meal with my hand. If I put it in all at once it would fall into

t stood b

e pay a pound for

fpenny where

eard tell of treacle, but I'm n

ng is a little milk; I dare say half a pint would

ft on the baker's loaves which went so fast, and she h

nge in the woman's face from b

, and then she said with

me interfering if I were to bring them

rring, but really to get rid of a few tears. It was the way it was done, she told

hey won't take to burnt porridge, for certain! You see i

gar and a pint of milk, the porridge ha

out the last thing, and see if they do not like it better than bread, and feel more sa

I got on with it?" asked Mrs. Blunt, already l

ce, she said, blushing, "Do you remember those loving words of our Saviour to all wh

nswered the woman, "but I

Meg gently, "and I don't know a burden that any one

she really meant it, and the clear eyes

and went back to the po

needle, there was a tap at the door, and on saying "Come i

sked Meg,

s curious as anything to see what it was. I told 'em as it was a present to 'em, but they had no call to eat it unless they liked; and with that I poured out a little into the basins. Some of 'em was that hungry that they did

finish it?

y told me to say as they was much obliged, and ha

k into her little bread-pan, and the

," she said, "'cause I've he

t use some of your time better. Mother used to say it went quite twice as far as baker's bread.

sked Mrs. Blu

'll let you kno

from the window, where she had been absorbe

ter then?"

he bandage; "see, it ain't such a gre

the present," said Meg;

ondon who has ever done me a kindness-I don't forgit it. The neighbours come in at times, and they mean to be kind; but one and another 'ull say a

d Meg softly,

t you say there's the Lord as can lighten it, and I shan't f

with tears to think how little, after all, she loved and tr