Ragged Lady, Part 1

and had rehearsed aloud many of the things she meant to say to the girl. In spite of her preparation, they were all d

ery well, 'm," that she began to be proud of her ailments, and bragged of them at length, and of the different doctors who had treated her for them. While she talked she missed one thing or another, and Clementina seemed to divine what it was she wanted, and got it for her, with a gentle def

ngs!" said Mrs. Lander.

o thinkin' of othas in a

could get along witho

ges

except last summa,

re was y

lping Mrs

ou lik

tina. "It's pleasant to be

ander, whom the going on of things

woods, around there. It's safe for the children, and they enjoy it, and fatha likes to have them. Motha don't ca'e so much about it.

always think the's time enough; but I like to have

dren go to the Sunday School. I don't believe fatha ca'es very much for going to chuhch, but he lik

e ca'eful how they drink of them cold brooks w

they haven't g

er about lettin' him climb mountains too m

e can't be too much in the

s Mr. Landa; but I know if I was to climb a

tely and waited patiently for the next turn Mrs. Lander's talk should t

naise. Mr. Landa said your motha thoug

es

pa hook on the right hand, and if you'll give it to me, I'll show you what I want done. Don't mind the looks

ame home just as she was going away, and she did not find out that it was all wrong till a week afterwards when she tried it on. By the end of this time the girl had commended herself so much by judicious and sympatheti

nda said, that your motha would c

otha doesn't eva go out to do wo'k,

at he had brought the girl in the hope of pleasing her, and confirming her in the wish to have her with them; she was not a woman who liked

d deal of an invalid, and I don't know as I could go back and fo

le from the bed, on her way to the door, t

Lander. "I presume it's a

sorry we can't do the wo'k he'a; but I kno

ve her the bag she felt about among the bank-notes which she seemed to have loose in it, and drew out a handful of them without regar

t of seeming to know that her refusal would hurt, and wit

ve the wo'k the way you want, I don't think it's fair,

ling. "I don't believe motha

elf; and if you don't want to buy anything to wea', you can get something to fix your ro

toward Clementina as she could and sh

ina persisted. "I'm afraid I must be goi

me feelin's. You think it's demeanin' to you to take it. A'n't that it?" Clementina sank provisionally upon the edge of the chair. "Well, it did use to be so consid'ed. But it's all changed, nowadays. We travel pretty nee' the whole while, Mr. Lander and me, and we see f

uldn't know what to tell them, when I got home

d think I was. Now, lis

r per

l your mother every word about it, and if she says, you b

" Clementina faltered. "

to her hand but she did

own and herself up till

ant you should let me

d Clementina, and she

I guess," said Mrs. Lander in instant expression of the idea

said Cl

er Lander came in with a sort

r head on her pillow,

de you want me t

s, and he came to it at once. "I thought you might tak

es

I'm not around. You want somebody that can do for you; and keep you company, and read to you, an

help thinkin' about her the whole while, and if I got attached to her I'd have her on my mind day and night, and the moa she d

e it, I don't need

gh! had a time with her about it-so that they won't feel as if we'd made 'em trouble for nothing, and now I neva want to hear of her again. I don't

es

stion; but she was not so far gone that she was insensible to the possible interest that a light

to the bedside smiling joyously, and put the money

ven't been h

tter if I just brought it back myself. Good-mo'ning." She slipped out of the door. Mrs. Lander swept the bank-notes from the co

d then laid them in a neat pile on the corner of the bureau. He sigh