Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

the children w

weary ere

seen the sunshin

righter th

vied with each other as to which could induce the mercury to drop the lowest. The descent of the tempera

uccess, and Jim's exertions were redoubled; day by day his scanty

from the window-ledge and hissing through the patched panes. The snow that sifted in through the loose sash lay unmelted on the sill. Jim had a piece of old carpet about him, and coughed with alm

t Mr. Bagby's; seems like I'd never have the courage to pull agin a debt. What do

, 'Well, why don't you sell 'em?' No, ma! As long as we've got coal I'll git the vittles some way!" He had to pause, for a violent attack of coughing shook him from head to foot. "I think I can git a night job next week; one of the market-men comes in

vering with anxiety, "you never could stan' it ni

her. She hastily dried her eyes and s

basket for you!" c

istmas?" Jim

eyes between the brim of the hat and her high fur collar. It was nice to hear her laugh, though; it

ined; "a crowd of us are out in t

to come here?" cried Mrs. Wig

sion-school families; just a litt

you-" she hesitated; the room she had just left was not in a condition to receive guests, but Mrs. Wiggs was a Kentu

ith a side glance at Jim, who was leaning against the do

er tone might have been less confident, but for Jim's warning gl

of poverty on everything in sight except the

to come to see me, ask for Miss Lucy Olcott at

on, and it took both Jim and his mother to carry it in. Sitting on the floor, they unpacked it. There were vegetables, oatmeal, fruit, and even t

'spect Europena'll be skeered of it, it's so big. My, but we'll have a good dinner to-morrow! I'll git Miss Hazy an' Chris to

er lining was visible. Jim was doing a sum on the brown paper tha

r. I kin sell it fer a dollar seventy-five, an

tmas dinner, the first the youngest children had ever known; she had already thought of half a dozen neighbor

sausage fer dinner, an' I'll cook some of these here nice vegetables an' put a orange an' some candy at each plate, an' the ch

Jim had gone to bed she slipped over

ch," she said, wistfully, "ef they h

night work and Mrs. Wiggs's washing supplied the demands of the family

e shadow troubles, compared to Jim's illness; he had been too sick to go to the factory that morning, and she dared not think what changes the day may have brought. As she lifted the latch of her rickety do

corner; his cheeks were flushed, and his thin, nerv

cheek, "Jim, darling lemme go fer the doctor. You're worser than you

t something hurt him in his chest when

even if the doctor did come. You go git some supper, now; an', ma, don't worry; I'm goin' to tak

nd applied vigorous measures to relieve him. Her efforts were unceasing, and one after anothe

said, speaking with difficulty. "Could you fi

d looked toward the corner where Billy slept on a pallet. The blankets on his bed were insufficient even for him. She put her hands over her face, and for a

irt. I don't need it a mite, settin' up here so clos

ilent, then he said:

s,

uctantly-"I guess you'd better go see the Christmas lady. I wouldn't mind her knowin' so muc

severe coughing, and

sleep, honey?"

ully, "them wheels at the fact'ry; when I

notted, but love taught them to be

ou 'bout the count

their old home in the valley. His dim recollecti

ill make me fergit t

u was welcome to all you could pull. An' there was trees, Jim, where you could climb up an' git big red apples, an' when the frost 'ud come they'd be persimmons that 'ud jes' melt in yer mouth. An' you could look 'way off 'crost the meaders, an' see the trees a-wavin' in the suns

oo much for her. Jim scarcely knew when she stopped; his e

rmured; "the meaders an' trees-laughin' all

that had not come with years left his tired face, and he fearlessl