Part 29 (2/2)

”There, my dear,” the old woman would say, ”if you lay it like that, and your sticks are dry, you never need fear that if you turn your back your fire will be out. Those cinders will burn up hot before you have washed your hands.”

All this Cherry remembered, and followed as implicitly as she could.

When she had done she stood spell-bound, watching the effect. Mrs.

Seymour, roused by the crackling of the sticks, opened her eyes, and startled her by calling out--

”Halloa! my dear, are you up already, and the fire lighted too?”

”Yes,” said Cherry, coming forward; ”I thought as you'd be glad to have it done, grannie.”

”So I should, child. But look here, I've found a small ap.r.o.n of mine as 'ull do nicely for you to go to the doctor's with. Mind, Cherry, you never take it dirty, my dear. There it is on that chair.”

Cherry found a clean, neatly-folded ap.r.o.n ready for her, and to her thinking it added to her appearance just the one thing she wanted.

She thanked Mrs. Seymour very gratefully, and ran down-stairs.

Many had been Meg's instructions the evening before as to how she was to clean the steps of the doctor's house, and Jem's hearth had been cleaned three times over, in order that Cherry should know properly how to do it.

As she hurried along the two or three streets which intervened between their house and the doctor's, she thought over all Meg had said, and hoped she should do it right.

It was a very nervous little girl who rang at the area bell, as the church clock near struck seven.

”Who are you?” asked the cook. ”Ah, I know. Well, my dear, here's the pail and things; do it from outside, and I'll open the front door for you to begin on the top step. Here's the mat to kneel on. Don't you leave it out there, nor the broom, or they'll be walked off with.”

Cherry promised, and waited while the cook went up-stairs to unfasten the door.

”Please,” said Cherry, looking up with her candid eyes, ”I'm not very used to making stones white, but mother-Meg says I shall do it much better in a day or two.”

”All right; and if you don't quite know anythink, you just come to me, and I'll tell you.”

Cherry began sweeping, and the cook went back to prepare her master's breakfast.

”Poor little thing,” she said compa.s.sionately, when the housemaid came down to put away her brushes, ”she don't look strong. I wonder master chose such a child.”

”How old is she, then?”

”She looks fifteen, but she's that small and thin. She limps, and one of her shoulders is all crooked, but I never see a prettier face in my life. Her eyes is soft and large, and altogether----”

But Jane could not stay to hear, for the busy doctor must have everything punctual, so cook finished her sentence to herself.

When Cherry came back with the pail and broom, cook went to inspect her work in a very kindly spirit.

”It don't look quite _clear_, my dear, but as your mother says, you'll improve if you take pains. You've done it very well considering. Hasn't she, Jane? Come and see.”

This was to give Jane, who was pa.s.sing through the hall at the moment, an opportunity of agreeing with cook's verdict on Cherry's eyes.

”I haven't a mother, please,” answered Cherry, timidly.

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