Part 10 (1/2)

When they reached the house and knocked at the door of the room Mrs.

Scott had directed them to, a weak but shrill voice cried out, ”Come!”

They entered a neat but poorly furnished room, of which the only occupant was a pale, thin girl, lying in what appeared to be a very uncomfortable position in bed.

”I suppose you are Jennie,” said Mrs. Ashford, with her pleasant smile.

”Yes, ma'am,” answered the girl, staring.

”I am Mrs. Ashford. My little girl and I have come to see you.”

Jennie probably had few visitors, and she certainly did not know how to treat them. She did not ask her present ones to be seated, and merely continued to stare at them as well as she could stare in the doubled-up way she was lying.

”Your mother is out to-day, is she?” said Mrs. Ashford.

”Yes, but she's only gone for half a day. She ought to be home now,” and then the poor child broke into a whining cry, saying,

”I wish she'd come and fix me, for I'm all slid down, and give me some dinner.”

It is very hard to be polite and pleasant when you are faint, sick, and generally miserable.

”Wont you let me fix you?” asked Mrs. Ashford. She put the basket on the table, and taking off her gloves, approached the bed.

”Now, Marty,” she said, ”as I raise Jennie, you beat up the pillows.”

Marty beat them with a will, and the sick girl was soon comfortably placed. She appeared greatly relieved and sighed from satisfaction. Mrs.

Ashford, seeing a tin plate on the shelf, covered it with one of the napkins from her basket, and placing on it the small gla.s.s saucer of strawberries and a rusk, gave it to Marty to carry to Jennie. The wan face of the invalid flushed with pleasure when she saw the dainty food.

”For me!” she exclaimed.

”Of course it's for you,” replied Marty, settling the plate on the bed.

Just then Mrs. Scott entered, almost breathless from her hurried walk, having been detained, and knowing Jennie would need her. She was exceedingly grateful when she found Mrs. Ashford and Marty ministering to her sick child.

”O mother!” cried the latter. ”The lady lifted me up in bed; and see the strawberries! Some are for you.”

”No, no,” protested her mother, but Jennie persisted in forcing at least one upon her. When Marty saw how the berries were enjoyed she felt very well repaid for having been satisfied with a smaller portion herself.

Mrs. Ashford inquired what had been done for Jennie, and found she had had no doctor since coming to the city.

”I have no money to pay a doctor,” said poor Mrs. Scott, wiping her eyes, ”and I can't go to a stranger and ask him to attend her for nothing. I give her the medicine the doctor told me to get when she was first hurt, but it don't seem to do any good now.”

Mrs. Ashford said she would speak to a doctor not far from there, with whom she was well acquainted, and she was sure he would be willing to come and see what could be done for the child.

”It is very hard that you have to be away from her so much, when she is sick, and almost helpless.”

”It is hard, mem, but what can I do? I must work to pay the rent and get us bread, and glad enough I am to have the work. And she's not always so forlorn as you found her, for mostly she can move herself. She's a bit weak to-day. Then when I go for all day, I leave things handy on a chair by the bed, and the people in the house are real kind, coming in to see if she wants anything and to mend the fire.”

In the meantime the children were not saying much, for Jennie, besides being somewhat shy, appeared tired and weak. She was greatly pleased with the book and cards, holding them tenderly in her hands. Marty sat in silence a while, and then asked,