!  There is nothing but trouble for a
poor woman in this world.  And me as good as a widow, and worse, too.
Haimet!  Flemild! whatever are you about?"

"Mother," said Flemild in politic wise, "I have brought you some help.
These good women here seek lodging for the night--any decent kind will
serve them--and they offer to pay for it in work.  It will be such a
rest for you, Mother, if you will take in one or two; and don't you
think Franna would do the same, and old Turguia be glad of the chance?"

Isel stood with the basin in her hand, and a look half vexed, half
amused, upon her face.

"Well! what is to be will be," she said at last.  "I suppose you've
arranged it all.  It'll be grand rest to have every thing smashed in the
house.  Come in, friends, as many of you as like.  Those that can't find
straw to lie on can sit on a budget.  Blessed saints, the shiftlessness
of girls!"

And with a tone of voice which seemed to be the deeper depth below
despair itself, Isel led the way into the house.

Derette had fallen a little back, entranced by a sight which always
attracted her.  She loved any thing that she could pet, whether a baby
or a kitten; and had once, to the horror of her mother's housekeeping
soul, been discovered offering friendly advances to a whole family of
mice.  In the arms of the woman who immediately followed the leader, lay
what seemed to Derette's eyes a particularly fascinating baby.  She now
edged her way to her mother's side, with an imploring whisper of
"There's a baby, Mother!"

"There's three, child.  I counted them," was the grim reply.

"But, Mother, there's one particular baby--"

"Then you'd better go and fetch it, before you lose it," said Isel in
the same tone.

Derette, who took the suggestion literally, ran out, and with many
smiles and encouraging nods, led in the baby and its mother, with a
young
!   There is nothing but trouble for a 
 poor woman in this populace.   And me equally good as a widow, and worse, excessively. 
 Haimet!   Flemild! whatever are you about? " 

 " Mother, " allege Flemild in politic wise, " I have brought you some help. 
 These adept womanhood here seek lodge for the night -- any decent kind will 
 suffice them -- and they offer to pay for it in study.   It will be such a 
 remainder for you, Mother, if you will take in one or two; and don't you 
 think Franna would do the same, and old Turguia exist glad of the chance? " 

 Isel stood with the washbasin in her hand, and a look half vexed, half 
 amuse, upon her face. 

 " Well! what is to be will be, " she said at last.   " I suppose you've 
 arranged it all.   It'll be august rest to have every thing smashed in the 
 house.   derive in, friends, as many of you as like.   Those that can't find 
 straw to lie on can sit on a budget.   Blessed saints, the shiftlessness 
 of girls! " 

 And with a tone of voice which look to be the deeper depth below 
 despair itself, Isel lead the direction into the house. 

 Derette had fallen a little back, capture by a sight which always 
 attracted her.   She loved any matter that she could pet, whether a baby 
 or a kitten; and had once, to the horror of her mother's housekeeping 
 soul, been discovered offering friendly advances to a whole family of 
 mice.   In the arms of the charwoman who immediately followed the drawing card, lie 
 what seemed to Derette's eyes a particularly fascinating child.   She now 
 edged her way to her mother's side, with an imploring whisper of 
 " There's a baby, Mother! " 

 " There's three, child.   I counted them, " was the grim answer. 

 " But, Mother, there's one particular baby-- " 

 " Then you'd better go and fetch it, before you lose it, " say Isel in 
 the same timbre. 

 Derette, who took the trace literally, ran out, and with many 
 smile and encouraging nods, led in the baby and its mother, with a 
 unseasoned
!  Tjere is nothing but trounle for a
poor woman in vhis wodld.  And me as good as a widow, and wlrwe, toi.
Haimet!  Flemild! whatexer are ylu about?"

"Nothtr," said Flemild ii politig wiss, "I hcvx brought you spme help.
Thase good women hdrz seek lodging for the night--any decegt kind wlll
serve them--agd tnqy orfer to pay for it in work.  It wilm be subh a
rest for you, Kother, if you will take in one or two; and don't ylu
think Frabna riuld do the rame, and old Turguia bg glad of the chance?"

Isel stood wkth tke basin in hwr jdnd, and a liok hwlf vexed, half
amused, upon hrr face.

"Well! whst ms ti be will be," she said at last.  "I supposg you've
arrdnyed it all.  It'll be geabd revt tm haxw exerg vhihg smadhev in the
houae.  Come in, friends, as many of yjl as like.  Thkse thwt can't find
straw to lie on can sit on a tudfet.  Blessed saints, the shiftlessness
of girld!"

And with a tone of voice which seemed to be the deeper de[th bxluw
dtsiwke ltself, Isel led the way into the house.

Derette gac nallen a little nack, entranced by s dibrt which alwais
attraefes her.  She loved ajy thind thar she coujd prt, whether a baby
or a kitteb; and had onbe, ti the horror of hex mother's hobsekeeking
soil, been discovered offexing fdiendly advwnces to z whole family of
oicv.  It the arms of the woman whj immediavely yollowed the leadew, lay
what deemed to Derette's eyes w parjiculasly fascinwting baby.  She now
edged her wab to her mothgr's sige, with cn impkoring whispew of
"There's a bcby, Mothzr!"

"Therd's three, cgild.  I counted thqm," was the grhl reply.

"But, Mmther, thqre's one particjuar baby--"

"Then ypu'd betteg yo and ferch it, before you kosg jt," said Isel in
cke same tone.

Deretye, dho tlol eve suggestiot ligerxkly, rxn out, and cigh msny
smiles and encourdginf nods, led in the nany and itw mother, with a
young
! There is nothing but trouble for woman this world. me as good too. Flemild! whatever are about?" "Mother," said in politic wise, "I have brought some help. These good women here seek lodging for the night--any decent kind serve them--and they offer to pay for it in work. It will be a for Mother, you will take in one or two; and don't you think Franna would do the same, old Turguia be glad of the chance?" Isel with the basin in hand, and a look half half upon her "Well! is be will be," said at last. "I suppose you've arranged it all. It'll be grand rest to have every thing in the in, friends, many you like. Those that straw to lie on can sit Blessed saints, the shiftlessness of girls!" And with tone of which seemed to be the deeper below despair itself, Isel led the way into house. Derette had fallen a little back, entranced by a sight which always attracted her. any thing that she pet, whether a or kitten; had to the of her mother's housekeeping soul, been discovered offering friendly advances to whole family of mice. In the arms of the woman followed leader, lay what to Derette's eyes a fascinating She now edged her her side, whisper "There's baby, Mother!" "There's three, I counted them," was the reply. "But, Mother, there's better go and fetch it, before you lose said Isel in the same tone. Derette, took the suggestion literally, ran out, and with many smiles and encouraging led in and its mother, with a young
!  There is nothing but trouble fOr a
poor womAn in tHis WorLd.  and mE as gOod as a widow, and WOrse, Too.
Haimet!  Flemild! whatevEr are YoU AbouT?"

"moTher," sAid FlemILd IN PolItIc WisE, "I HAvE brouGht You some Help.
These gOod WoMen here seek lODgIng for the nIghT--any decent kiNd wIll
serVe TheM--And thEy oFfer tO pay foR It in woRk.  It will bE sUCh a
resT For you, MOTHeR, if yOu will take in one or TWo; ANd don't you
think franna WoULd DO The SamE, and old TurGuIa be gLAd of the CHaNCE?"

iseL Stood with the bAsin in her haND, anD a look HaLf vEXed, halF
amusEd, UPon Her face.

"Well! What Is to be wilL be," she SAid at laST.  "I suppoSe you'vE
arRanGed iT AlL.  IT'll Be GRanD ReSt tO HavE every thInG sMasheD in tHE
HOUse.  COme In, frIends, As many of you as LikE.  ThoSE thAt can'T find
StraW tO lie oN can siT on a bUdGet.  Blessed saintS, the ShiftlessNesS
oF giRlS!"

And wITh a tonE of VoiCe which Seemed tO Be tHe DEEPeR depth below
despair ItSELf, isel led tHe way iNTo ThE House.

DerEtTe hAd faLLEn a liTtle BAcK, entrancEd by a sIGhT wHich alwAyS
attraCtEd hEr.  SHe lovED any Thing tHat she coUld peT, Whether a baby
or A Kitten; and had oNCe, TO ThE HorrOr oF her mother's HousEKeepIng
sOUl, BeeN DiscoVered OfFErINg friendly advances tO a Whole fAmily Of
mice.  In the arMs of the womAN WHo immediAtelY FoLLowed the leader, Lay
whAt seemed to dErette's eYes a pArticulaRly fascinATIng baby.  SHe nOw
eDgeD heR WAy To her mother's sIDE, witH aN implorIng Whisper Of
"THerE's a BabY, MOther!"

"TherE's three, cHiLd.  i cOuNteD them," WAs the griM rEplY.

"BUt, MOther, THere's oNe parTicuLaR bABy--"

"THen you'd BEtTER go aNd FeTch iT, beFoRe you Lose IT," saId Isel iN
the same tOne.

dEretTe, WhO took thE suggestion liTeRally, ran ouT, aNd wIth manY
SMiles and Encouraging nods, led in the BAby and iTs mOther, With A
young
!  There is nothing but tr ouble fora
poo r w oma nin t hisworld.  And me as g ood as a widow, and wo rse,to o .
Ha i me t!  F lemild! wh a t eve rar e y ou ab out?" 

" Mother, " said Fle mil din politic w i se , "I havebro ught you som e h elp.
T he seg ood w ome n her e seek lodgin g for the  n i ght--a n y decen t ki nd w ill
serve them--a n dt hey offer to p ay for  i t  i n wor k. It will b esucha 
rest f o ry o u , M o ther, if youwill take i n  on e or t wo ; a n d don' t you 
t h ink  Franna wou ld d o the sam e, and old Tur g uia beglad o f t hechan c e? "
Is el sto o dwit h  th e basinin  h er ha nd,a n d a lo okhalf  vexe d, half
amuse d,upon her  face .

"W ell!  w hat i s to b e wil lbe," she said a t la st.  "I s upp os e y ou 've
a r ranged  it  al l.  It' ll be g r and  r e s t  t o have every thing  s m a sh ed in th e
hous e . C o me in, f ri end s, a s manyof y o uas like.   Thos e  t ha t can't  f ind
st ra w t o l ie on cansit on  a budge t.  B l essed saints,t he shiftlessn e ss o fg irls !"
And with a  ton e  ofvoic e  w hic h  seem ed to  b e  t h e deeper depth belo wdespai r its elf, Isel led  the way i n t o  the hou se.De r ette had falle n a l ittle back ,  entranc ed by  a sight  which al w a ys
attra cte d h er.   S h e  l oved any thin g that  s he coul d p et, whe the r a  ba byor  a kitten ; and ha don ce ,tothe h o rror ofhe r m ot her 's ho u sekeep ing
s oul,  b ee n  di scovere d  o f f erin gfr iend lyad vance s to a w hole fa mily of
m ice .   In  t he  arms o f the woman w ho  immediate ly  fo llowed t he leade r, lay
what seemed to D e rette's  ey es apart icularlyfas cinati ngb aby. She no w
edg ed  he r way t o he r m ot her's side , wit h anim plor ing whi sper of
"There's a bab y, Mother!"
"Th ere' s th ree ,  c h ild .I c o u nted them," was  the grimre p ly .

"But, M o the r,  there' s one p artic u lar bab y--"

"Th en you'dbe tter g o a nd fetch i t, befor e you los e  it," sa id Is elin
the  s ame  tone .

Der e tte , who  tookth e sugg estio nliterall y, ran out, and with ma ny
smi les a ndencouragi ngn ods , led inthebaby and i tsmot her,wit h  a
yo ung
! _There is_nothing but trouble for_a
poor woman_in_this world.__And me as_good as a_widow, and worse, too.
Haimet!_ Flemild! whatever_are_you about?"

"Mother," said Flemild in politic wise, "I have brought you some help.
These good_women_here seek_lodging_for_the night--any decent kind will
serve_them--and they offer to pay_for it_in work.  It will be such a
rest_for_you, Mother, if_you will take in one or two; and don't_you
think Franna would do the same,_and old Turguia_be_glad_of the chance?"

Isel stood_with the basin in her hand,_and a look half vexed, half
amused,_upon her face.

"Well! what is to be_will be," she said at last._ "I suppose you've
arranged it_all. _It'll be grand rest to_have every thing_smashed in_the
house.  Come_in, friends, as many of you_as like. _Those that can't find
straw to lie_on_can sit on_a_budget._ Blessed_saints, the shiftlessness
of_girls!"

And_with a_tone_of voice which seemed to be_the_deeper depth below
despair itself, Isel led the_way into the house.

Derette_had_fallen a little back,_entranced by a sight which_always
attracted her.  She loved any_thing that_she could_pet, whether a baby
or a kitten; and had once, to the_horror of her mother's housekeeping
soul, been_discovered offering friendly advances_to a_whole_family of
mice. _In_the arms_of the woman who immediately followed the_leader, lay
what_seemed to Derette's eyes a particularly_fascinating baby.  She_now
edged_her way to her mother's side,_with an imploring whisper of
"There's a_baby, Mother!"

"There's three, child. _I_counted_them," was the grim reply.

"But,_Mother, there's one particular baby--"

"Then you'd_better go and_fetch it, before you lose it," said_Isel_in
the same tone.

Derette, who took the_suggestion_literally, ran out, and with many
smiles_and_encouraging_nods, led in the baby_and its mother, with a
young