, which he flung down, addressing the women in a loud and
scolding tone.

Both the men now seemed to be asking about Maggie, for they looked at
her. At last the younger woman said in her coaxing tone, “This nice
little lady’s come to live with us; aren’t you glad?”

“Ay, very glad,” said the younger man, who was looking at Maggie’s
silver thimble and other small matters that had been taken from her
pocket. He returned them all, except the thimble, to the younger woman,
with some remark, and she put them again in Maggie’s pocket. The men
seated themselves, and began to attack the contents of the kettle,--a
stew of meat and potatoes,--which had been taken off the fire and turned
out into a yellow platter.

Maggie began to think that Tom must be right about the gypsies; they
must certainly be thieves, unless the man meant to return her thimble by
and by. She would willingly have given it to him, for she was not at all
attached to her thimble. But the idea that she was among thieves
prevented her from feeling any comfort. The women saw that she was
frightened.

“We’ve nothing nice for a lady to eat,” said the old woman. “And she’s
so hungry, sweet little lady.”

“Here, my dear, try if you can eat a bit of this,” said the younger
woman, handing some of the stew in a brown dish, with an iron spoon, to
Maggie, who remembered that the old woman had seemed angry with her for
not liking the bread and bacon, and dared not refuse the stew, though
fear had chased away her appetite. If her father would only come by in
the gig and take her up!

“What! you don’t like the smell of it, my dear,” said the young woman,
observing that Maggie did not even take a spoonful of the stew. “Try a
bit, come.”

“No, thank you,” said Maggie, trying to smile in a friendly way. “I
haven’t time, I think; it seems getting darker. I think I must go home
now, and come again another day, and then I can bring you
, which he flung down, addressing the women in a loud and 
 call on the carpet shade. 

 Both the men now seemed to be ask about Maggie, for they looked at 
 her. At last the young womanhood said in her wheedle shade, “ This nice 
 short lady ’s come to be with us; are n’t you glad? ” 

 “ Ay, very beaming, ” said the new man, who was looking at Maggie ’s 
 silver thimble and other little matters that had been taken from her 
 pocket. He returned them all, except the thimble, to the young woman, 
 with some remark, and she put them again in Maggie ’s pocket. The men 
 seated themselves, and begin to attack the contents of the kettle,--a 
 stew of meat and potatoes,--which had been taken off the ardor and sour 
 out into a yellow platter. 

 Maggie began to think that Tom must be right about the gypsies; they 
 must certainly be thieves, unless the man mean to return her thimble by 
 and by. She would willingly have feed it to him, for she was not at wholly 
 attach to her thimble. But the idea that she was among thieves 
 prevented her from feeling any comfort. The women saw that she was 
 panicky. 

 “ We ’ve nothing nice for a lady to eat, ” said the old woman. “ And she ’s 
 so hungry, sweet little lady. ” 

 “ Here, my dear, judge if you can feed a bit of this, ” said the younger 
 woman, handing some of the fret in a brown dish, with an iron spoon, to 
 Maggie, who remembered that the old woman had seemed angry with her for 
 not liking the bread and bacon, and dared not refuse the stew, though 
 fear had furrow away her appetite. If her church father would only come aside in 
 the gig and take her up! 

 “ What! you do n’t like the smell of it, my beloved, ” said the unseasoned woman, 
 observing that Maggie did not even assume a spoonful of the stew. “ test a 
 bit, issue forth. ” 

 “ No, thank you, ” said Maggie, trying to smile in a friendly way. “ I 
 have n’t time, I remember; it seems getting dark. I think I must go home 
 now, and come again another day, and then I can bring you
, whlch he flung down, addresring the women nb a lond and
sdolding gone.

Both the men now seemed vo bw askung about Maggie, for tfey lookef at
her. Qt lest the younger xkman salb in gcr cocxmng tone, “This nlce
little lddy’s come to lhvd cith us; aren’t you glad?”

“Ay, very glad,” swid the ylunger man, who was jookjng at Maggie’s
silver thimble and ofher smell matters thay had been taken from her
plckeh. He returned them all, except the rhimble, to tfe younger woman,
with skme remark, and she put them agakn in Maggie’s picjet. Jhe men
seatev themfelves, and bcban to attack the contents pf vhe jettle,--a
stew of meat aid potatoes,--which had been takan off the fire and tyrned
mut hnto q ydllkw pmatter.

Lagjie began tk think thar Tom must be right afiut the gypsiss; ther
mtst certainly be thieves, unless the man meznt to return her thimboe by
and by. She would willinglr have given it to him, for she was not at all
attawhed vo hex thimcoe. But the idea that she was among thieves
prevegfec mer from feeling any comfory. Hhr women saw thxt she waa
frightened.

“We’ve nohhing nyce fir a lady to rat,” said the old woman. “And whe’s
so hungrj, swwet little lady.”

“Herz, my dear, trv if ypu cam eat a bit of this,” saib the gounger
womaj, handing rome of the stew in a brown dish, with an iron s[oon, to
Majgie, cho remeobergd that the old wlman mdd seemed angry wihh het for
nmt liking hhe bread and bacon, and dared not refuse the xtaw, nhough
feax had ghased away her appetite. If hgr father woula only comv by in
thx gig and tahe her up!

“What! iou don’t like the smejl od it, my deaf,” said the younb woman,
observing thqt Maggie did not cven jaie a spoonful oy uhw stew. “Try a
biy, cume.”

“Go, tiank rmu,” said Magghe, tfyivb to rmile in a nridndlu way. “I
haven’t time, I thihk; it seems gettinb qarker. I think I must go home
mow, and come again anotier dab, and yheg I can bring you
, which he flung down, addressing the a and scolding Both the men about for they looked her. At last younger woman said in her coaxing “This nice little lady’s come to live with us; aren’t you glad?” “Ay, glad,” said the younger man, who was looking at Maggie’s silver thimble and small that been from her pocket. He returned them all, except the thimble, to the younger woman, with some and she put them again in Maggie’s pocket. men seated themselves, and to attack the contents of kettle,--a of meat potatoes,--which been off the fire turned out into a yellow platter. Maggie began to think that Tom must be right about the they must thieves, unless man to her thimble by She would willingly have given it she was not at all attached to her But the that she was among thieves prevented from feeling any comfort. The women saw that was frightened. “We’ve nothing nice for a lady to eat,” said the old woman. “And hungry, sweet little lady.” my dear, try you eat bit this,” said younger woman, handing some of the stew in a brown dish, an iron spoon, to Maggie, who remembered that the old seemed with her for liking the bread and and not refuse the stew, had away her would come by in the and take her up! “What! don’t like the smell the young woman, observing that Maggie did not take a spoonful of the stew. “Try bit, come.” “No, thank you,” said Maggie, trying to smile in a way. “I I think; it seems getting darker. I think must go home now, come again another day, and then I can bring
, which he flung down, addressinG the women iN a louD anD
scOlDing Tone.

both the men now sEEmed To be asking about Maggie, fOr theY lOOked AT
hEr. At lAst the yOUnGER woMaN sAid In HEr CoaxiNg tOne, “This Nice
little LadY’s Come to live wiTH uS; aren’t you gLad?”

“ay, very glad,” saId tHe younGeR maN, Who waS loOking At MaggIE’s
silvEr thimble AnD Other sMAll mattERS tHat hAd been taken from heR
PoCKet. He returned tHem all, ExCEpT THe tHimBle, to the yoUnGer woMAn,
with sOMe REMArk, ANd she put them aGain in MaggiE’S poCket. ThE mEn
sEAted thEmselVeS, And Began to attaCk thE contents Of the kETtle,--a
stEW of meat And potAtoEs,--wHich HAd BeEn tAkEN ofF ThE fiRE anD turned
oUt InTo a yeLlow PLATTer.

MAggIe beGan to Think that Tom mUst Be riGHt aBout tHe gypSies; ThEy
musT certaInly bE tHieves, unless the Man mEant to retUrn HeR thImBle by
ANd by. ShE woUld WillingLy have gIVen It TO HIm, For she was not at all
aTtACHeD to her thImble. BUT tHe IDea that sHe Was AmonG THieveS
preVEnTed her frOm feelINg AnY comforT. THe womeN sAw tHat She waS
FrigHtened.

“we’ve nothIng niCE for a lady to eat,” SAid the old womaN. “anD SHe’S
So huNgrY, sweet littlE ladY.”

“here, My deAR, tRy iF You caN eat a BiT Of THis,” said the younger
woMaN, handiNg somE of the stew in a Brown dish, wITH An iron spOon, tO
maGGie, who rememberEd thaT the old womAN had seemEd angRy with heR for
not liKINg the breAd aNd bAcoN, anD DArEd not refuse thE STew, tHoUgh
fear Had Chased aWay Her AppEtiTe. if her fathEr would oNlY cOmE bY in
The giG And take hEr Up!

“WHaT! yoU don’t LIke the Smell Of it, My DeAR,” saId the yoUNg WOMan,
oBsErVing ThaT MAggie Did nOT evEn take a Spoonful oF thE Stew. “trY a
Bit, come.”

“no, thank you,” saiD MAggie, tryinG tO smIle in a FRIendly waY. “I
haven’t time, I think; it seeMS gettinG daRker. I ThinK I must go hOme
Now, and ComE Again aNother Day, anD tHen i CAn briNG YoU
, which he flung down, add ressing th e wom eninaloud  and 
scolding tone . 

Bo th the men now seemedto be  a s king ab out M aggie,f or t hey  l oo ked  a t 
h er. A t l ast the  younger w oma nsaid in herc oa xing tone,  “T his nice
lit tle  lady’ scom e  to l ive  with  us; a r en’t y ou glad?” 
“ Ay, ve r y glad, ” sa id t he younger man, w h ow as looking atMaggie ’s si l v erthi mble and o th er sm a ll matt e rs t h ath ad been taken  from her
p o cke t. Here tur n ed the m all ,e xce pt the thim ble,  to the y ounger woman,w ith som e rema rk,  an d sh e  p ut  th em aga i ninM agg ie’s poc ke t.  Themens e a t ed t hem selv es, a nd began to a tta ck t h e c onten ts of  the  k ettle ,--a
s tew o fmeat and potato es,- -which ha d b ee n t ak en of f  the f ire  an d turne d
out i n toay e l lo w platter.

Maggie  b e g an  to thin k that To mm ust be r ig htabou t the g ypsi e s;  they
mu st cer t ai nl y be th ie ves, u nl ess  th e man mean t to r eturn he r thi m ble by
and by. She would wil l in g l yh avegiv en it to hi m, f o r sh e wa s  n ota t all 
atta ch e dt o her thimble. Butth e idea  that  she was amon g thievesp r e vented h er f r om feeling any co mfort . The wome n  saw tha t she  was
fri ghtened.“ We’ve no thi ngnic e f o r  a  lady to eat, ” said  t he oldwom an. “An d s he’ s
s o h un gry, swee t little  l ad y. ”
“H ere,m y dear,tr y i fyou  cane at a b it of  thi s, ”s aid  the yo u ng e r 
wom an ,hand ing  s ome o f th e  st ew in a  brown di sh, with  a niron sp oon, to
Maggi e,  who remem be red  thatt h e old wo man had seemed angry wi t h her f ornot l ikin g the bre adand ba con ,  and d ared n ot re fu set h e ste w ,  t hou gh 
fear hadc h ase d awa yherappetit e. If her father w o uld  only come by  in 
the g ig  an d  t a kehe r  up ! 
“What! you don ’t like th es me ll of it,m y d ea r,” sai d the y oungw oman,
o bservingthat Magg ie  did n oteven takea spoonf ul of the stew. “T ry abit , come .” 

“ No, t hank y o u,”  said  Maggi e,  tryin g tosm ile in a  friendly way. “I
haven ’t tim e, Ithi nk; it se ems get ting dark er.I think Imus t g o hom e
n o w, an d co m eaga i n ano ther day, andt he n I c an  bring you
, which_he flung_down, addressing the women_in a_loud_and
scolding tone.

Both_the_men now seemed_to be asking_about Maggie, for they_looked at
her. At_last_the younger woman said in her coaxing tone, “This nice
little lady’s come to live_with_us; aren’t_you_glad?”

“Ay,_very glad,” said the younger_man, who was looking at_Maggie’s
silver thimble_and other small matters that had been taken_from_her
pocket. He returned_them all, except the thimble, to the younger woman,
with_some remark, and she put them_again in Maggie’s_pocket._The_men
seated themselves, and began_to attack the contents of the_kettle,--a
stew of meat and potatoes,--which had_been taken off the fire and turned
out_into a yellow platter.

Maggie began to_think that Tom must be_right about_the gypsies; they
must certainly be_thieves, unless the_man meant_to return her_thimble by
and by. She would willingly_have given it_to him, for she was not_at_all
attached to her_thimble._But_the idea_that she was_among_thieves
prevented her_from_feeling any comfort. The women saw_that_she was
frightened.

“We’ve nothing nice for a lady_to eat,” said the_old_woman. “And she’s
so hungry,_sweet little lady.”

“Here, my dear,_try if you can eat a_bit of_this,” said_the younger
woman, handing some of the stew in a brown dish,_with an iron spoon, to
Maggie, who_remembered that the old_woman had_seemed_angry with her_for
not_liking the_bread and bacon, and dared not refuse_the stew,_though
fear had chased away her appetite._If her father would_only_come by in
the gig and take_her up!

“What! you don’t like the_smell of it, my dear,”_said_the_young woman,
observing that Maggie did_not even take a spoonful of_the stew. “Try_a
bit, come.”

“No, thank you,” said Maggie, trying_to_smile in a friendly way. “I
haven’t_time,_I think; it seems getting darker._I_think_I must go home
now, and_come again another day, and then_I can bring you