ar monthly instalment of three dollars paid on
the outstanding furniture bill of fifty dollars.

How it was done, those comfortable individuals, who frequently
discuss the social aspects of poverty, might well trouble to inform
themselves. Rent, coal, and light alone consumed the goodly sum of
twenty dollars a month; food, another unfortunately necessary item,
used up twenty-five more; clothes, instalments, dues, occasional items
of medicine and the like, were met out of the remaining eleven
dollars--how, the ardent imagination of the comfortable reader
can guess. It was done, however, and for a time the hopeful members
considered that they were doing fairly well.

During this period the little family presented a picture of
honorable and patient toil, which was interesting to contemplate.
Every day Mrs. Gerhardt, who worked like a servant and who received
absolutely no compensation either in clothes, amusements, or anything
else, arose in the morning while the others slept, and built the fire.
Then she took up the task of getting the breakfast. Often as she moved
about noiselessly in her thin, worn slippers, cushioned with pieces of
newspaper to make them fit, she looked in on Jennie, Bass, and George,
wrapped in their heavy slumbers, and with that divine sympathy which
is born in heaven she wished that they did not need to rise so early
or to work so hard. Sometimes she would pause before touching her
beloved Jennie, gaze at her white face, so calm in sleep, and lament
that life had not dealt more kindly with her. Then she would lay her
hand gently upon her shoulder and whisper, "Jennie, Jennie," until the
weary sleeper would wake.

When they arose breakfast was always ready. When they returned at
night supper was waiting. Each of the children received a due share of
Mrs. Gerhardt's attention. The little baby was closely looked after by
her. She protested that she needed neither clothes nor shoes so long
as one of the children would run errands for her.

Jennie, of all the children, fully understood her mother; she alone
strove, with the fullness of a perfect affection, to ease her
burden.

"Ma, you let me do this."

"Now, ma, I'll 'tend to that."

"You go sit down, ma."

These were the every-day expressions of the enduring affection that
existed between them. Always there was perfect understanding between
Jennie and her mother, and as the days passed this naturally widened
and deepened. Jennie could not bea