s any one as cared," she said, slowly.

Matilda began to read, upon that; giving her the twenty-third psalm
again; then the tenth chapter of John; finishing with one or two
passages in the Revelation. Norton stood in the doorway while she read,
looking out and looking in, very quiet; and Mrs. Eldridge sat and
listened and gave tremulous shakes of her old head, and was very quiet
too.

"I must go now," said Matilda, when she had done and had paused a few
minutes.

"It has a good sound," said the old woman.

"It's true," said Matilda.

And she and Norton took their leave. Then began a joyous walk home.

"Pink," said Norton, when they were got a little way from the house,
"you made your tea in a tea-cup."

"Yes; there is only a wretched little tin tea-pot there, not fit to be
used; it is in such a state."

"No spoons either?"

"No, and no spoons. There is hardly anything there at all, Norton."

"I don't see how people come to be so poor," said Norton.

"No, _I_ don't," said Matilda. "But she is old, you see, and cannot
help herself, and has no one left that does care about her. Nobody in
the world, I mean."

"That house is in a tremendous condition," said Norton. "For dirt I
mean."

"Yes, I know it."

"I don't see why somebody hasn't cleaned it before now."

"Why, Norton, who should do it? None of the neighbours care anything
about her."

"Is she bad?"

"No, Norton, not bad at all; but they are poor too, and ill, some of
them, and they have their own work to do, and their own things to get,
and they haven't anything to spare for her."

"She was glad of that tea-kettle."

"Wasn't she! I could see that."

"But I say, Pink! I don't see how people come to be so poor. There's
money enough."

"For some people," said Matilda.

"Money enough for everybody."

"Perhaps, if it was divided," said Matilda. "But, Norton, it isn't. The
rich people have got it almost all."

"Have they?" said Norton. "Then they ought to look out for such poor
chaps as this."

"So I think, Norton," said Matilda, eagerly.

"But, Pink, _you_ can't do it. You are only one, and you can't take
care of all Lilac Lane, to begin with. That's what I am thinking about."

"No, not all the lane. But I can do something. I can read to Mrs.
Eldridge, and Mrs. Rogers."

"You can't buy tea-kettles, though, for Mrs. Eldridge and Mrs. Rogers,
with the tea, and the sugar, and the bread and butter, and the fish,
and the mutton-chops they