y brothers or sisters; she did know she had never seen any.
She had never been at school. She had never slept on a real bed only
when she was in the hospital. She had had a "reel good time" in the
hospital. A little girl had given her some flowers. She had a friend;
his name was Charley; and if they wanted a boy to do things, he was the
best boy. He had mended her doll. She wanted a home for her doll. Grumpy
wouldn't let her have her doll; that was why she wanted a home. And if
they would let her bring her doll, she would do all she could, and try
hard to please them.

When Biddy came to the end of her story, Mr. Phil Kennedy said:

"This lady is my sister. She is the only near friend I have in the
world, Biddy. If you come to live with us, we will take good care of
you, and you must take good care of her. She is lame, and can only walk
a very little. You must watch, and learn to save her trouble. She will
teach you the things she wants to have you do, but you must not make her
tell you the same things over and over again."

Biddy sat very still, and when Mr. Kennedy paused, she waited for him to
speak more. He seemed to think for a few minutes very deeply, then he
said:

"After you have learned what you are to do, Biddy, I shall want you to
help me find some other little girl who has no friends, and needs a home
just as you do, and I can perhaps find a home for her too. I have heard
all you have said about Charley. There are reasons why I can not help
him just at this time. But I promise you that I will remember about him,
and will see what I can do for him as soon as I can. Now, Biddy"--and
Mr. Kennedy smiled, with a very merry look--"what wages do you think we
ought to pay you?"

Biddy did not seem to even hear this question, she was so much
interested in the other things Mr. Kennedy had said; and the moment he
stopped speaking she asked if she might really have her doll, and when
they had satisfied her on this point, she told them Charley would bring
it. Then she seemed to suddenly feel how great a change had come in her
life. She jumped down from her chair, looked round the room, her breath
coming quick, then at her new friends.

"Oh, it's _home_ it'll be! An' if ye'll let me begin," she cried, "I'll
try to be so good, so I will!"

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

[Illustration]

HELPING HIMSELF TO CAKE.

BY M. E.

Fast asleep fell Madeline,
Fairy-book held in one hand,
In the other slice of cake