those places, and
trying to do something to help them, makes me feel far more like helping
poor children here at home. Now, there's Jennie--I know I shouldn't have
thought much about her if I hadn't been thinking of those far-away
children."

This was after she had made some sacrifices for the benefit of poor
little Jennie, and this is the way she first came to know of her.

When the spring house-cleaning was going on, Mrs. Ashford's regular
helper one day could not come and sent another woman. In the evening
when Mrs. Ashford went into the kitchen to pay this Mrs. Scott for her
day's work, Marty, who had a great habit of following her mother around
the house, went also. Mrs. Scott had just finished her supper, and after
receiving her money and replying to Mrs. Ashford's pleasant remarks, she
said hesitatingly, pointing to a saucer of very fine canned peaches
which was part of her supper, but which she had apparently only tasted,
"Please, mem, may I take them splendid peaches home to my sick little
girl? She can't eat nothin' at all hardly, and she would relish them, I
know. If you'd jist give me the loan of an old bowl or somethin--"

"Oh! have you a sick child?" said Mrs. Ashford sympathizingly. "She
shall certainly have some peaches, but you must eat those yourself.
Katie, get--"

"Oh! no, mem," protested Mrs. Scott, "that's too much like beggin'. I
jist wanted to take mine to her."

"No, it isn't begging at all," said Mrs. Ashford. "I'm very glad you
told me about your little girl. Katie, fill one of those small jars with
peaches."

Then Mrs. Ashford went into the pantry, and returning with two large
oranges and some Albert biscuit, asked,

"Can you carry these also?"

Mrs. Scott was full of thanks, and said she knew such nice things would
do Jennie a world of good.

"I can make enough to keep her warm in winter and get her plain vittles,
but it isn't at all what she ought to have now, I know," she said
sorrowfully.

Mrs. Ashford asked what was the matter with Jennie and how long she had
been ill. Mrs. Scott replied that she had hurt her back more than a year
ago; and though she had been "doctored" then and appeared to get a
little better, since they moved to their present abode--for they came
from a distant town--she had become worse and was now not able to walk
at all, but was obliged to lie in bed, sometimes suffering much pain.

"How was she hurt?" Mrs. Ashford inquired.

"She fell down the stair