persevered until he
too turned off and went up a hill opposite toward a grove, dragging his
little cart behind him. I followed as quickly as I could. He was in the
grove as I drew near, stepping as softly as possible, and others were
with him; I heard the murmur of voices. 'I have come upon the whole
villainous band,' I thought, and I crept softly in among the trees,
hardly daring to breathe. Ruth, the voices had a little camp; they had
just lighted a fire; and--what do you think they were? Just a parcel of
children, the eldest a slip of a girl of ten or eleven! I never was more
dumbfounded in my life. Ruth, that medicine man sat down, kissed the
children all round, opened his cart, took out bread, cheese, and a
little package of tea, while the eldest girl put on a kettle, and they
all began to talk. And then the youngest, a little tot, climbed up on
his knee, and called him--Mammy! This was too much; and I appeared on
the scene. Ruth, he gathered up the children in a frightened sort of
way, as if I were going to eat them. 'What do you mean by following me
round all day like this?' he began, trying to be brave, though I could
see how scared he was. It _was_ rather unexpected, you know, my
appearing there at that hour so far from town. 'I mean,' said I, 'to
know who and what you are. Are you a woman, or are you a man?'

"'Can't you see,' said the poor creature; 'with all these children
around? But it's not likely from your looks that _you_ ever had any of
your own, so you don't know.' She said that," thoughtfully remarked Miss
Lois, interrupting her own narrative, "and it has been said before. But
how in the world any one can know it at sight is and always will be a
mystery to me. Then said I to her, 'Are you the mother, then, of all
these children? And if so, how came you to be selling medicines dressed
up like a man? It's perfectly disgraceful, and you ought to be
arrested.'

"'No one would buy of me if I was a woman,' she answered. 'The cart and
medicines belonged to my husband, and he died, poor fellow! four weeks
ago, leaving me without a cent. What was I to do? I know all the
medicines, and I know all he used to say when he sold them. He was about
my size, and I could wear his clothes. I just thought I'd try it for a
little while during fair-time for the sake of the children--only for a
little while to get started. So I cut my hair and resked it. And it's
done tolerably well until _you_ come along and nearly scare