ern for my
mother to embroider it by--but it is a sight of work to do it, sir,
and I'm afraid she will set up all the long nights to sew, while I am
sleeping, for the man said he must have it completed by next Thursday;
the young gentleman is to be married then, and will want it--and if
it isn't done, maybe he would never give mother another stitch of
work, and then what would become of us?"

And as the child hurried on I caught the same hurried footsteps, and
followed on until we came to another crossing, when again came the
beseeching tone:--

"Will you take me over this crossing too, sir?"

It was done in a trice, and my interest in the child increased as her
prattle continued:--

"Mamma is to have a dollar for this work, and she means to buy me a
new frock with part of the money, and then we shall have a great loaf
of bread and a cup of milk, and mother will find time to eat with
me--if there is any money left, I shall have a little open-work straw
bonnet, and go to Sabbath-school with Susy Niles."

And her little feet scarcely touched the walk, so light and fairy-like
was her tread.

"And does your mother work for one man all the time, little girl?" I
inquired.

"Oh, no, sir; it is only now and then she gets such a nice job. Most
of the time she has to sew for shops where she earns about twenty-five
cents a day, and then she has hardly enough to pay her rent, and it
isn't all the time we get enough to eat--but then mother always gives
me the big slice when there is one big and one little one; sometimes
she cries and don't eat her's at all."

A coach was passing--the child looked toward it and remarked:--

"I know the lady in that pretty carriage; she is the very one that is
going to marry the young gentleman who is to wear this embroidered
vest. She came to my home yesterday to get my mother to spangle the
wreath round her white satin dress; and it's just the same pattern
that is to be put on this vest; but she could not do it, 'cause her
eyesight is so poor, and the spangles shined so."

My tongue was silent. Could it be that these were to be the very
articles that were to be worn at my Ellen's wedding? For did I not pay
for spangles yesterday, and what was it that vexed Ellen but because
she could not find anybody to sew them on when she returned? She said
Mrs. Taggard was almost blind.

"My little girl," said I, "Is your name Taggard?"

"Yes, sir--'Gusta Taggard, and we live down in Sullivan cour