hat are you up so early for?"

"I heard mother pounding and I thought she might be sick."

"She is awful sick," rejoined Samanthy; "I never saw her look so poorly
afore; she seems to be all choked up. She wants a big mustard plaster
and a fire up in her room, and I don't know which to do fust. Oh!" she
cried, "I must comb my hair before I go back;" and she wet a brush and
commenced brushing out her long brown hair, which, with her rosy cheeks,
formed her two principal claims to good looks.

"Sit down," said Lindy, "and I'll fix your hair up much quicker than you
can do it yourself."

"And much better, too," added Samanthy thankfully.

"While you're building the fire," continued Lindy, "I'll mix up the
mustard plaster."

When Samanthy entered the chamber with the materials for the fire, Mrs.
Putnam opened her eyes and said sharply, "Did yer bring that plaster?"

"No," said Samanthy, "I thought I would build the fire fust."

"Wall," said Mrs. Putnam, "I want the plaster fust, and you go right
down stairs and mix it up quick."

When Samanthy returned to the kitchen she found that Lindy had the
plaster all ready. Samanthy took it, and started upstairs.

Lindy said to her, "Don't tell her that I made it." As she said this she
stepped back into the kitchen and closed the door.

As Samanthy approached the bedside with the plaster, Mrs. Putnam looked
up and asked, "Did you make that plaster, Samanthy?"

"Yes'm," replied Samanthy.

"You're lyin', Samanthy Green, and you know yer are. You can't fool me.
Didn't I hear yer talkin' to somebody in the kitchen?"

"Yes'm," assented Samanthy.

"Wall," rejoined Mrs. Putnam, "of course I know who it wuz yer wuz
talkin' to. Did she make the plaster?"

"Yes'm," again assented Samanthy.

"Give it to me," said Mrs. Putnam.

Samanthy passed it to her, and the old lady crumpled it in her hand's
and threw it across the room. "Now go down stairs, Samanthy Green, and
make me a mustard plaster, as I told yer to, and when I git up outer
this I'll see if I can't git somebody to wait on me that kin tell the
truth 'thout my havin' to help 'em."

In the course of half an hour the new plaster was made and applied, and
a bright fire was shedding its warmth into the room.

"Go down stairs and git yer breakfast," said Mrs. Putnam. "'Tis a trifle
early, but I hearn tell that lyin' makes people hungry."

As Samanthy gave her an inquiring look, Mrs. Putnam said, "No, I don't
want noth