had never before eaten lunch where the soup was served in little
cups, but the General's wife put him at his ease when she told him that
his very own soup-bunches were in that soup, and if he didn't eat plenty
of it he wouldn't be advertising his wares. Then the General, with knife
upraised, stopped in his carving of the cold roast chicken, and turned
to Jimmy with a smile of approval in his genial face, and said that it
was his sage, too, that was in the chicken dressing.

They made Jimmy talk, and finally he told them of his ambition for a
basket stall.

"And when do you expect to get it?" asked the General, with a smile.

"When I get the goose that lays the golden egg, I am afraid, sir," said
Jimmy, a little sadly.

Then the General's wife asked questions, and Jimmy told her about the
Little Mother, and of their life together; but not one word did he tell
of their urgent need, for Jimmy had not learned to beg.

At last the wonderful lunch was over, somewhat to Jimmy's relief, it
must be confessed.

"I shall come and see your mother, Jimmy," said the General's wife, as
Jimmy left her.

Out in the hall the General handed the boy a nickel. "Business is
business, young man," he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

* * * * *

That night Jimmy and his mother sat up very late, for the boy had so
much to tell.

"Do you think I was wrong to ask for the nickel, Mother?" he asked
anxiously, when he had finished.

"No," said his mother; "but I am glad you didn't ask for more."

Then, after Jimmy had gone to bed, the mother sat up for a long time,
wondering how the rent was to be paid.

On Easter Monday morning Jimmy and the Little Mother started out to pick
the arbutus and the early violets which Jimmy was to sell Tuesday at his
little stall.

It was a sunshiny morning. The broad road was hard and white after the
April showers, the sky was blue, and the air was sweet with the breath
of bursting buds. And, in spite of cares, Jimmy and his mother had a
very happy time as they filled their baskets.

At last they sat down to tie up the bunches. Carriage after carriage
passed them. As the last bunch of flowers was laid in Jimmy's basket, a
victoria drawn by a pair of grays stopped in front of the
flower-gatherers.

"Well, well," said a hearty voice, and there were the General and his
wife! They had called for Jimmy and his mother, they said, and had been
directed to the wooded hill.