e did not care for the frost,
nor for the fresh chill breeze, for the stove was red with warmth, and
she had not to go out that day. Mr. Bond was coming, and she had a
holiday. Now and then her face grew a little long as she thought
"perhaps it might be too cold for him to venture out;" but it was round
and cheery again as the sound of his well-known step was upon the
stairs.

"Heigh-ho, here!" said he, as little Winnie crept toward him and clasped
her tiny arms around his leg; "hasn't forgotten its old friend, has it?"
and he lifted the child up, seating it upon his shoulder as he moved
toward a rocking-chair. "Not quite well, yet, ma'am," replied he to
Mrs. Bates' inquiry after the state of his health. "This north-wester's
rather too strong for me now;" and he panted, and put Winnie down while
he took off his mufflers. "Had to wrap up well this cold day, you see,
but couldn't disappoint these little folks;" and he patted Winnie's head
and re-instated her upon his knee. She did not keep slipping off as she
used to do before Mr. Bond's illness, but had a very comfortable seat
now, and her hands remembered the full pockets they had so often rifled,
and went rummaging about to see if the times were unchanged.

The goodies came tumbling all about the floor, and the old man was as
merry as the children who scrambled after the sugar-plums--Winnie
cramming her little mouth until they tumbled out again for want of room.
"How do the shirts get on, my good woman?" said Mr. Bond, as he watched
the needles flying through the snowy cloth.

"I'll have 'em for ye before long, sir," replied Mrs. Bates, hastening
her stitches as fast as she could; "I'd spare the time from my sleep
rather than ye should be wanting them, sir."

"Oh! never mind, never mind," said the kind man; "I'm not in any great
need, only there's plenty more work when that's done. Where's Pat,
Nannie?" continued he, addressing the girl who was minding Winnie; "does
he come often to see you, and do you read to him, too?"

"He'll be here the day to see ye, sir," answered Nannie, with a joyous
expression; "we've got most through the Progress, and we read in the
Bible, too, every day, and Pat's as good a boy now as ye'd wish to see."

"He's got a sad home, Nannie," said Mr. Bond, "and his father and
mother'll pull him down again if they can, but we must help him to stand
upright. I depend upon you, Nannie," and he looked at her as if he
thought there was great might