e I've come to see you. But afterwards, when
he's all right again, you must all come to see me--often, very often."

"But that isn't _living_, that's just seeing us sometimes," said Tom,
who seemed to have taken up Racey's idea.

"But you see, dear, people can't always do just as they would like,"
said Miss Goldy-hair. "Even if they love each other dearly they can't
always live together, or even see each other as often as they would
like."

"But you're alone in the world," repeated Racey.

"Well, but I have my house to take care of, and to keep it all nice for
the friends who come to see me. And then I've my _poor_ children to go
to see often, and letters to write about them sometimes. I've plenty to
do at home," said Miss Goldy-hair, shaking her head gently at Racey.

"You could do it all here," said Tom. "I don't see the good of people
being as rich as rich--as rich as you are, Miss Goldy-hair--if they
can't do what they like."

Miss Goldy-hairs face got a little red again, and she looked rather
troubled.

"Who said I was 'as rich as rich,' my boy?" she said, putting her arm
round Tom, and looking into his honest eyes.

"Sarah said so," answered Tom; "but you mustn't be vexed with her, Miss
Goldy-hair," he went on eagerly. "She didn't say it any not nice way.
She said it was a good thing when rich people thought about poor ones,
and that you were very good to poor people. You won't scold Sarah, Miss
Goldy-hair? Perhaps she didn't mean me to tell you. I'm so puzzled about
not telling things, 'cause at home it didn't matter, we might tell
everything."

He looked quite anxious and afraid, but Miss Goldy-hair soon made him
happy again.

"No, of course I won't scold Sarah," she said. "And I like you much
better to tell me anything like that, and then I can explain. I cannot
see that it is anything to _praise_ rich people for, that they should
think of poor ones--the pleasure of thinking you have made somebody else
a little happier is so great that I think it is being kind to oneself
to be kind to others."

"I'd like to be _vrezy_ rich," said Tom, "and then I'd be awfully kind
to everybody. I'd have nobody poor at all."

"Nobody could be rich enough for that," I said.

"And being rich isn't the only way to being kind," said Miss Goldy-hair.
"Don't wait for that, Tom, to begin."

"Of course not," I said. "Miss Goldy-hair's being kind to us has nothing
to do with her being rich. You don't understand, Tom."