bedroom, "Jimmy, Jimmy, come here; I want
you."

The boy pretended not to hear. She called his name again. "Yes 'm," he
answered. When she repeated her request, he filled his mouth with pie,
and replied, "I'm a-eatin' now." He slipped a piece of ice down the
back of his adoring little sister's dress, who sat near him. When she
wept noisily, he laughed under his breath, and spoke aloud to his
sister at the dish-pan,--

"What'd you want to take Annie's doll away from her for? Give it back,
why don't you?"

[Illustration: "_What'd you want to take Annie's doll away from her
for_?"]

"Why--Jimmy--Sears!" retorted the girl. Then lifting her voice,
"Mamma, Jimmy's put ice down--" But the lad pressed the ice against
the child's back, pretending to be removing the source of the trouble,
and the child's lusty howls drowned the girl's protest. When he heard
the bedroom door close to shield his mother from the turmoil, Jimmy
knew that he had outwitted Mrs. Jones, so he quelled the disturbance
he had caused. When Mrs. Jones returned to the kitchen, the boy was
sitting on the porch steps with his little sister, telling her about
"raw head and bloody bones," greatly to the child's horror and
delight.

Jimmy heard his elder sister inquire, "Did Mamma eat her supper?" He
heard Mrs. Jones respond, "Not very much of it; but she will after a
while, I guess. She said to leave it in there."

"Couldn't she eat any of that nice chicken Mrs. Pennington sent?"

"No, nor Mrs. Carpenter's lemon jelly."

"Poor mamma!" sighed the girl.

But Jimmy had other reflections. Two minutes later he walked past his
mother's open door, and fumbled around in the sitting-room.

"Is that you, Jimmy?" asked his mother.

"Yes 'm," rejoined the boy.

"What are you doing?"

"Lookin' for my other coat."

"Won't you come in and see me, Jimmy? I haven't seen you for two whole
days."

"In a minute," returned Jimmy.

Standing awkwardly in the doorway, he asked, "What 'd you want?"

"Come over here, Jimmy," returned the mother. "My poor, neglected
boy!" He would not let his eyes find the new baby. He stood stiffly on
one foot, and gave his mother his hand. She drew him down and kissed
his cheek, while he pecked at her lips. As Jimmy rose, his mother
smiled.

[Illustration: _She drew him down and kissed his cheek while he pecked
at her lips_.]

"Are you hungry, Jimmy?"

The boy nodded a vociferous affirmative. Being a boy, one of the
lowest o