willing I should help if I could, but advised goingslowly, and seeing what they could do first. We did not dare to treatthem like beggars, and send them money and clothes, and tea and sugar,as we do the Irish, for they were evidently respectable people, andproud as poor. So I took my bundle of odds and ends, and Mamma addedsome nice large pieces of dresses we had done with, and gave a fineorder for aprons and holders and balls for our church fair.
"It would have done your hearts good, girls, to see those poor old faceslight up as I showed my scraps, and asked if the work would be ready byChristmas. Grammer fairly swam in the gay colors I strewed over her bed,and enjoyed them like a child, while Almiry tried to be grim, but hadto give it up, as she began at once to cut aprons, and dropped tears allover the muslin when her back was turned to me. I didn't know awashed-out old maid _could_ be so pathetic."
Ella stopped to give a regretful sigh over her past blindness, while herhearers made a sympathetic murmur; for young hearts are very tender, andtake an innocent interest in lovers' sorrows, no matter how humble.
"Well, that was the beginning of it. I got so absorbed in _making_things go well that I didn't look any further, but just 'buckled to'with Miss Miller and helped run that little shop. No one knew me in thatstreet, so I slipped in and out, and did what I liked. The old lady andI got to be great friends; though she often pecked and croaked like across raven, and was very wearing. I kept her busy with her 'pin-ballsand knittin'-work,' and supplied Almiry with pretty materials for thevarious things I found she could make. You wouldn't believe what daintybows those long fingers could tie, what ravishing doll's hats she wouldmake out of a scrap of silk and lace, or the ingenious things sheconcocted with cones and shells and fans and baskets. I love such work,and used to go and help her often, for I wanted her window and shop tobe full for Christmas, and lure in plenty of customers. Our new toys,and the little cases of sewing silk sold well, and people began to comemore, after I lent Almiry some money to lay in a stock of better goods.Papa enjoyed my business venture immensely, and was never tired ofjoking about it. He actually went and bought balls for four small blackboys who were gluing their noses to the window one day, spellbound bythe orange, red, and blue treasures displayed there. He liked mypartner's looks, though he teased me by saying that we'd better addlemonade to our stock as poor dear Almiry's acid face would make lemonsunnecessary and sugar and water were cheap.
"Well, Christmas came, and we did a great business, for Mamma came andsent others, and our fancy things were as pretty and cheaper than thoseat the art stores, so they went well, and the Millers were cheered up,and I felt encouraged, and we took a fresh start after the holidays. Oneof my gifts at New Year was my own glove-case,--you remember theapple-blossom thing I began last autumn? I put it in our window to fillup, and Mamma bought it, and gave it to me full of elegant gloves, witha sweet note, and Papa sent a check to 'Miller, Warren, & Co.' I was sopleased and proud I could hardly help telling you all. But the best jokewas the day you girls came in and bought our goods, and I peeped at youthrough the crack of the door, being in the back room dying withlaughter to see you look round, and praise our 'nice assortment ofuseful and pretty articles.'"
"That's all very well, and we can bear to be laughed at if yousucceeded, Miss. But I don't believe you did, for no Millers are therenow. Have you taken a palatial store on Boylston Street for this year,intending to run it alone? We'll all patronize it, and your name willlook well on a sign," said Maggie, wondering what the end of Ella'sexperience had been.
"Ah! I still have the best of it, for my romance finished updelightfully, as you shall hear. We did well all winter, and no wonder.What was needed was a little 'boost' in the right direction, and I couldgive it; so my Millers were much comforted, and we were good friends.But in March Grammer died suddenly, and poor Almiry mourned as if shehad been the sweetest mother in the world. The old lady's last wisheswere to be 'laid out harnsome in a cap with a pale blue satin ribbin,white wasn't becomin', to hev at least three carriages to the funeral,and be sure a paper with her death in it was sent to N. Baxter,Westminster, Vermont.'
"I faithfully obeyed her commands, put on the ugly cap myself, gave aparty of old ladies from the Home a drive in the hacks, and carefullydirected a marked paper to Nathan, hoping that he _had_ proved 'faithfuland true.' I didn't expect he would, so was not surprised when no answercame. But I _was_ rather amazed when Almiry told me she didn't care tokeep on with the store now she was free. She wanted to visit her friendsa spell this spring, and in the fall would go back to her trade in somemilliner's store.
"I was sorry, for I really enjoyed my partnership. It seemed a littlebit ungrateful after all my trouble in getting her customers, but Ididn't say anything, and we sold out to the Widow Bates, who is a goodsoul with six children, and will profit by our efforts.
"Almiry bid me good-by with all the grim look gone out of her face, manythanks, and a hearty promise to write soon. That was in April. A weekago I got a short letter saying,--
"'DEAR FRIEND,--You will be pleased to hear that I am married to Mr. Baxter, and shall remain here. He was away when the paper came with mother's death, but as soon as he got home he wrote. I couldn't make up my mind till I got home and see him. Now it's all right, and I am very happy. Many thanks for all you done for me and mother. I shall never forget it. My husband sends respects, and I remain
"'Yours gratefully, "'ALMIRA M. BAXTER.'"
"That's splendid! You did well, and next winter you can look up anothersour spinster and cranky old lady and make them happy," said Anna, withthe approving smile all loved to receive from her.
"My adventures are not a bit romantic, or even interesting, and yet I'vebeen as busy as a bee all winter, and enjoyed my work very much," beganElizabeth, as the President gave her a nod.
"The plan I had in mind was to go and carry books and papers to thepeople in hospitals, as one of Mamma's friends has done for years. Iwent once to the City Hospital with her, and it was very interesting,but I didn't dare to go to the grown people all alone, so I went to theChildren's Hospital, and soon loved to help amuse the poor little dears.I saved all the picture-books and papers I could find for them, dresseddolls, and mended toys, and got new ones, and made bibs and night-gowns,and felt like the mother of a large family.
"I had my pets, of course, and did my best for them, reading and singingand amusing them, for many suffered very much. One little girl was sodreadfully burned she could not use her hands, and would lie and look ata gay dolly tied to the bedpost by the hour together, and talk to it andlove it, and died with it on her pillow when I 'sung lullaby' to her forthe last time. I keep it among my treasures, for I learned a lesson inpatience from little Norah that I never can forget.
"I had my pets of course, and did my best for them."]
"Then Jimmy Dolan with hip disease was a great delight to me, for he wasas gay as a lark in spite of pain, and a real little hero in the way hebore the hard things that had to be done to him. He never can get well,and he is at home now; but I still see to him, and he is learning tomake toy furniture very nicely, so that by and by, if he gets able towork at all, he may be able to learn a cabinet-maker's trade, or someeasy work.
"But my pet of pets was Johnny, the blind boy. His poor eyes had to betaken out, and there he was left so helpless and pathetic, all his lifebefore him, and no one to help him, for his people were poor, and he hadto go away from the hospital since he was incurable. He seemed almostgiven to me, for the first time I saw him I was singing to Jimmy, whenthe door opened and a small boy came fumbling in.
"'I hear a pretty voice, I want to find it,' he said, stopping as Istopped with both hands out as if begging for more.
"'Come on, Johnny, and the lady will sing to you like a bobolink,'called Jimmy, as proud as Barnum showing off Jumbo.
"The poor little thing came and stood at my knee, without stirring,while I sang all the nursery jingles I knew. Then he put such a t
hinlittle finger on my lips as if to feel where the music came from, andsaid, smiling all over his white face, 'More, please more, lots of 'em!I love it!'
"So I sang away till I was as hoarse as a crow, and Johnny drank it allin like water; kept time with his head, stamped when I gave him'Marching through Georgia,' and hurrahed feebly in the chorus of 'Red,White, and Blue.' It was lovely to see how he enjoyed it, and I was soglad I had a voice to comfort those poor babies with. He cried when Ihad to go, and so touched my heart that I asked all about him, andresolved to get him into the Blind School as the only place where hecould be taught and made