Mother Meg

o, so that her mother-in-law's wish to

ow, her breakfast table untidy, and things less bright

and excuse herself for to-day; but the remembr

my bread has to be given up for to

and tapped at Mrs

ge my work; how long wil

it! But you see, my dear, I've to take it pretty much as I find it. Poor folks haven't many clothes, and when they spare them

other looking on at Meg's

ill take--?

least," answer

I'll be up in about an hour.

mour turned into the bed-room t

Miss Hobson. "Jem

Mrs. Seymour,

ticed the tone

wn Jem long enough to be free

," answered

, I can see that,"

she could be very forbearing. The thought of how hard it must be to be in bed for years generall

had some one else to please, and she proceeded with h

There were the remains of the chickens, and a little fresh meat which she and Jem had gone out last nig

m in a basin of clear water; she made up her fire so that it should burn as little coal as possible t

yeast. She took it from his hand, and putting it in her

dear, while I starch these few things, will you iron those pinafores? They

the

ike so many steps. Poor thing, you've seen her, haven't you, stand

She remembered the glimpse she had had of the full room-the fretting babi

so I take a few of her things cheap. She was a tidy enough woman when s

hing she might do to lighten the burden; perhap

morning. She kept Meg well supplied with things to iro

you don't hurry over it. Now, Jenny slights some of it, and puts so much work

And then she thought of Jem's dinner, and ran

ng on?" asked Mrs. Seym

riedly, for she did not want her mother to know what a disappointmen

s; and when Meg had finished the ironing and had gone down-s

r that about

e it; only married hardly a week. That's wh

Miss Hobson's eyes watching her with interest meanwhile. On the w

sat quietly working by the window. As he understood nothing about bread-making, he concluded it must be in

ker's shop?" he

and mother wanted the ironing done. I coul

ned that Jem had to

said, "We must tr

od this hot weather. Still, we can see. Jem,

woman," he answered. "How did you find time t

while she was deligh

e said, "because you know we agreed

could not be a

l bake our potatoes while

ill four o'clock this afternoon; but if you'll be ready we'll take a pe

shed an

her head on his shoulder, "I

h eyes that said a great

e ready, li

already nearly as clean as they could be; but London smoke penetrates everywhere, and Meg knew that a little sw

I'm afraid the fire will go out, and there'll be no hot water for

out your fire this hot day, and come up and have tea with

what little fire she had, and to lay it again to be ready whenever it mig

few sickly plants. Such was her outlook in front. Behind it was still worse. A double row of forlorn little courts, where stunted fowls were kept, where badly-washed clothes were hung from Saturday to Saturday all the we

she meant to do it if she could. And then her eyes went up above the narrow street, and looked into the clear June sky, and she whispered: "They that w