Page:Stories told to a child.djvu/217

 water had nothing better to give; he had not a cup of milk, or a cup of wine, which he first wasted and threw away.'

'My dear, you need not inquire into that; you might have done better; but as there it still something to be done, "do it with thy might.

When I was quite calm again, and almost happy, he sent me into the house to play at ball. As I passed the kitchen door, a poor old woman, whom my mother used sometimes to help, turned from it, and I heard the housemaid say, ' Mistress has just walked out, and I cannot say when she will be at home.'

She was hobbling away, when I bethought me of my penny, took it out of its bag, and pulling her by the cloak, offered it to her.

At first she did not seem to understand me, but when she saw my copper opportunity, which was as bright as sand-paper could render it, she gave me just the shadow of a smile, and taking it in her skinny hand, said, 'I thank you kindly, my pretty.'

'Poor old creature,' said the housemaid, 'that will buy her a trifle, mayhap; she and her husband are going into the workhouse to-morrow.'

I passed into the house penniless, but in a subdued and humble state of mind. The lessons I had had were not without good effect; but it cannot be expected that I can remember much of the working of my mind. I only know that time did pass; that I went to bed, got up, said my lessons, and had my play for a long time, perhaps a fortnight. At the end of about that time my little sister Sophy and I went out one day for a long walk with Matilda, our nurse, and took Rh