philosophy, after Jim had gone to bed she
slipped over and took one more look at the turkey.

"I think I wouldn't 'a' minded so much," she said, wistfully, "ef
they hadn't 'a' sent the cramberries, too!"

For ten days the basket of provisions and the extra money made by
Jim's night work and Mrs. Wiggs's washing supplied the demands of
the family; but by the end of January the clouds had gathered
thicker than before.

Mrs. Wiggs's heart was heavy, one night, as she tramped home through
the snow after a hard day's work. The rent was due, the coal was
out, and only a few potatoes were left in the barrel. But these were
mere shadow troubles, compared to Jim's illness; he had been too
sick to go to the factory that morning, and she dared not think what
changes the day may have brought. As she lifted the latch of her
rickety door the sobbing of a child greeted her; it was little
Europena, crying for food. For three days there had been no bread in
the house, and a scanty supply of potatoes and beans had been their
only nourishment.

Mrs. Wiggs hastened to where Jim lay on a cot in the corner; his
cheeks were flushed, and his thin, nervous fingers picked at the old
shawl that covered him.

"Jim," she said, kneeling beside him and pressing his hot hand to
her cheek, "Jim, darling lemme go fer the doctor. You're worser
than you was this mornin', an'--an'--I'm so skeered!" Her voice
broke in a sob.

Jim tried to put his arm around her, but something hurt him in his
chest when he moved, so he patted her hand instead.

"Never mind, ma," he said, his breath coming short; "we ain't got no
money to buy the medicine, even if the doctor did come. You go git
some supper, now; an', ma, don't worry; I'm goin' to take keer of
you all! Only--only," he added, wearily, "I guess I can't sleep in
the wagon to-night."

Slowly the hours passed until midnight. Mrs. Wiggs had pulled Jim's
cot close to the stove, and applied vigorous measures to relieve
him. Her efforts were unceasing, and one after another the homely
country remedies were faithfully administered. At twelve o'clock he
grew restless.

"Seems like I'm hot, then agin I'm cold," he said, speaking with
difficulty. "Could you find a little somethin' more to put over me,
ma?"

Mrs. Wiggs got up and went toward the bed. The three little girls
lay huddled under one old quilt, their faces pale and sunken. She
turned away abruptly, and looked toward the corner where Billy slept