't expect her before to-morrow."

"Well, I declare for't, I am disapp'inted," said the old lady
regretfully. "I've walked a mile on puppus to see her. I'm most tuckered
out."

"Won't you step in and sit down?"

"Well, I don't keer ef I do a few minutes. I feel like to drop. Do you
do the cooking while you maam's gone?"

"No, she baked up enough to last before she went away."

"You hain't got any gingerbread in the house?" asked Mrs. Payson, with
subdued eagerness. "I always did say Mis' Forbes beat the world at
makin' gingerbread."

"I'm very sorry, Mrs. Payson, but we ate the last for supper last
night."

"Oh, dear!" sighed the old lady, "I feel sort of faint--kinder gone at
the stomach. I didn't have no appetite at dinner, and I s'pose it don't
agree with me walkin' so fur on an empty stomach."

"Couldn't you eat a piece of pie?" asked Betsy sympathizingly.

"Well," said the old lady reflectively, "I don't know but I could eat
jest a bite. But you needn't trouble yourself. I hate to give trouble to
anybody."

"Oh, it won't be any trouble," said Betsy cheerfully.

"And while you're about it," added Mrs. Payson, "ef you have got any of
that cider you give me when I was here before, I don't know but I could
worry down a little of it."

"Yes, we've got plenty. I'll bring it in with the pie."

"Well," murmured the old lady, "I'll get something for my trouble. I
guess I'll go and take supper at Mis' Frost's a'terward."

Betsy brought in a slice of apple and one of pumpkin pie, and set them
down before the old lady. In addition she brought a generous mug of
cider.

The old lady's eyes brightened, as she saw this substantial refreshment.

"You're a good gal, Betsy," she said in the overflow of her emotions.
"I was saying to my darter yesterday that I wish all the gals round here
was as good and considerate as you be."

"Oh, no, Mrs. Payson," said Betsy modestly. "I ain't any better than
girls generally."

"Yes, you be. There's my granddarter, Jane, ain't so respectful as she'd
arter be to her old grandma'am. I often tell her that when she gets to
have children of her own, she'll know what tis to be a pilgrim an' a
sojourner on the arth without nobody to consider her feelin's. Your
cider is putty good." Here the old lady took a large draft, and set down
the mug with a sigh of satisfaction. "It's jest the thing to take when
a body's tired. It goes to the right spot. Cynthy Ann's husband didn't
have none