! Them Joneses never cared nuthin' for nobody;
they was playing on tin oyster cans the hull blessed ev'nin', till Jim
went 'nd stop't 'em, 'nd told 'em it warn't perlite. Say how dretful it
must be to go down into the cold, dark ground, and be shut up in a tight
box, 'nd want to git out--git out--'nd keep hollerin' 'nd a-hollerin',
and nobody come to fetch yer, cause yer's dead!"

"Oh, Patsy, child, stop such fearful thoughts! I hope people are glad
and willing to stay when they are dead. The part of them that wonders
and thinks and feels and loves and is happy or sad--you know what I
mean, don't you?"

"Yes," he said slowly, leaning his head on his hand.

"God takes care of that part; it is His own, and He makes it all right.
And as for our bodies, Patsy, you don't care about keeping your poor
little aching back, do you? You talk about the cold, dark earth. Why, I
think of it as the tender, warm earth, that holds the little brown acorn
until it begins to grow into a spreading oak-tree, and nurses the little
seeds till they grow into lovely blossoming flowers. Now we must trot
home, Patsy. Wrap this shawl over your shoulders, and come under my
umbrella."

"Oh, I don't need any shawl, please. I'm so orful hot!"

"That's just the reason," I replied, as I looked with anxious eyes at
his flushed cheeks.

I left him at the little door on Anna Street, and persuaded Mrs. Kennett
to give him some hot soup at dinner-time.

The next morning I was startled from a profound sleep by a tremendous
peal of the door-bell. Though only half awakened, my forebodings seemed
realized; and the bell rang "Patsy" in my ears.

I hastily slipped on my dress, and, going to the door, saw just whom I
expected,--Jim.

"What's the matter with Patsy?"

"He's turrible bad, miss; he got took with one o' them fits the worst
kind in the night, and liked ter died. Yer could a heerd him screech a
block off."

"Oh, my poor boy! Have you had a doctor? What did he say?"

"Well, he said he guessed it was the last one, miss, 'nd I'm afraid it
is, sure."

"Who is with him now? Are you going right back?"

"Yes, miss, soon as I go 'nd git leave from the boss. Mis' Kennett's
went to her washin'. She couldn't 'ford ter lose a job. I found Mr.
Kennett, 'nd he's mindin' Patsy. He cries for you; he says he don't want
nothin' but jest Miss Kate, and he's that crazy he wants to git up 'nd
come to the Kindergarten."

"Dear little lad!" I said, trying to