ty which had overtaken Mrs. Eland and the
hospital. He had never thought of the institution before, and said to
his wife that he supposed they "might spare a trifle toward such a good
cause."

Tess carried her tale of woe into another part of the town when she and
Dot went with their dolls to call on Mrs. Kranz and Maria Maroni, on
Meadow Street, where the Stower tenement property was located.

"Did you know about the Women's and Children's Hospital being shut up,
Mrs. Kranz?" Tess asked that huge woman, who kept the neatest and
cleanest of delicatessen and grocery stores possible. "And Mrs. Eland
can't stay there."

"Ach! you dond't tell me!" exclaimed the German woman. "Ist dodt so? And
vor vy do dey close de hospital yedt? Aind't it a goot vun?"

"I think it must be a very good one," Tess said soberly, "for Mrs. Eland
is an awfully nice lady, and she is the matron. She taught me the
sovereigns of England. I'll recite them for you." This she proceeded to
do.

"Very goot! very goot!" announced Mrs. Kranz. "Maria can't say that
yedt."

Maria Maroni, the very pretty Italian girl (she was about Agnes' age)
who helped Mrs. Kranz in the store, laughed good-naturedly. "I guess I
knew them once," she said. "But I have forgotten. I never like any
history but 'Merican history, and that of Italy."

"Ach! you foreigners are all alike," Mrs. Kranz protested, considering
herself a bred-in-the-bone American, having lived in the country so
long.

Although she was scolding her brisk and pretty little assistant most of
the time, she really loved Maria Maroni very dearly. Maria's mother and
father--with their fast growing family--lived in the cellar of the same
building in which was Mrs. Kranz's shop. Joe Maroni, as was shown by the
home-made sign at the cellar door, sold

ISE COLE WOOD VGERTABLS

and was a smiling, voluble Italian, in a velveteen suit and cap, with
gold rings in his ears, who never set his bright, black eyes upon one of
the Corner House girls but he immediately filled a basket with his
choicest fruit as a gift for "da leetla padrona," as he called Ruth
Kenway. He had an offering ready for Tess and Dot to take home when they
reappeared from Mrs. Kranz's back parlor.

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Maroni," Tess said, while Dot allowed one of the
smaller Maronis to hold the Alice-doll for a blissful minute. "I know
Ruthie will be delighted."

"Si! si! _dee_-lighted!" exclaimed Joe, showing all his very white tee