his savoury messes for their sick little ones, and they had no time to
spare, for they were most of them poor hard-working drudges, who were
very grateful for his help, and indeed often brought him their own poor
scraps of food to cook for their little invalids, while they earned a
few pence by washing, or hawking flowers, or fire papers. And the
kind-hearted old man would stir and simmer the scanty scraps in his
solitary saucepan, and take a world of care and pains with the "broth"
to make it relishing for the poor sickly little babes. He would often
put it into the cracked mug or pie-dish, and carry it himself to the
forlorn sufferer, and stay and have a bit of merry chat. There was not a
child in the neighbourhood who did not know and love Joe, and few indeed
who had not received some small kindness from him. He was only a very
poor and infirm old man, and had but little in his power to give or do,
but what he could was all done so cheerfully and kindly, that the very
sight of his old wrinkled, weather-beaten face seemed like sunshine in
the wretched rooms where poverty and want lived so hardly.

"More than one even of his little kitchens had been generously given
away by Joe, and though they were really of no value, to him they were
the produce of hours of labour and pains, and the means by which he
earned his scanty living. Poor little Biddy Doolan, a small child, who
had been wasting away many months in a slow decline, was found by her
mother (who had gone to the dispensary for some medicine for her), lying
back on the heap of straw, cold and lifeless, with the treasured
kitchen, the _one_ toy of a long miserable childhood, cuddled fast in
the thin stiff arms. Old Joe cried over her like a child, and was more
active than ever in his errands among the sick children. He was at last
christened "Dr. Joe," by universal consent, and was really often sent
for after the regular doctor, and he came as regularly, although he had
no fee beyond the thanks of his poor little patients.

"I used always to accompany him in his weekly long journeys, holding the
place of honour on the trays, next to Liza's basket, and many a funny
scene have we witnessed together. Joe's customers were "legion," for
every child that could raise twopence was ready enough to buy one of the
kitchens. And as times did get a little better, Joe _was_ able to add
the long wished-for wooden table, which gave a great finish and air of
reality to his little c