l
not let me go there any more, and I can't do what I wanted to do; and I
thought--Mr. Richmond thought--maybe you would see to it for me."

"What's to be done?" said the housekeeper.

"Why, first of all, Miss Redwood, her house wants cleaning. It is not
fit to put anything nice into it."

"All Lilac Lane wouldn't be the worse of a cleanin'," said the
housekeeper; "men and women and all; but I don't know who's to do the
cleanin'."

"I thought maybe Sabrina Rogers would do it,--if she was paid, you
know. She lives just over the way, and she _is_ pretty clean."

"Kin try," said the housekeeper. "No harm in tryin'. I guess a dollar
would fetch her round. Supposin' it was cleaned; what's to do next?"

"Get things, Miss Redwood," said Matilda, looking up at her eagerly.
"You know she wants so much. I want to get a bedstead for her, and a
decent bed; her bed isn't a bed, and it lies on the floor. And she has
no way to wash herself; I want to send her a little washstand, and
basin, and pitcher, and towels; and a table for the other room; and a
saucepan to cook things in; and some bread, and meat, and sugar, and
other things; for she hasn't comfortable things to eat. And one or two
calico dresses, you know; she wants them so much."

The child's face grew excitedly eager. There came a glitter in the
housekeeper's faded blue eye as it looked down upon her.

"But, honey, all these things'll cost a sight o' money."

"I've got money."

"It'll take all you've got."

"But I want to do what I can, Miss Redwood."

"I kind o' don't think it's right," said the housekeeper. "Why should
you go a-spendin' all your little savin's upon Sally Eldridge? And it's
only one old woman helped, when all's done; there's lots more. It's
somebody else that ought to do it; 'tain't your work, child."

"But I want to do it, Miss Redwood. And I've got the money."

"I wonder how much better she'll be at the end of six months," said the
housekeeper. "Well, you want me to take this job in hand, do you?"

"If you can; if you would be so very good."

"You make me feel as mean as water," said the housekeeper. "It'll take
me a little while to get up any notion o' my goodness again. I suppose
it'll come, with the old pride o' me. I know what the Bible says, but I
kind o' didn't think it meant it; and I've been a makin' myself
comfortable all my days, or workin' for it, and consolin' my conscience
with thinkin' it was no use to help _one;_ but now