e whom he attended were devoted to him.

"He allus tells a body the truth," said old Widow Bates. "I do hate a
fellow who truckles and minces his words like that Sparks. Do you
suppose Jem Arkwright would have let his leg be cut off in that
lamb-like manner if it had been Benjamin Sparks to do it?

"I was down at their place, and I heard when Dr. Luttrell said, 'Now,
my man, you must just make up your mind, and be quick about it. Will
you be a brave chap and part with this poor useless limb, or will you
leave your poor wife to bring up six fatherless children? I am telling
you the truth, Jem. If you will not consent to part with your leg,
there is no chance for you.' Laws' sakes, you would have thought he
was a grey-headed old fellow to hear him; it kind of made one jump to
see his young, beardless face; but there, he was good to Jem Arkwright,
that he was. Polly can't say enough for him. She fairly cries if one
mentions his name.

"'I should have been Jem's widow but for Dr. Luttrell,' she said one
day. 'Why, before he came in Jem was lying there vowing "that he had
sooner die than part with his leg." It was the thought of the little
uns that broke him. My Jem always had a feeling heart.'"

And other folks, although they had not Widow Bates's garrulous tongue,
were ready enough to sing the doctor's praises.

When Dot was a year old and able to pull herself up by the help of her
mother's hand, things were no better at the corner house. Olivia had
even consulted her Aunt Madge about the advisability of sending Martha
away and doing the work of the house herself.

"Martha is the best girl we have had yet," she said. "Marcus owned
that yesterday. She is rough, but her ways are nicer than Anne's or
Sally's, and she keeps herself clean; but then, Aunt Madge, she has
such a good appetite, and one cannot stint growing girls."

"I should keep her a little longer," was Aunt Madge's reply to this.
"It will only take the heart out of Marcus, knowing that you have to
scrub and black-lead stoves, and he is discouraged enough already.
When Dot is able to run about, you may be able to dispense with
Martha's services," and Olivia returned a reluctant assent to this.

But her conscience was not quite satisfied. Even Aunt Madge, she
thought, hardly knew how bad things really were.

Mrs. Broderick was a chronic invalid, and never went beyond the two
rooms that made her little world. Most people would have consider