or it, that I'm a mind to give it to 'em anyway."

"I'll be blamed if you do," ejaculated her indignant husband as he
shouldered Teether and strode into the house, unable longer to restrain
his rage.

"Ain't that just like him!" said his wife in a resigned voice. "And I
was just going to try to make him take this spoonful I've poured out.
It won't hurt him none and it's a pity to pour it back, it wastes so.
Do either of you all need it?" she asked hospitably.

Miss Wingate was dissenting with an echo of Eliza's shudder and Mother
Mayberry with a laugh, when the reprieved criminals raced back around
the house, each dirty little fist inclosing a reasonable number of
grubby cherry stones.

"Well," assented their mother reluctantly, "I'll let you off this time,
but don't any of you never take nothing to eat again without asking,
and I'm a-going to punish you by making you every one wash your feet in
cold water and go to bed. Now mind me and all stand to once in the tub
by the pump and tell your Paw I say not to touch that kettle of hot
water. I don't want you to have a drop. Go right on and do as I say."

The threatened punishment had been too great for the youngsters to mind
this lesser and accustomed penalty, so they retired with cheerfulness
and spirits and in a few seconds a chorus of squeals and splashes came
from the back yard.

After an exchange of friendly good-bys Mrs. Pike entered her front door
and Mother and the singer lady returned to their own front gate.

"Dearie me," said Mother in a tone of positive discouragement, "I don't
know what I will do if I have to undo another one of Tom Mayberry's
prescriptions to-day. But you couldn't expect a man to untangle a
children quirk like that; and oil woulder been the thing for the cherry
stones in children's stomachs, but not for ones throwed on the back
walk. I hope the Squire won't hear about it," she added with a laugh.

"I think," said Miss Wingate with her dark eyes fixed on Mother's face
with positive awe, "I think you are wonderful with everybody. You know
just what to do for them, and what to say to them and--"

"Well," interrupted Mother with a laugh, "it are gave to some women to
be called on the Lord's ease mission, and I reckon I'm of that band.
Don't you know I'm the daughter of a doctor, and the wife of a doctor
and the mother of one as good as either of the other two? I can't
remember the time when I didn't project with the healing of ailments.