care more for Mrs.
Carr than I do for ourselves. She has been here, and is in a great deal
of trouble. The doctor don't think Annie will live till morning, and
Mrs. Owrings hag refused to give Mary more than three dollars for her
month's work, every cent of which old Grimes took for rent. I told her
she might depend on getting what I owed her, and that I would send you
over with it when you returned. You had better go at once and tell her,
Laura; perhaps she may be able to get some elsewhere."

"How much is it, mother?"

"Half a dollar."

"It seems hard that she can't get that small sum."

With a heavy heart Laura entered Mrs. Carr's humble abode.

"Oh how glad I am that you have come, my dear!" exclaimed the poor
woman. "Annie has been craving some ice cream all day; it's the only
thing she seems to fancy. I told her she should have it as soon as you
came."

Mrs. Carr's eyes filled with tears as Laura told of her ill success. "I
care not for myself," she said "but for that poor suffering child."

"Never mind me, mother," replied Annie. "It was selfish in me to want
it, when I know how hard you and Mary are obliged to work for every cent
you get. But I feel that I shall not bother you much longer; I have a
strange feeling here now." And she placed her hand upon her left side.

"Stop!" cried Laura; "I'll try and get some ice cream for you Annie."
And off she ran to her mother's dwelling. "Mother," said she, as she
entered the house, "do you recollect that half dollar father gave me the
last time he went to sea?"

"Yes, dear."

"Well, I think I had better take it and pay Mrs. Carr. Annie is very
bad, and her mother says she has been wanting some ice cream all day."

"It is yours, Laura, do as you like about it."

"It goes hard with me to part with it, mother, for I had determined
to keep it in remembrance of my father. It is just twelve years to-day
since he went away. But poor Annie--yes, mother, I will take it."

So saying, Laura went to unlock the box which contained her treasure,
but unfortunately her key was not where she had supposed it was. After
a half hour's search she succeeded in finding it. Tears coursed down her
cheeks like rain as she removed from the corner of the little box, where
it had lain for so many years, this precious relic of a dear father, who
in all probability, was buried beneath the ocean. Dashing them hastily
away, she started again for Mrs. Carr's. The ice cream was procured o