e--I
didn't mean to offend you."

"Well I ain't offended," said the woman. "I s'pose you didn't mean no
harm; but we have some feelings as well as other folks. Folks may work,
and yet have feelings. And if I could work, things would be well enough;
but I've been sick, miss, and I can't always get work that I would like
to do--and when I can get it, I can't always do it," she added with a
sigh.

Daisy wanted to go, but pity held her fast. That poor, pale, ragged
child, standing motionless opposite her! Daisy didn't venture to look
much, but she saw her all the same.

"Please keep the ham this time!" she broke out bravely--"I won't bring
another one!"

"Did nobody send you?" said the woman eyeing her keenly.

"No," said Daisy, "except the Lord Jesus--he sent me."

"You're a kind little soul!" said the woman, "and as good a Christian as
most of 'em I guess. But I won't do that. I'd die first!--unless you'll
let me do some work for you and make it up so." There was relenting in
the tone of these last words.

"O that will do," said Daisy gladly. "Then will you let your little girl
come out and get the ham? because the boy cannot leave the horses. Good
bye, Mrs. Harbonner."

"But stop!" cried the woman--"you hain't told me what I am to do for
you."

"I don't know till I get home and ask there. What would you like to do?"

"My work is tailoring--I learnt that trade; but beggars mustn't be
choosers. I can do other things--plain sewing, and washing, and
cleaning, and dairy work; anything I _can_ do."

Daisy said she would bring her word, and at last got off; without her
ham and in glee inexpressible. "They will have some for breakfast," she
said to herself; for there had been something in little Hephzibah's eye
as she received the great ham in her arms, that went through and through
Daisy's heart and almost set her to crying. She was _very_ glad to get
away and to be in the pony chaise again driving home, and she almost
wondered at her own bravery in that house. She hardly knew herself; for
true it was, Daisy had considered herself as doing work not of her own
choosing while she was there; she felt in her Master's service, and so
was bold where for her own cause she would have shrunk away. "But they
have got something for breakfast! I think mine will be good when I get
it," said Daisy.

Daisy however fell into a great muse upon the course of her morning's
experience. To do as she would be done by, now seemed not