o.

"Captain, may I speak to you a moment?" he asked, respectfully, and at
the same time tipping his cap.

"What is it, Randy?"

"I know a poor lady in New York who does sewing for a living. She is
anxious to get more work and I am anxious to help her, if I possibly
can. Do you know of anybody who would like some sewing done--your wife
or anybody else?"

"Hm! I don't know," answered the steamboat captain. "I'll remember what
you say and see. Is that all?"

"Yes, sir."

"Where does the poor woman live?"

"Not far from our landing place in New York." He gave the street and
number. "It isn't a nice neighborhood, but it is the best the woman can
afford," he added.

"Yes, I know many folks in New York who live in bad neighborhoods
simply because they cannot afford something better. I will speak to my
wife about this."

The captain did as he had promised. Mrs. Hadley was going to New York
the next day and said she would call upon Mrs. Clare. The family lived
in Albany, so that the captain was home every other night.

Mrs. Hadley was as good as her word. She was a Christian woman, a
worker in the church, and she became at once interested in Mrs. Clare
and her daughter Rose.

"This is no place for Rose," said she. "This foul air is bad for her."

"I know it--but I do not see how I can turn myself," said Mrs. Clare,
with a sigh. Poverty had completely broken her spirit.

The captain's wife looked over some of the sewing that Mrs. Clare had
done and soon learned that the woman was a clever seamstress. Then she
made an offer.

"If you wish, you can come to my home with me," she said. "You can sew
for me, and Rose can go to school and also help around the house. I
will give you five dollars a week and your board."

"I will accept gladly!" cried the poor woman, and burst into tears of
gratitude.

It was arranged that Mrs. Clare should leave New York on the following
Saturday. She was to sell off the most of her things--alas! there were
not many articles to dispose of! and the others were to be transferred
to Albany on the boat.

"My cousin, Mr. Polk, will be surprised to learn of this move," said
Mrs. Clare to the captain's wife.

"What, is he your cousin?" queried Mrs. Hadley.

"Yes, by marriage," and then Mrs. Clare told her tale of suffering, to
which the captain's wife gave a willing ear.

"I must speak of this to my husband," said Mrs. Hadley. "I do not think
he likes Mr. Polk very much."

On Satur