de some of her own clothes for the missionary's wife and planning how
she could squeeze out a little money--for she is not rich by any
means--to buy some clothes for the children. Well, the result was we
took up a collection of clothes and money at the hotel, and Mrs.
Thurston got Mr. Dutton to go to Trout Run and telegraph to the Mission
Board that this missionary is connected with that we would send a box of
things in a few days that will keep the family going until some church
can send them a good large box."

"But how will you know what kind of garments to send?" asked Mrs.
Ashford. "I mean, what sizes?"

"Mrs. Thurston knows all about how many children there are, and their
ages, so we can guess at their sizes."

Mrs. Ashford, discovering there was a little girl near Freddie's age,
and as he was, of course, yet in "girl's clothes," said she could spare
a couple of his suits, having brought an ample supply. Some of Marty's
clothes also were found available.

"We have had some things given us for the lady," said Miss Fanny, "a
wrapper, a jersey, a cashmere skirt, a shawl; also two or three
children's dresses. We have bought nearly all the muslin in Mr. Sims'
store, with some flannel and calico. He is going to Johnsburgh Monday,
and will get us shirts for the missionary, stockings, and such things.
Monday is to be a grand cutting-out day. Tuesday we are to have three
sewing-machines. Several of the village ladies are coming to help, and
we shall be very glad if some of you will come. Mrs. Thurston
particularly desires that the little girls shall come."

"Oh, do let us go," Marty said, while Evaline looked it.

Mrs. Ashford could not leave Freddie, and it was not possible for both
Mrs. Stokes and Almira to go, so it was settled that the latter, the
little girls, and Ruth Campbell, whom Miss Fanny wished Almira to
invite, should walk down pretty early in the morning, and Hiram should
bring the light wagon for them in the evening.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE HOTEL MISSIONARY MEETING.

"It was an elegant sewing-meeting," Marty confided to her mother when
she got home Tuesday evening, "and it wasn't a bit like that one Aunt
Henrietta had the last time we were in Rochester. I liked this one best.
There, you know, the ladies came all dressed up, carrying little velvet
or satin work-bags, and we just had thin bread and butter and such
things for tea--nothing very good. Here some of the ladies--of course I
mean the