Indies, and to the taste is very luscious, but when examined through a
microscope, it presents the appearance of a moving mass of worms. Its
beauty is deceptive, nothing but a wretched view presents itself,

"Like dead sea fruit, that tempts the eye,
And falls to ashes on the lips."

The child saw her mother smile, and the little heart forgot its
hunger, and for a moment beat with joy. The gleam of sunshine that
spread itself over him, did not last, for soon after the face of the
mother assumed the same sad and cheerless expression, it had worn for
many weeks. The child saw it, and again felt his hunger.

"Mother," she said, "give me a piece of bread."

"I will get some for you to-morrow," she replied. "There is no bread
in the house this evening."

"I am _so_ hungry," remarked the child. "Why is there no bread?"

"Mother has got no money to buy any," she replied.

The other child had remained quiet all the while. She still nestled to
her mother's side and looked long and earnestly into her face. She was
not thinking, for one of her years knew nothing of thought, but
divined that all was not right with her mother.

"Eva, my child," the mother said, speaking to her for the first time,
"go to the grocer's, and ask him if he will let me have a loaf of
bread on credit."

"I am so glad you have sent for bread," exclaimed the infant on her
knees, as he clapped his hand joyfully together.

Eva left the room, and in a few minutes returned empty handed.

"Has he refused to let you have it?" asked Mrs. Wentworth.

"Yes, mother," replied the child sadly. "He says he will not give
credit to anybody."

"I thought as much," Mrs. Wentworth remarked.

"Then I won't get any bread?" asked the child on her knees.

"No, my darling," Mrs. Wentworth answered, "you must wait until
to-morrow."

"I hav'nt eaten so long, mother," he said. "Why aint you got any
bread?"

"Because mother is poor and without any money," she replied.

"But I feel so hungry," again the child remarked.

"I know it, my sweet boy," replied his mother, "but wait a little
longer and I will give you something to eat."

Her heart was wrung with agony at the complaint of the child and his
call for bread; but she knew not how to evade his questions or to
procure food. The thought of asking charity had never once entered her
mind, for those with whom she had daily intercourse, were too much
engaged in self-interest to make her hope that any ap