'Wait a moment, Jane,' I said, 'and let us talk this matter over.' She
followed me with apparent reluctance, and then, after I had made her sit
down, I opened the little parcel she had given me, and found that it
contained seven and sixpence. I knew that her mother, though a most
respectable, hard-working woman, was very poor, as she had several
children, and her husband was in bad health, and in consequence often
out of work for weeks at a time. I was therefore surprised at what,
under the circumstances, seemed to be really a munificent gift, and
asked whether the money could really be spared; 'because you know,
Jane,' I added, 'though it is true "the Lord loveth a cheerful giver,"
yet we are told also it is accepted according to that a man hath, and
not according to that he hath not.'

'Oh, please, ma'am,' she answered eagerly, but blushing deeply, 'I can
spare it quite well, I can indeed; and mother gave me leave to come to
you with it. She knows all about it.'

'But how do you happen to have so much money to spare?' I said, still
feeling some reluctance in taking so large a sum from her.

'Well, you know, ma'am, I get half-a-crown a week from Mrs. Higgins, for
going messages and carrying the baby out every day for a walk; and so
mother, she said she would keep by sixpence a week to buy me a new cloak
for the winter, as she thought my old one a bit shabby, and she's been
putting it by all summer in a teapot; and yesterday the parson preached
upon that text, how it's more blessed to give away than to get things
given to you. I don't quite mind the words; but mother and me, we talked
it all over when we come home, and tells father about it,--for he has
got one of his bad turns, and can't go to the church,--and I tells them
all about Mrs. Martin and the fire; and I says, "Mother, I don't think
my old cloak is so very shabby after all, and maybe if you could iron it
and bind it, it would do quite well another winter; and at any rate I'll
be better off than Mrs. Martin's children, who haven't got no clothes at
all;" and so mother, she says, "And that's too true, Jenny;" and father
said, "God bless you, my lass, and give you health to wear your old
cloak,"--and oh, ma'am, I did feel so glad that I had something to give
to the poor woman and her children!'

I was much touched with her earnest, simple way of putting what was in
fact a very great sacrifice as if she really felt it to be none at all.
I remembered the old