d it seemed too hot and tiring to do
anything.

Poppy went to the window for a minute, and putting her fingers in her
ears that she might not hear the wail of the babies, she stood looking
up at the strip of blue sky, which she could just see between the houses
of the court. How pure and lovely it looked! And God lived somewhere up
there Poppy knew. And God loved her--Poppy knew that, too. Her mother
said He had sent His dear Son to die for her--the only Son He had--He
had sent Him to die on the cross, that she might go to live with Him in
heaven. God must love her very much to do that, Poppy said to herself.
She thought she would ask God to help her that hot day,--if He loved her
she was sure He would feel sorrow for her, now that she was so tired and
had so much to do.

So, looking up at the blue sky, Poppy said aloud, 'O God, please help
me, for I'm very tired, and I don't know how ever to get everything
done, and please make me a good girl; for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.'
Would God hear her prayer? Poppy asked herself, as she came away from
the window; she wondered very much if he would. And, if He did hear her,
how would the help come? It was not likely that He would send one of the
neighbours in to help her, for they were all too busy with their washing
to have much time to spare. There were the angels, _they_ were God's
servants, and Poppy had learnt at school that they came to help God's
people; but she had never heard of an angel washing up cups and saucers,
or cleaning a house, or nursing a baby, and that was the help Poppy
wanted just then. Well, she had prayed to God, and mother said God
always heard prayer; she would wait and see.

Poppy filled the kettle, and was trying to put a few things in order in
the untidy kitchen when there came a knock at the door. Poppy started.
Could some one be coming to help her? The neighbours never knocked--they
opened the door and walked in--and Poppy thought the angels would not
knock, for her teacher told her they could come in when the door was
shut. Who could it be?

She went to the door and opened it, and there she found an old woman
with a large market-basket on her arm, who wanted to know if Mrs.
Fenwick lived there. Yes, that was her mother's name, Poppy said.
Whereupon the old woman came in, put down her basket, and then seized
Poppy and gave her a good hearty kiss on both her cheeks.

'Why, you're John Henry's bairn,' she said, 'and as like him as two pins
is