an
indescribably authoritative tone, "Don't gawp! I hate to be gawped at."

"See what a pretty room Dorothy has got ready for you," said I,--"a
chest of drawers in it, too; and there's a little closet. I am sure you
will like your room."

"No, you ain't sure neither," she replied. "Nobody can't tell till
they've tried. Likely yourn has got a carpet all over it. Hain't it,
now?"

"It has a straw matting," I answered.

"And it's bigger'n this, I'll bet Ain't it, now?"

"It is larger; but Louise and I have it together," said I.

"Yes, I've heard tell about her," said Rhoda. "Well, you see you and her
ain't town-poor. If you was town-poor you'd have to put up with
everything,--little room, and straw bed, and old clothes, and
everything. I expect I'll have to take your old gowns; hain't you got
any? Say, now."

"Yes," I said, "but I wear them myself. Surely, that you have on is not
old."

"Well, that's because I picked berries enough to buy it with. My bundle
there's all old duds, though. It takes me half my time to patch 'em.
You'd pitch 'em into the rag-bag. Wouldn't you, now?"

"I have not seen them, you know," I replied.

"More you hain't, nor you ain't agoing to. I hate folks peeking over my
things."

"Well," said I, "you may be sure I shall never do it. I must go back to
my work now."

"O, you feel above looking at town-poor's things, don't you? Wait till
I've showed you my new apron. I didn't ride in it for fear I'd dust it.
It's real gay, ain't it, now?"

"Yes," said I; "it looks like a piece of a tulip-bed. But I must really
go. I hope you will like your room."

When I went back into the sitting-room, grandmother was wiping her eyes.
She had been laughing till she cried at the new help Uncle Oliver had
brought into the house.

"No matter, though," she was saying; "let him call them help if he
likes. If Dorothy will put up with it, I am sure we ourselves may. He
says Hepsy more than pays her way in eggs and chickens. Just as if he
thought about the eggs and chickens! Of course, if persons are really
in need, it always pays to help them; and I guess Oliver has about as
much capital invested that way as any one I know of, and I'm glad of it.
But it's his funny way of doing it; it's all help, you see." And she
laughed again till the tears came.

In half an hour, during which time grandmother had a nap in her chair
and Aunt Janet read, the little apparition stood in the doorway again.
She had doff