s it?"

"You haven't told anybody about it--have you?"

"About what?"

"What I told you yesterday," replied Katy, hanging her head with shame.

"What do you mean?"

"That we had nothing to eat," and Katy blushed as though it was a crime
to be hungry and have nothing to eat.

"Not a soul--catch me! that is, I hain't told nobody but mother."

"I am sorry you did, even her. My mother is very proud, if she is poor;
but she wasn't always so poor as she is now, for she is the daughter of
a rich merchant."

"You don't say so."

"Yes, I do, Tommy; so please don't say a word about it to anybody but
your mother, and ask her not to mention it."

"Not a word, Katy, mother won't say a word either."

"And sometime I'll tell you all about it. Thank you for what's in the
basket, Tommy."

Without waiting for anything more, the noble, generous boy leaped down
the stairs and passed out at the front door.

"What have you got there, Katy?" asked Mrs. Redburn, as she entered the
room with the basket in her hand.

"Something Mrs. Howard sent us," she replied, as she opened the basket,
and took out a plate of butter and half a dozen hot biscuit, which she
carried to the bedside for her mother's inspection.

"What have you done, my child?" exclaimed the poor woman, a flush
gathering on her pale cheek. "Have you told the neighbors that we have
nothing to eat?"

"I couldn't help telling Tommy when I asked for the flounders
yesterday; he told his mother, but no one else knows it."

"I had rather starve than beg, Katy; but I cannot compel you to do so."

"I will not beg."

"Then let us send those cakes back."

"No, mother; we must not be so proud as that. I think that God sent us
this food through Mrs. Howard, and it would be wicked to reject His
bounty."

"Do as you please, Katy."

"Some time we shall be able to pay her; and that will make it all
right."

Mrs. Redburn could not taste the biscuit, but Katy ate heartily. Her
pride was not inflated by the remembrance of brighter days. All she had
was inherited from her mother.

After breakfast she put on her bonnet and left the house, assuring her
mother she should be back by twelve o'clock. She would not tell her
where she was going, but evaded her questions, and got away as soon as
she could.

As she passed down Washington Street, she stopped before the store of
Sands & Co., for she wanted to see Master Simon Sneed. She did not like
to enter the store; so she wait