you?" "Yes." "Did
their parents leave any money?" "Money, no! How can poor people leave
any money? their club money paid for the funeral and the doctor's bill."
"So they owed nothing?" "Not a penny; if they had, I should have paid it
somehow."

And doubtless she would, though how, it passes my wit to conceive. But
there, it would have meant only a few more hours' work daily for the
brave old spinster, but not for the boys, for they would have been fed
while she fasted, they would have slept while she worked.

"Yes," she continued, "I am a boot machinist, and it is pretty hard
work; we had a tough time when I had to pay two shillings weekly for
that machine, but we managed, and now you see it is paid for, it is my
own; but really, times are harder for us. The boys are growing and want
more food and clothing; they go to school, and must have boots; it's the
boots that floor me, they cost a lot of money."

I called the boys to me and examined their boots; their old aunt looked
as if she was going to prevent me, but presently she said, "I had no
work last week, or I should have got him a pair." "Him" was the younger
boy, whose boots, or the remains of them, presented a deplorable
appearance; and, truth to tell, the elder boy's were not much better. So
I said to the brave old soul, "Look here, I will give these boys a good
new pair of boots each on one condition!" "What is that." "That you
allow me to buy you a pair." Again there was a look of resentment, but
I continued, "I am quite sure that you require boots as badly as
your boys, and I cannot think of them having nice boots and you going
without, so I want you to all start equal; kindly put out your foot
and let me look." In a shamefaced sort of a way she put her left foot
forward; a strange, misshapen, dilapidated apology of a boot covered the
left foot. "Now the right," I said. "Never mind looking at the other, it
does not matter, does it?" she said. "Yes, it does," so the right foot
was presented; one glance was enough! "That will do; come along for
three pairs of boots."

They returned home, the boys rejoicing in their new boots, and their
feeble old aunt tolerating hers for the sake of her boys. Dear, brave,
self-denying, indomitable old maid. She had visited the fatherless in
their afflictions, she had toiled unceasingly for six long years, she
had taken willingly upon her weak shoulders a heavy burden; a burden
that, alas! many strong men are only too willing