Could he have known her real occupation, he might have changed his
mind again. The stormy weather had so increased Mrs. Nichols'
rheumatic complaint, that now, perfectly crippled, she lay as
helpless as a child, carefully nursed by 'Lena and old Aunt Polly,
who, spite of her own infirmities, had hobbled in to wait upon her
friend. Never but once did Mrs. Livingstone go near her mother's
sick-room--"the smell of herbs made her faint," she said! But to do
her justice, we must say that she gave Polly unqualified permission
to order anything she pleased for the invalid.

Toward the close of the third day, the company left. Nellie
Douglass, who really liked 'Lena, and wished to bid her good-bye,
whispered to John Jr., asking him to show her the way to his cousin's
room. No one except members of the family had ever been in Mrs.
Nichols' apartment, and for a moment John Jr. hesitated, knowing well
that Nellie could not fail to observe the contrast it presented to
the other richly-furnished chambers.

"They ought to be mortified--it'll serve 'em right," he thought, at
last, and motioning Nellie to fallow him, he silently led the way to
his grandmother's room, where their knock was answered by Aunt
Polly's gruff voice, which bade them "come in."

They obeyed, but Nellie started back when she saw how greatly
inferior was this room to the others around it. In an instant her
eye took in everything, and she readily comprehended the whole.

"It isn't my doings, by a jug-full!" whispered John Jr., himself
reddening as he noted the different articles of furniture which had
never before seemed so meager and poor.