she is so bright and handsome, but as for Mary, I am afraid she'll
have to go to the poor-house."

"Were I in a condition to take either," replied Mrs. Johnson, "I
should prefer Mary to her sister, for in my estimation she is much the
best girl; but there is the baby, who must go wherever Mary does,
unless she can be persuaded to leave her."

Before any one could reply to this remark, Mary, who had overheard
every word, came forward, and laying her face on Mrs. Johnson's lap,
sobbed out, "Let me go with Alice, I told mother I would."

Billy Bender, who all this while had been standing by the door, now
gave a peculiar whistle, which with him was ominous of some new idea,
and turning on his heel started for home, never once thinking, until
he reached it, that his mother more than six hours before had sent him
in great haste for the physician. On entering the house, he found her,
as we expected, rolled up in bed, apparently in the last stage of
scarlet fever; but before she could reproach him, he said "Mother,
have you heard the news?"

Mrs. Bender had a particular love for news, and now for getting "how
near to death's door" she had been, she eagerly demanded, "What news?
What has happened?"

When Billy told her of the sudden death of Mrs. Howard and Frank, an
expression of "What? That all?" passed over her face, and she said,
"Dear me, and so the poor critter's gone? Hand me my snuff, Billy.
Both died last night, did they? Hain't you nothin' else to tell?"