can, and will take care of little Willie, and I choose to do it in a
more congenial atmosphere." Then, as Mary looked a little startled,
she added, "Never you fear, dearie, Sal knows what she's about, and
she won't make the little boy the least bit of a face."

From that time there was no more trouble with Alice during the day,
for she seemed to cling naturally to Sally, who hour after hour rocked
and took care of her, while Mary, in the kitchen below, was busy with
the thousand things which Miss Grundy found for her to do.




CHAPTER VII.

THE LINCOLNS


Mary had been at the poor-house about three weeks, when Miss Grundy
one day ordered her to tie on her sun-bonnet, and run across the
meadow and through the woods until she came to a rye stubble, then
follow the footpath along the fence until she came to another strip of
woods, with a brook running through it. "And just on the fur edge of
them woods," said she, "you'll see the men folks to work; and do you
tell 'em to come to their dinner quick."

Mary tied her sun-bonnet and hurried off, glad to escape for a few
moments from the hot kitchen, with its endless round of washing
dishes, scouring knives, wiping door-sills, and dusting chairs. She
had no difficulty in finding the way and she almost screamed for joy,