Lying on a very comfortable bed was a woman nearly white; her eyes were
deep-sunken in her head, and she was painfully thin. Mr. Waldron took
her hand in his, and looked into her sad eyes.

"Do you feel much pain?" he asked, tenderly.

"Yes, sir," answered the woman, "I suffer a great deal; and I am so
unhappy, sir, about my baby; I can't live long, and what will become of
him? If I only had a home, where I could make friends for him before I
die, where I could beg and entreat the people to be kind to him and take
care of him! 'Tis that keeps me sick, sir."

By this time Diddie's eyes were swimming in tears, and Dumps was sobbing
aloud; seeing which, Tot began to cry too, though she hadn't the
slightest idea what was the matter; and Diddie, going to the side of the
bed, smoothed the woman's long black hair, and said,

"We'll take you home with us, an' we'll be good to your little boy, me
an' Dumps an' Tot, an' I'll give 'im some of my marbles."

"An' my little painted wagin," put in Dumps.

"An' you shall live with us always," continued Diddie; "an' Mammy'll put
yer feet into hot water, an' rub turkentine on yer ches', an' give yer
'fermifuge' ev'y mornin', an' you'll soon be well. Papa, sha'n't she go
home with us?"

Major Waldron's own eyes moistened as he answered,