"Like dead sea fruit, that tempts the eye,
And falls to ashes on the lips."

The child saw her mother smile, and the little heart forgot its
hunger, and for a moment beat with joy. The gleam of sunshine that
spread itself over him, did not last, for soon after the face of the
mother assumed the same sad and cheerless expression, it had worn for
many weeks. The child saw it, and again felt his hunger.

"Mother," she said, "give me a piece of bread."

"I will get some for you to-morrow," she replied. "There is no bread
in the house this evening."

"I am _so_ hungry," remarked the child. "Why is there no bread?"

"Mother has got no money to buy any," she replied.

The other child had remained quiet all the while. She still nestled to
her mother's side and looked long and earnestly into her face. She was
not thinking, for one of her years knew nothing of thought, but
divined that all was not right with her mother.

"Eva, my child," the mother said, speaking to her for the first time,
"go to the grocer's, and ask him if he will let me have a loaf of
bread on credit."

"I am so glad you have sent for bread," exclaimed the infant on her
knees, as he clapped his hand joyfully together.