enjoyed fishing, and rambles through the woods were to her a constant
delight. When anything was to be done, especially if it was anything
novel, Kate was always ready to help. If anybody had a plan on hand, it
was very hard to keep her finger out of it; and if there were
calculations to be made, it was all the better. Kate had a fine head for
mathematics, and, on the whole, she rather preferred a slate and pencil
to needles and spool-cotton.

As to Aunt Matilda, there could be no doubt about her case being a
pretty hard one. She was quite old and decrepit when the war set her
free, and, at the time of our story, she was still older and stiffer.
Her former master had gone to the North to live, and as she had no
family to support her, the poor old woman was compelled to depend upon
the charity of her neighbors. For a time she managed to get along
tolerably well, but it was soon found that she would suffer if she
depended upon occasional charity, especially after she became unable to
go after food or help. Mr. and Mrs. Loudon were very willing to give her
what they could, but they had several poor people entirely dependent
upon them, and they found it impossible to add to the number of their
pensioners. So it was finally determined among the neighbors that Aunt
Matilda would have to go to the alms-house, which place was provided for
just such poor persons as she. Neither Harry nor Kate knew much about
the alms-house, but they thought it must be some sort of a horrible
place; and, at any rate, it was too hard that Aunt Matilda should have
to leave her old home where she had spent so many, many years.

And they did not intend she should do it.