Pepper, "ain't I helpin' you some, mammy? Oh! I wish I could do
something big for you? Ain't you happy, mammy?"

"For the land's sakes!" cried Mrs. Pepper, straining Polly to her
heart, "whatever has that woman--whatever could she have said to
you? Such a girl as you are, too!" cried Mrs. Pepper, hugging Polly,
and covering her with kisses so tender, that Polly, warmed and
cuddled up to her heart's content, was comforted to the full.

"Well," said Mrs. Pepper, when at last she thought she had formed
between Polly and Joel about the right idea of the visit, "well, now
we won't think of it, ever any more; 'tisn't worth it, Polly, you
know."

But poor Polly! and poor mother! They both were obliged to think
of it. Nothing could avert the suffering of the next few days,
caused by that long flow of burning tears.

"Nothing feels good on 'em, mammy," said Polly, at last, twisting
her hands in the vain attempt to keep from rubbing the aching,
inflamed eyes that drove her nearly wild with their itching, "there
isn't any use in trying anything."

"There will be use," energetically protested Mrs. Pepper, bringing
another cool bandage, "as long as you've got an eye in your head,
Polly Pepper!"

Dr. Fisher's face, when he first saw the change that the fateful visit
had wrought, and heard the accounts, was very grave indeed.
Everything had been so encouraging on his last visit, that he had