kissed the tear-stained, dirty face. Dr. Wright looked on in
admiring silence.

"You are a dead sport," he said. "I can't play up to that; but you
excite my ambition. Get a shawl around the other kiddie and come
along, or I'll find myself kissing the bunch."

Once more he started toward the door, but the mother was before
him, talking and gesticulating.

"What's the row now?" said the doctor, turning to the little
interpreter.

"She says she must dress them, make them clean."

"It's a big order," said the doctor, "but I submit."

With great energy Mrs. Blazowski proceeded to prepare her children
for their momentous venture into the world. The washing process was
simple enough. From the dish-pan which stood upon the hearth half full
of dirty water and some of the breakfast dishes, she took a greasy
dish-cloth, wrung it out carefully, and with it proceeded to wash,
not untenderly, the festering heads, faces and fingers of her children,
resorting from time to time to the dish-pan for a fresh supply of water.
This done, she carefully dried the parts thus diligently washed with
the handkerchief which she usually wore about her head. Then pinning
shawls about their heads, she had her children ready for their departure,
and gave them into Mrs. French's charge, sobbing aloud as if she might
never see them more.