Lucy's experience had proved the contrary, but she smiled bravely
back at Mrs. Wiggs, with a new tenderness in her face.

"You have taught me lots of things!" she said impulsively. "You are
one of the best and happiest women I know."

"Well, I guess I ain't the best by a long sight, but I may be the
happiest. An' I got cause to be: four of the smartest childern that
ever lived, a nice house, fair to middlin' health when I ain't got
the rheumatiz, and folks always goin' clean out of the way to be
good to one! Ain't that 'nough to make a person happy? I'll be
fifty years old on the Fourth of July, but I hold there ain't no use
in dyin' 'fore yer time. Lots of folks is walkin' 'round jes' as
dead as they'll ever be. I believe in gittin' as much good outen
life as you kin--not that I ever set out to look fer happiness;
seems like the folks that does that never finds it. I jes' do the
best I kin where the good Lord put me at, an' it looks like I got a
happy feelin' in me 'most all the time."

Lucy sat silent for a while, gazing out of the window. Mrs. Wiggs's
philosophy was having its effect. Presently she rose and untied the
bundle she held.

"Here is a dress I brought for Asia," she said, shaking out the
folds of a soft crepon.

"Umph, umph! Ain't that grand?" exclaimed Mrs. Wiggs, coming from
behind the ironing-board to examine it. "It does seem lucky that
your leavin's jes' fits Asia, an' Asia's jes' fits Austry; there
ain't no symptoms of them bein' handed down, neither! We all model