dear thing so ill out there. Bless me, my dears!' said the old woman,
turning to the dwarfs, 'what should you want with an ugly little thing like
me? It's you lovely young creatures that the company come to see. So I wish
you good-night, my dears. Take care of yourselves, and don't get into any
mischief when I'm away! Where's Susannah?'

'Here, ma'am,' said the woman who had come for Mother Manikin that morning.

'Carry me to Joyce's van,' said the little old woman, jumping on a chair
and holding out her arms.

Susannah wrapped her in her cloak, and took her quickly in the direction of
the theatre, Rosalie walking by her side.

Then the little woman helped the child to dress--pulling out the folds of
her white dress for her, and combing her long hair in a most motherly
fashion. When the child was ready, she stood looking sorrowfully at her
mother's pale face. But as she was looking, her mother's eyes opened, and
gazed lovingly and tenderly at her, and then, to the child's joy, her
mother spoke.

'Rosalie darling,' she whispered, 'I feel better to-night. Kiss your
mother, Rosie.'

The child bent down and kissed her mother's face, and her long dark hair
lay across her mother's pillow.

'Who is it taking care of me, Rosalie?'

'It's a little lady Toby knows, mammie dear; she's so kind, and she says