The morning call., 1892-08-14

these here and see il can give her hand;
bein' as lis Tuesday, it's as likely as not
she'll be beginnin' her waship'."
"a child like that washin'! Lor, Char
loite, she never could! She couldn't move
a wa>h-tray !"
Charlotte's only answer was nod, express
siye of many things-chiefy confidence in
her own opinion and when her clothes were
all hung up she retired into her own house,
and emerging moment later from its front
door in her hat she crossed the street to Bar
bara'S house.
She entered without the formalty of
| knocking and passed through the empty
! front room to the back kitchen and thence
| to the washhouse in the yard. There. in
! the middle of the little dark place. stood
! Barbara, her bright hair and fresh coloring
| making a brilliant spot against the dim
| background, and her person further defined
| by large white a. ron, which covered her
from head to foot Her face was more In
| tent and serious than ever; ii was also
! rather white. and there were tired lines
! about the childish mouth. She was drvlng
her hands on her apron as Charlotte Robins
! entered; al her side was a clotheS-Dasket
! fnll of freshly wrungout clothes; the floor
| was damp and the place was fuil Oh steam
! and soapsuds.
81 ran across" Charlotte began; then
suddenly she seemed to take In the full sig
| nifcance of the details around, and break
ing on ab-urtly: "Sakes alive, Barbara
she went on, you amt never finished all
them clothes alreadyv
Yes" said Barbara, seriously; "Jim's
shirts amt so nice as mother got them. Do
you think they'll do Charlotte?"
She lifted one of the topmost wet bundles
out OF the basket as she finished speaking,
and Charlotte became all at once aware of
what she described afterward TO Mrs. Smith
as 'Queer feel'' in her throat, as she saw
the small childish hands all red and wrin X led
with the three hours heavy work they had
done, and looked into the tired little face
lifted so anXiously to hers.
do? Yes, child, beautiful !" she answered
bTiskly. Come on, and I'll help you get
them out. l came to see if / couldn't do
something"
She caught up the basket In the midst of
Barbara's thanks. and with her vigorous
help the wash was soon Tapping and sun
ming itself on the line.
Charlotte" Barbara said, looking up at
her, as they pressed down tie last wooden
pegs on to the rope, Il was going 70 ask you
If you'd show me how 10 make an apple
dumping. Jim spoke Of il last night, and
there lot of apples, and I'd like him to
have one Tor supper L can make most of
the puGdings, but dumDling is difficult and
don't rightly know how mother did them."
They amt difficult when you knows
how, RESPONDED Charlotte, briefly.
Charlotte was woman of A. with a
small independence left by her father, and
unlimited time and capacity for taking an
She was also fond of instructing them on
any possible occasion in "her way of doing
things. But The interest. If engrossng, was
sympathetic, and her thorough good nature
prevented either quality from making her
unpopular.
AT this moment her strong, kindly face
did not express any of the satisfaction the
opportunity might justly have been ex-
pected TO bring her. She had a curious
feeling that the anxious, appealing look in
the child's blue eyes was taking from her
every thought or wish but that Of answer
ing the appeal as fully as possible. And it
was IN very silent mood that she followed
Barbara into the house. helped her to peel
her apples and showed her how TO make
the dumplings.
1t was after supper that same evening.
and Charlotte was clearing her own awav
when her door was opened just wide enough
to admit Barbara's face. Her eyes were
dancing with the keeneSt delight
Jim said the dumplings were first-rate."
she said. Thank you, Charlotte, ever sov