"
And her little feet scarcely touched the walk, so light and fairy-like
was her tread.
"And does your mother work for one man all the time, little girl?" I
inquired.
"Oh, no, sir; it is only now and then she gets such a nice job. Most
of the time she has to sew for shops where she earns about twenty-five
cents a day, and then she has hardly enough to pay her rent, and it
isn't all the time we get enough to eat--but then mother always gives
me the big slice when there is one big and one little one; sometimes
she cries and don't eat her's at all."
A coach was passing--the child looked toward it and remarked:--
"I know the lady in that pretty carriage; she is the very one that is
going to marry the young gentleman who is to wear this embroidered
vest. She came to my home yesterday to get my mother to spangle the
wreath round her white satin dress; and it's just the same pattern
that is to be put on this vest; but she could not do it, 'cause her
eyesight is so poor, and the spangles shined so."
My tongue was silent. Could it be that these were to be the very
articles that were to be worn at my Ellen's wedding? For did I not pay
for spangles yesterday, and what was it that vexed Ellen but because
she could not find anybody to sew them on when she returned? She said
Mrs.
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