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Page 19
"Are you really related to Mr. Bickel?"
"To be sure I am; we had the same great-grandfathers, so we are second
cousins. He doesn't care to acknowledge us, but when he passes me, I
always say distinctly, 'Good-day, cousin'; and I don't mind if he does
look rather askance as if he didn't know who I was--that's his look-out.
I'm glad he knows Fani and has his eye on him; if the boy can earn a
trifle by working for him, it will be something to help keep the pot
boiling."
Mrs. Stein now brought the bag which Elsli had left behind, which she
had filled with clothing for Marget's children.
"Do try to remember about Elsli," she said. "I will do all I can to help
you, if you will only spare the child as much as you can."
"Well, as much as I can, yes," said the woman. "But you must understand
that I have my work to do, and the boys must be kept from under my feet
while I am at work, and there's no one but Elsli to see to them. We are
all well now; and yet I have to use both hands to keep things going, and
feed all these mouths every day. How can I make things easier? If
sickness comes, it will be time enough then to change our ways. It comes
hardest on me, after all. No one knows what poverty is but those that
have been through it; but I can't help thinking sometimes that the Lord
God loves some of his children better than he does others."
"Try not to think that, Marget," said the doctor's wife in her kindest
tones, for the hard lot of the poor was a sad trial to her tender heart.
"There are many sufferings besides poverty, and some which are much
harder to bear. Our Father in heaven knows why he sends them to us.
Still, I know how hard poverty is, and it is a great grief to me that I
cannot help the poor as I should like to."
Marget took up the bag and went away. Mrs. Stein went back into the
sitting-room with a heavy heart; for she was fully convinced that
Elsli's fate was to succumb under the heavy load that poverty pressed
down upon her delicate frame; and, sighing deeply, she sat down by her
sister's side, intending to lay the case before her, and see what
impression Marget's words would make upon her; for aunty had always a
cheerful word to say and she took a bright view of possibilities. But,
before Emma could get through her confidences and give her mother a
chance to speak, Kathri put her head into the room with:--
"Here's another woman wants you; will you come out into the kitchen
again?"
"Another? who is it now?" asked her mistress in a weary tone.
"Oh, as if I could pronounce or remember such an outlandish name!"
"It can't be Mrs. Stanhope that you've left standing out in the
kitchen!" asked aunty, anxiously.
"Yes, that's it," said Kathri, adding impatiently: "If she'd only call
herself hop-stand or hop-pole or something sensible, I could remember
it; but to twist it upside down so, it's just nonsense."
However, Kathri thought she should never make a mistake in that name
again; for the picture of a hop-pole standing upside down would always
come up when she thought of it.
Mrs. Stein hastened out and asked her visitor to come into the parlor.
Mrs. Stanhope had come to inquire if it would be possible to find a
child to come between school-hours, twice a day, to do errands and small
household chores, such as the maid-servant could not find time for.
In a moment Elsli's pale face came up before Mrs. Stein's mind's eye,
and she thought how much better off the girl would be going on errands
for Mrs. Stanhope than carrying her big little brother about in her
arms. And she thought that if Marget could be sure of a little ready
money every day, she would manage to let Elsli go.
"I know of a very neat, respectable young girl, who would please you, I
am sure," she said; "only I am not quite sure whether her mother will
let her go, because she needs the child so much at home."
"Promise her good pay," said Mrs. Stanhope, eagerly. "I will give the
mother whatever she asks, if she will let me have the girl."
Mrs. Stein was so delighted with such a prospect for Elsli that she
started out immediately to see what Marget would say to it, accompanying
Mrs. Stanhope for some distance on her way home, and then turning off on
the lane that led to Heiri's cottage. Marget was alone, at the wash-tub.
It did not take much persuasion to obtain her consent, for of course the
money was a great inducement.
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