Page 68 - Lavender-B-4

‘I wish we’d eaten it up,’ thought I, for I was rather a selfish child, and
very hungry.

‘I’m so glad you come before we began,’ said Nan, cheerfully.

‘May I go and help carry it to the poor, little children?’ asked Beth,
who had the tenderest heart that ever beat under a pinafore.

‘I can carry the lassy pot,’ said little May, proudly giving the thing she
loved best.

‘And I shall take all the porridge,’ I burst in, heartily ashamed of my
first feeling.

‘You shall put on your things and help me, and How do you
help your mother
when we come back, we’ll get something to eat,’
in preparing healthy
Let’s connect
said Mother, beginning to pile the bread and breakfast?
butter into a big basket.

We were soon ready, and the procession set out. First, papa, with a

basket of wood on one arm and coal on the other; Mamma next, with
a bundle of warm things and the teapot; Nan and I carried a pail of
hot porridge between us, and each a pitcher of milk; Beth brought

some cold meat, May the ‘lassy pot’, and her old hood and boots;
and Betsy, the girl, brought up the rear with a bag of potatoes and
some meal.

Fortunately, it was early, and we went along Why do you
back streets, so few people saw us, and no one think it was Just a Minute!

laughed at the funny party. necessary to help
the poor family?

What a poor, bare, miserable place it was, to be
sure,—broken windows, no fire, ragged clothes, pinafore: a loose sleeveless
garment, worn over clothes
wailing baby, sick mother, and a pile of pale, to keep them clean
hungry children cuddled under one quilt, trying burst in: (here) to say
something suddenly
to keep warm. How the big eyes stared and the heartily: in a cheerful manner
blue lips smiled as we came in! miserable: very unhappy
ragged: old and torn
wailing: crying because of
‘Ah, mein Gott! it is the good angels that come
pain or sadness
to us!’ cried the poor woman, with tears of joy. cuddled: held close for
warmth

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