“Mother, I am sure Maimie is not well,” Cherry said one day. “She was awake ever so long in the night, crying with pain in her side. I gave her something for it, but I don’t think she is better yet.”
“Don’t let her do too much this morning, and I will see by-and-by how she is,” I said.
I was very busy that morning, and very tired myself. Somehow it went out of my head about Maimie’s side-ache, and I blame myself, for certainly I should not have forgotten if Cherry or Jack or any other of my children had been the sufferer.
Cherry did her best to follow my directions, but Maimie was not to be easily managed. She made beds, dusted, washed, much as usual, and insisted that Cherry should not say another word to me. Seeing her so bright and active no doubt helped me to forget.
We had a heavy basketful of clothes needing repairs that afternoon. Cherry proposed that Maimie should have a little walk before joining us, but so decisive a “No” was the response, that she said no more. This recalled to me Cherry’s words in the morning, and I asked at once, “By-the-bye, how is your side, Maimie?” She flushed up, said hastily, “It’s nothing to signify,” and began talking to Cherry.
“Cress as usual,” Cherry remarked, displaying a jacket out at the elbows. “Isn’t it wonderful how Cress’ things last only half as long as anybody else’s?”
“He does not make up his mind that they must last,” I said. “Give me that jacket, Cherry. You have enough to do with the stockings.”
“It’s a good thing I have a particular gift for darning,” Cherry remarked, with a smile. “Just see, what a foot! That is Cress’ too. O mother, wouldn’t it be splendid to have five pounds’ worth of new clothes all at once?”
“No use to begin wishing for impossibilities.”
“Fancy how one would spend the five pounds,” pursued Cherry, talking cheerily, as she liked to do over her work. “Three new pairs of socks for each of the boys, and for father. And three pairs of stockings for each of us. Mother, it is wonderful how much of the five pounds would run straight away on socks and stockings alone. And so many shoes and boots are wanted. Five pounds would hardly clothe all the feet of the family, so as to give us a few weeks’ holiday in that line from mending.”