"Perhaps mamma will tell us something," said Bessie.
"But I'd like to think of something ourselves, and I did think of a nice thing, Bessie, if you would like to do it."
"I guess I would. Tell me, Maggie."
"Yesterday, when Mary Bent came here, she had on only a thin little cape, that did not keep her warm at all, and she looked so cold, nurse asked her if that was the warmest thing she had, and she said yes. So nurse brought an old piece of flannel, and basted it all inside the cape to make it warmer; but she said the child ought to have a thick cloak or shawl, and if mamma was home, she knew she would do something for her. Mary said her mother had a warm shawl, but when the weather was cold, they had to keep it to put over Jemmy, 'cause he shivered so if he was not covered up warm. I felt so sorry for her, and last night, I thought maybe we could take the rest of our money and buy her a warm thing to wear. Would you like that, dear Bessie?"
"'Deed, I would," said Bessie. "You do make such nice plans, Maggie. If we can do it, I shall just tell Mary you made it up. I don't believe anybody has such a smart Maggie as I have."
Maggie kissed her sister, for dearly as she loved praise, none was sweeter to her than that which Bessie was always so ready to give.
"I'm afraid we wont have enough to buy anything very warm," she said, "'cause that would cost a good deal, and we have not time to earn any, we are so very busy."
"Yes," said Bessie, "we have our hands full; but we will ask mamma."
Later in the day they did ask her, and she said that, if they pleased, they might use what they did not need for the library for this purpose.