“She came home about five minutes before you did,” said the little bright-eyed sparrow; “and I’m afraid she hasn’t sold any matches to-day, she looked so sad.”
Just then the shed-door opened, and a little girl appeared, and seating herself under the elm-tree began to sob as if her heart would break.
“Is Posy as big as she is?” whispered the little bright-eyed sparrow, “and does she look anything like her?”
“No, indeed,” answered her husband; “Posy is a very little girl, and has beautiful yellow hair and red cheeks, and always dances about because she is so happy. We must do something for this poor child!”
The child sat with her face buried in her hands, sobbing; and the sparrow noticed that her bare feet were cut in many places from walking over the sharp stones. They were red and swollen too. He flew down and perched on a bush in front of her, for the good-hearted fellow longed to comfort her.
“Dear me!” said the little girl, “how my feet do ache!” and she took one of them in her hands, and rocked herself backward and forward with the pain.
The sparrow gave a cheerful twitter, and the child looked up.
“Why, I do believe it’s Billy come back!” she cried, almost smiling through her tears. “Why, you’re a naughty bird to leave your wife and babies so long!”
Billy twittered and chirped, and tried hard to tell her how glad he was to see her.
“I’ve had a hard time, Billy, since you went away,” she said, “and it’s a comfort to have you back again, for it always seemed to me as if you understood what I told you, and I’ve nobody in the whole world to love me, Billy;” and the tears streamed down her cheeks. “She’s awful cross to me, Billy, and often beats me; and when I can’t sell my matches she makes me go without anything to eat. A kind lady gave me a piece of bread to-day, and I saved some of the crumbs for your little wife to give her babies, and I’ll give some to you, too, because you’re the only friend I have besides your wife, now that the little gray kitten has gone;” and the little girl put a few crumbs on the ground in front of the sparrow.