"Come, little girl, you shall tell me all about it," continued the stranger kindly. "Don't you have enough to eat?"
"Oh, yes," she said, "and when I go home I shall have some porridge in my pretty cup. I've got a new baby, too. He's real funny, but he can't open his eyes yet—he's too little."
Before Dilly had finished her story, her father had gathered a large pile of wood, and tied it together with a cord he found in the street. This he took on his back, and then turning to the gentleman said, "I have five mouths to feed, and if ye could recommend me some work better than picking rags, I'll bless ye as long as I live."
Then turning to Dilly, he said, "Come child," and adding, "with your leave, sir, I'll be back soon," walked rapidly away.
The last load had been piled up against the wall, and the family were about retiring to their rest, when a knock was heard at the door, and Dilly sprang joyfully forward to meet her acquaintance of the afternoon. A young lady accompanied him, whom he introduced as his daughter.
"Father told me about the little girl with her new baby," said the lady, smiling, as she patted the child's head, "and I came to ask her to go to sabbath school. I am getting up a class for myself."
"We were Protestants in the old country," said Mrs. Hogan, "and I'd be thankful indeed to have her go, but it's yourself'll be loth to take her, I'm thinking, when ye know she owns no clothes but what she has on this minute."
"Oh, I'll make her some clothes," urged the lady, "if you'll let her come, and the boy, too! Only you must promise to keep them clean for Sunday."
"I'm so glad," said Dilly, dancing about on her toes. "I'll be ever so good, I will."
"I am sorry to see you looking so feeble," added the lady, turning toward the corner where Mrs. Hogan lay with her infant at her breast.