“Well, there's more kinds of consumption than one.”
Mrs. Babcock made quite a long call. She shook Mrs. Field's hand warmly at parting. “I want to know, does Lois like honey?” said she.
“Yes, she's real fond of it.”
“Well, I'm goin' to send her over a dish of it. Ours was uncommon nice this year. It's real good for a cough.”
On her way home Mrs. Babcock met Lois Field coming from school attended by a little flock of children. Mrs. Babcock stopped, and looked sharply at her small, delicately pretty face, with its pointed chin and deep-set blue eyes.
“How are you feelin' to-night, Lois?” she inquired, in a tone of forcible commiseration.
“I'm pretty well, thank you,” said Lois.
“Seems to me you're lookin' pretty slim. You'd ought to take a little vacation.” Mrs. Babcock surveyed her with a kind of pugnacious pity.
Lois stood quite erect in the midst of the children. “I don't think I need any vacation,” said she, smiling constrainedly. She pushed gently past Mrs. Babcock, with the children at her heels.
“You'd better take a little one,” Mrs. Babcock called after her.