They told me that their father was a stone-picker, and while he lived, they did very well, and went to school; but since he died, their mother had been ill, and had bled at the lungs, and was not strong enough to work.
I was pleased to see the children take each other by the hand, and walk along quite lovingly by my side. They appeared kind and polite to each other, and seemed to think that in me they had found a friend. They talked very fast, and told me many things about themselves and their way of life.
"We save our money to pay the rent."
"How much does your mother pay?"
"Three dollars a month!" I said, thinking how much it was for a poor woman, who had herself and three children to feed and clothe.
"I don't know whether it is a month, or a week, or how long; I only know it is three dollars.
"Once we were turned out in the snow. Oh! how cold my feet were!" The remembrance of her sufferings seemed almost to make her shiver.
"What did you do?"
"A woman took us in her house."