At last the poor girl sobbed out, “Dear mamma, why conceal the truth?  You know that we are nearly naked, and starving.”

Then came the sad tale of domestic woes:—­the absence of the husband and eldest son; the uncertainty as to where they were, or in what engaged; the utter want of means to procure the common necessaries of life; the sale of the only remaining cow that used to provide the children with food.  It had been sold for twelve dollars, part to be paid in cash, part in potatoes; the potatoes were nearly exhausted, and they were allowanced to so many a day.  But the six dollars she had retained as their last resource.  Alas! she had sent the eldest boy the day before to P—–­, to get a letter out of the post-office, which she hoped contained some tidings of her husband and son.  She was all anxiety and expectation, but the child returned late at night without the letter which they had longed for with such feverish impatience.  The six dollars upon which they had depended for a supply of food were in notes of the Farmer’s Bank, which at that time would not pass for money, and which the roguish purchaser of the cow had passed off upon this distressed family.

Oh! imagine, ye who revel in riches—­who can daily throw away a large sum upon the merest toy—­the cruel disappointment, the bitter agony of this poor mother’s heart, when she received this calamitous news, in the midst of her starving children.  For the last nine weeks they had lived upon a scanty supply of potatoes; they had not tasted raised bread or animal food for eighteen months.

“Ellie,” said I, anxious to introduce the sack, which had lain like a nightmare upon my mind, “I have something for you; Jenny baked some loaves last night, and sent them to you with her best love.”

The eyes of all the children grew bright.  “You will find the sack with the bread in the passage,” said I to one of the boys.  He rushed joyfully out, and returned with Mrs. —–­ and the sack.  Her bland and affectionate greeting restored us all to tranquillity.

The delighted boy opened the sack.  The first thing he produced was the ham.

“Oh,” said I, “that is a ham that my sister sent to Mrs. N—–­; ’tis of her own curing, and she thought that it might be acceptable.”

Then came the white fish, nicely packed in a clean cloth.  “Mrs. C—–­ thought fish might be a treat to Mrs. N—–­, as she lived so far from the great lakes.”  Then came Jenny’s bread, which had already been introduced.  The beef, and tea, and sugar, fell upon the floor without any comment.  The first scruples had been overcome, and the day was ours.

“And now, ladies,” said Mrs. N—–­, with true hospitality, “since you have brought refreshments with you, permit me to cook something for your dinner.”

The scene I had just witnessed had produced such a choking sensation that all my hunger had vanished.  Before we could accept or refuse Mrs. N—–­’s kind offer, Mr. T—–­ arrived, to hurry us off.