“Oh, no! never fear that, Mrs. Gaston.  Ella’s not down with the scarlet fever, I know.”

“I trust not.  But I have my fears.”

“Never take trouble on interest, Mrs. Gaston.  It is bad enough when it comes in the natural way.  But what can I do for you?”

“I think I must have a cent’s worth of coffee this morning.  My head aches so that I am almost blind.  A strong cup of coffee I am sure will do me good.  And as I have a hard day’s work before me, I must prepare for it.  And then I must have a pint of milk and a three-cent loaf of bread for the children.  That must do me for the present.  We have some molasses left.”

“You’ll want a little dried meat, or a herring, or something to give you a relish, Mrs. Gaston.  Dry bread is poor eating.  And you know you can’t touch molasses.”  Half in sympathy did Mrs. Grubb utter this, and half as a dealer, desirous of selling her goods.

“Nothing more just now, I believe,” the poor woman replied.  “I must be prudent, you know, and count over every cent.”

“But you’ll make yourself sick, if you don’t eat something more than you do.  So come now; treat yourself to a herring, or to a penny’s worth of this sweet butter.  You’ll feel all the better for it, and do more than enough work to pay the cost twice over.”

Mrs. Gaston’s appetite was tempted.  The hard fresh butter looked inviting to her eyes, and she stooped over and smelled it half involuntarily.

“I believe you are right, Mrs. Grubb,” she said.  “You may give me a couple of cents’ worth of this nice butter.”

An ounce of butter was carefully weighed out, and given to the customer.

“Isn’t there something else, now, that you want?” said the smiling shopkeeper, leaning her elbows upon the counter, and looking encouragingly into the face of Mrs. Gaston.

“I’ve indulged myself, and I shall not feel right, unless I indulge the children a little also,” was the reply; “so weigh me two cents’ worth of your smoked beef.  They all like it very much.”

The smoked beef was soon ready, and then the mother hurried home to her children.

After the morning meal had been prepared, Mrs. Gaston sat down and ate her bread and butter, tasting a little of the children’s meat, and drinking her coffee with a keen relish.  She felt braced up on rising from the table, and, but for the illness of Ella, would have felt an unusual degree of cheerfulness.

Henry attended the common school of the district, and, soon after breakfast, prepared himself to go.  As he was leaving, his mother told him to call at Doctor R—­’s, and ask him if he would be kind enough to stop and see Ella.  She then seated herself once more beside her little work-table.  The two foreparts of the jacket had been finished, except the button-holes; and the sleeves were ready to put in as soon as the body of the garment was ready for them.  As the button-holes tried the sight of Mrs. Gaston severely, she chose that part of the day, when her eyes were fresh, to work them.  The jacket was double-breasted, and there were five holes to be worked on each side.  She had nearly completed one-half of them, when Doctor R—­came in.  He looked serious upon examining his patient.  Said she was very ill, and required immediate attention.