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Roe, Edward Payson, 1838-1888

"Without a Home"

That we might keep together
and to buy her delicacies I've parted with nearly everything in
the room, as you see," and it was bare indeed. A bed from which the
element of comfort had long since departed, two rickety chairs, a
pine table, a rusty stove, and a few dishes and cooking utensils
were about all there was left. With eyes slowly dilating Mildred
took in the bleak truth, but said only a few gentle words and was
very busy. She lifted Mrs. Bute's head, while Clara gave her a
little bread soaked in wine, and then aided Mrs. Wheaton in making
the room and bed a little more like what they should be by means of
the articles they had brought. Clara wonderingly saw that her little
closet was stocked with supplies for days to come. Her mother's
preternaturally brilliant eyes followed every movement, also, with
a dumb but eager questioning. Tired Belle in the meantime had
drawn a chair to the table, and with her head resting on her arms
had dropped asleep in a moment.
"Why should your sister work in a store if you're not poor?" Clara
asked Mildred. "You can't be poor and spare all these things.


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