Mrs. Perry gave a teapot, cups and saucers, and a
rag-rug of her own making. The doctor sent in some pots and pans,
and meat and other food to put in them, and the folks in the village,
who had come to know Huldah's story, turned out something, and sent,
a jug, a brush, a sack of firewood, a bar of soap, and all manner of
odds and ends, every one of which came in usefully. Huldah's own
little bed and looking-glass and odds and ends came from her bedroom
in the cottage, and all together helped to make the two bare rooms
look home-like and comfortable.
The furniture was scanty and shabby, but to anyone accustomed to
rough it as Emma Smith had done, the place was beautiful, and full of
comfort and rest.
When it was ready, and she was first taken into it, she dropped into
the basket chair by the fire, and burst into grateful tears.
It was the first time she had shown any gratitude or pleasure in what
was being done for her.
"It's like 'ome," she sobbed, weakly, "and I've never had one since I
got married, till now,--and now--how I'm ever going to thank
everybody, I don't know. I never seem able to do any good to
anybody, I don't. 'Tis all take, with me, and no give, and I'm
ashamed of it."
Huldah felt some of the load slip off her spirits as she looked about
her.
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