DORA AND DUMPY 



"SURE, ma'am, it takes all one's patience to 

 brish up after that child, sich quair ways she 

 has wid the flowers. But it's swate iv her, jist 

 the same, and who could help lovin' the little 

 mite, trudgin' around wid her hands full iv 

 flowers. And niver did I see any child so good 

 to iverthin'." 



Before Mrs. Barrett could reply to Marga- 

 ret's outburst, Dora appeared in the open door- 

 way with a wee baby chick in her hands, hold- 

 ing it so carefully that the contented little thing 

 was peeping the same soft note as though under 

 its mother's wing. Dora's face was full of 

 anxiety. 



"O mother, it's my own little Dumpy, and 

 its leg is broken," wept Dora. "Can you mend 

 it, mother? Can't Dr. Brown come and do it 

 up to get well, as he did Bobby's arm when he 

 broke it tumbling off the hay?" 



Mrs. Barrett put the little yellow ball of 

 feathers the chickie only a few days old into 



87 



