"Jules picked the plums, and Jeanne washed the almonds, and
Christine took the ribbon off her own communion cap, all for you--all for
you; but you will let us come and eat it too?"
Old Gran'mere Bishot, who was the oldest woman about Laeken, hobbled
through the grass on her crutches and nodded her white shaking head, and
smiled at Bebee.
"I have nothing to give you, little one, except my blessing, if you care
for that."
Bebee ran out, breaking from the children, and knelt down in the wet
grass, and bent her pretty sunny head to the benediction.
Trine, the miller's wife, the richest woman of them all, called to the
child from the steps of the mill,--'
"A merry year, and the blessing of Heaven, Bebee! Come up, and here is my
first dish of cherries for you; not tasted one myself; they will make you
a feast with Varnhart's cake, though she should have known better, so
poor as she is. Charity begins at home, and these children's stomachs are
empty."
Bebee ran up and then down again gleefully, with her lapful of big black
cherries; Tambour, the old white dog, who had used to drag her about in
his milk cart, leaping on her in sympathy and congratulation.
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