There , before the door , lay a great pile of wood , all ready to burn , a big bundle and a basket , with a lovely nosegay of winter roses , holly , and evergreen tied to the handle . ` Oh , mother ! did the fairies do it ? ' cried Tilly , pale with her happiness , as she seized the basket , while her mother took in the bundle . ` Yes , dear , the best and dearest fairy in the world , called `` Charity . '' She walks abroad at Christmas time , does beautiful deeds like this , and does not stay to be thanked , ' answered her mother with full eyes , as she undid the parcel . There they were , -- the warm , thick blankets , the comfortable shawls , the new shoes , and , best of all , a pretty winter hat for Bessy . The basket was full of good things to eat , and on the flowers lay a paper , saying , -- ` For the little girl who loves her neighbour as herself . ' ` Mother , I really think my bird is a fairy bird , and all these splendid things come from him , ' said Tilly , laughing and crying with joy . It really did seem so , for as she spoke , the robin flew to the table , hopped to the nosegay , and perching among the roses , began to chirp with all his little might . The sun streamed in on flowers , bird , and happy child , and no one saw a shadow glide away from the window ; no one ever knew that Mr. King had seen and heard the little girls the night before , or dreamed that the rich neighbour had learned a lesson from the poor neighbour . And Tilly 's bird was a fairy bird ; for by her love and tenderness to the helpless thing , she brought good gifts to herself , happiness to the unknown giver of them , and a faithful little friend who did not fly away , but stayed with her till the snow was gone , making summer for her in the winter-time . MY LITTLE GENTLEMAN . No one would have thought of calling him so , this ragged , barefooted , freckle-faced Jack , who spent his days carrying market-baskets for the butcher , or clean clothes for Mrs. Quinn , selling chips , or grubbing in the ash-heaps for cinders . But he was honestly earning his living , doing his duty as well as he knew how , and serving those poorer and more helpless than himself , and that is being a gentleman in the best sense of that fine old word . He had no home but Mrs. Quinn 's garret ; and for this he paid by carrying the bundles and getting the cinders for her fire . Food and clothes he picked up as he could ; and his only friend was little Nanny . Her mother had been kind to him when the death of his father left him all alone in the world ; and when she , too , passed away , the boy tried to show his gratitude by comforting the little girl , who thought there was no one in the world like her Jack . Old Mrs. Quinn took care of her , waiting till she was strong enough to work for herself ; but Nanny had been sick , and still sat about , a pale , little shadow of her former self , with a white film slowly coming over her pretty blue eyes . This was Jack 's great trouble , and he could n't whistle it away as he did his own worries ; for he was a cheery lad , and when the baskets were heavy , the way long , the weather bitter cold , his poor clothes in rags , or his stomach empty , he just whistled , and somehow things seemed to get right .
But the day he carried XXXXX the first dandelions , and she felt of them , instead of looking at them , as she said , with such pathetic patience in her little face , ' I do n't see 'em ; but I know they 're pretty , and I like 'em lots , ' Jack felt as if the blithe spring sunshine was all spoiled ; and when he tried to cheer himself up with a good whistle , his lips trembled so they would n't pucker .
Bessy Nanny Quinn Tilly ash-heaps burn fire market-baskets nosegay right