` You are young to do so much , for we often see you in the market buying and selling , and sometimes digging in your garden there below , and bringing water from the river . Do you love work as well as school ? ' ` Ah , no ; but mademoiselle knows it is necessary to work : every one does , and I 'm glad to do my part . Yvon works much harder than I , and the father sits all day at his loom , yet he is sick and suffers much . Yes , I am truly glad to help , ' and little Marie settled the big loaf as if quite ready to bear her share of the burdens . ` Shall we go and see your father about the goat ? and if he agrees will you bring the milk fresh and warm every morning ? ' I asked , thinking that a sight of that blooming face would brighten our days for us . ` Oh , yes ! I always do it for the ladies , and you will find the milk quite fresh and warm , hey , Nannette ? ' and Marie laughed as she pulled the goat from the hedge where she was nibbling the young leaves . We followed the child as she went clattering down the stony path , and soon came into the narrow street bounded on one side by the row of low , stone houses , and on the other by the green wet meadow full of willows , and the rapid mill-stream . All along this side of the road sat women and children , stripping the bark from willow twigs to be used in basket-making . A busy sight and a cheerful one ; for the women gossiped in their high , clear voices , the children sang and laughed , and the babies crept about as freely as young lambs . We found Marie 's home a very poor one . Only two rooms in the little hut , the lower one with its earthen floor , beds in the wall , smoky fire , and single window where the loom stood . At it sat a pale , dark man who stopped work as we entered , and seemed glad to rest while we talked to him , or rather while Kate did , for I could not understand his odd French , and preferred to watch Marie during the making of the bargain . Yvon , a stout lad of twelve , was cutting up brush with an old sickle , and little Bebe , looking like a Dutch doll in her tiny round cap , tight blue gown , and bits of sabots , clung to Marie as she got the supper . I wondered what the children at home would have said to such a supper . A few cabbage leaves made the soup , and this , with the dry black bread and a sip of sour wine , was all they had .
There were no plates or bowls , but little hollow places in the heavy wooden table near the edge , and into these fixed cups XXXXX ladled the soup , giving each a wooden spoon from a queer rack in the middle ; the kettle stood at one end , the big loaf lay at the other , and all stood round eating out of their little troughs , with Nannette and a rough dog close by to receive any crusts that might be left .
Dutch French Kate Marie Nannette Yvon days fire sabots sickle