`` Feed silk-worms ; they live on mulberry leaves , till they begin to spin themselves up . I was in a silk-factory once , and there were rooms full of shelves all covered with leaves , and worms eating them so fast that it made a rustle . Sometimes they eat so much they die . Tell that to Stuffy , '' and Dan laughed , as he took up another bit of rock with a lichen on it . `` I know one thing about this mullein leaf : the fairies use them for blankets , '' said Demi , who had not quite given up his faith in the existence of the little folk in green . `` If I had a microscope , I 'd show you something prettier than fairies , '' said Dan , wondering if he should ever own that coveted treasure . `` I knew an old woman who used mullein leaves for a night-cap because she had face-ache . She sewed them together , and wore it all the time . '' `` How funny ! was she your grandmother ? '' `` Never had any . She was a queer old woman , and lived alone in a little tumble-down house with nineteen cats . Folks called her a witch , but she was n't , though she looked like an old rag-bag . She was real kind to me when I lived in that place , and used to let me get warm at her fire when the folks at the poorhouse were hard on me . '' `` Did you live in a poorhouse ? '' `` A little while . Never mind that I did n't mean to speak of it ; '' and Dan stopped short in his unusual fit of communicativeness . `` Tell about the cats , please , '' said Demi , feeling that he had asked an unpleasant question , and sorry for it . `` Nothing to tell ; only she had a lot of 'em , and kept 'em in a barrel nights ; and I used to go and tip over the barrel sometimes , and let 'em out all over the house , and then she 'd scold , and chase 'em and put 'em in again , spitting and yowling like fury . '' `` Was she good to them ? ''
asked XXXXX , with a hearty child 's laugh , pleasant to hear .
Dan Demi communicativeness face-ache fire lichen mullein nights poorhouse silk-worms