THE NORTHCROFT LILIES.

say Good-bye" to poor Nancy Joyce, in White Lion
Court, she was so grave that Nancy, spite of her own
grief, felt constrained to comfort her.
 Poor Nancy! it was a sad loss to her, as she well
knew. She could count back a long time of kindness
from all the Layton family. Seven years ago she had
a fall whilst cleaning a window, and this had left her
nearly helpless; she could with difficulty raise herself
to a half-reclining position, and could only use her
hands a very little. The worst was, that there was no
hope that she would ever be better. It had been once
thought that she might be admitted into the Hospital
for Incurables, but her mother had begged so hard to
keep her at home, the plan was given up. Nancy's
father was dead, and her mother was not very strong.
She went out washing and charming whenever she
could, and the two little boys, Tim and Joe, swept
crossings and sold watercresses-in fact, were glad
of any work that offered. They were very poor, but on
the whole, the little house was as clean as it could be
-it was too smoke-blackened ever to look" clean, but
M\rs. Joyce did her best to keep it so. Mr. and Mrs.
Layton had been very kind to them, but they were
not rich, and the parish was a large, poor one. Twice
a week usually, either Effie or Gertrude, or perhaps
both, and sometimes little Lottie, would come to see
Nancy. The many-coloured patchwork quilt which
covered her bed was their work, so were the knitted
mittens which kept her poor hands warm; and the
gay pictures and prints from the Illustrated London
News, which decorated the walls, had all been hung
there by them or their brothers. No wonder that Nancy
felt sad when she thought how soon the bright faces
would cease to gladden her dingy little room. Truly,
she had more need of consolation than Gertrude, who