It stood upon the top of a little hill, and there was a garden
at the back and a pretty green lawn in front, with white gravel paths
and many beds of bright colored flowers.
The old woman was very happy and contented there until one day she
received a letter saying that her daughter Hannah was dead and had
sent her family of five children to their grandmother to be taken care
of.
This misfortune ruined all the old woman's dreams of quiet; but the
next day the children arrived--three boys and two girls--and she made
the best of it and gave them the beds her own daughters had once
occupied, and her own cot as well; and she made a bed for herself on
the parlor sofa.
The youngsters were like all other children, and got into mischief
once in awhile; but the old woman had much experience with children
and managed to keep them in order very well, while they quickly
learned to obey her, and generally did as they were bid.
But scarcely had she succeeded in getting them settled in their new
home when Margaret, another of her daughters, died, and sent four more
children to her mother to be taken care of.
The old woman scarcely knew where to keep this new flock that had come
to her fold, for the house was already full; but she thought the
matter over and finally decided she must build an addition to her
house.
So she hired a carpenter and built what is called a "lean-to" at the
right of her cottage, making it just big enough to accommodate the
four new members of her family.
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