ISHMAEL; Or, IN THE DEPTHS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 449, 26 February 1890, Page 6

ISHMAEL; Or, IN THE DEPTHS.

: by ” MRS-EMM A D. E.’N. SOU Til WORTH,

hj -.<{•><■ -Author of “Self-Raised,” “Fair Play.” “Ihc fis-s: -Missing Bride.” “A Noble Lord,” “ How . > lie Won Her.” “The Prince of Darkness,” "Tried for Her Life,” Etc.. Etc. ::Ysi4?- ; • CHAPTER XXIV. CLAUDIA TO THE RESCUE ! nLet. me not now ungenerously condemn My few good deeds on impulse,—half unwise And scarce approved by reason's colder eyes; I will not blame, nor weakly blush for them : The feelings and the actions then stood right: And if regret, for half a moment sighs That worldly wisdom in its keener sight 'Had ordered matters to and so, my heart, Still, in its fervour loves a warmer part r Than Prudence wots of; while my faithful mind,. Heart's consort, also praises her for this; And on our conscience little load I find > If sometimes we have helped another’s bliss. At same small cost of selfish loss behind. M. F. Tuppek. As Ishmael left the village by the eastern arm of the road, a gay sleighing party r dashed into it from the western one. Horses prancing, bolls ringing, veils flying and voices chattering, they drew up before u Hamlin’s shop. The party consisted of Mr ' Middleton, his wife, and his niece. >-‘i Mr Middleton gave the reins to his wife, and went into the shop to make a few purchases. When his parcels had been made up and paid for, he turned to leave the shop ; but, then, as if suddenly recollecting something, he looked back and inquired : ‘ By the way, Hamlin, have those Histories come yet ?’ ‘ No, sir, but I shall write for them again by this evening’s mail; I cannot think what has delayed them. However, sir, there is one copy that I can let you have, if that will be of any service.’ . ‘ Certainly, certainly ; it is better than nothing ; let us look at it,’ said Mr Middleton, coming back from the counter and taking the book from Hamlin’s hands. In turning over the leaves he came to the presentation page, on which he recognised his own handwriting in the lines : ' ; ‘ Presented to Ishmael Worth, as a reward of ' merit, by his friend James Middleton.’ - * Why, this is the very copy I gave to that poor little fellow on the hill, last August! How did you come by it again ?’ asked Mr Middleton, in astonishment. * He brought it here to sell about an hour ago, sir, and as it was a perfectly fresh copy, and I knew you were in a hurry for some of them, I bought it of him,’ replied the dealer. * ‘ But why should the lad have sold his book?’ * Well, law, sir, you cannot expect boys of his class to appreciate books. I dare say he wanted his money to spend in tops or marbles, or some such traps !’ replied the dealer. ‘ Very like ! very like ! though lam sorry to think so of that little fellow! I had hoped better things of him,’ assented Mr Middleton. ; ' ‘ Law, sir, boys will be boys.’ ‘ Certainly ; well, put the book in paper for me, and say what you are going to ask for it.’ * Well, sir, it is as good as new, and the work is much called for just about now in this neighbourhood. So I s’pose I shall have to ask you about three dollars.’ ‘ That is the full price! Did you give the boy that?’ inquired the gentleman. ' " 1 Well, no, sir; but you know I must " have my own little profit,’ replied the dealer, reddening. 4 Certainly,' assented Mr Middleton, taking out his purse—a delicate, effeminatelooking article, that seemed to have been borrowed from his wife, paying Hamlin and carrying off the book. fi "As he got into the sleigh and took the reins with one hand, hugging up his parcels and his purse loosely to his breast with the other, Sirs Middleton said : ‘Now, James, don’t go and plant my purse on the road, as you did your pocketbook this morning !’ ‘ My dear, pray don’t harp on that los3 for ever. •It was not ruinous ! There was only nine dollars in it !’ ‘ And if there had been nine hundred, it would have been the same thing !’ said the lady.

Her husband laughed, put away his purse, stowed away his parcels, and then, having both hands at liberty, took the reins and set off for home. As he. dashed along the street, a poster caught his attention. He drew up, threw the reins to Mrs Middleton, jumped out, pulled down the poster, and returned to his seat in the sleigh. 4 Here we are, ray deal', all right; the pocket-book is found,.’ he smiled, as he again took possession of the reins. . ,‘ Found ?’ she echoed. . ‘.Yes, by that boy, Worth, you know, who behaved so well in that affair with the Burghes.’ ‘ Oh, yes ! and he has found the pocketbook ?’

‘ Yes, and advertised it in this way, poor little fellow !’ And Mr Middleton drove slowly, whilehe read the circular to his wife. ‘ Well, we can call by the hut as we go home, and you can get out and get it, and you will not forget to reward, the poor boy for his honesty. He might have kept it, you know ; for there was nothing in it that could be traced.’ * Very well; 1 will do as you recommend ; but 1 have a quarrel with the young fellow, tor all that,’ said Mr Middleton. ‘ Upon what groundinquired his wife. ‘ Why, upon the ground of his just having sold that book I gave him last August as a reward of merit.’ ‘ What did he do that for ?’ , ‘To get money to buy tops and marbles.’ ‘lt is false !’ burst out Claudia, speaking for the first time. : a ‘Claudia! Claudia! Claudia! How dare g. you charge your uncle with falsehood ?’ ex- " claimed Mrs Middleton, horrified. ‘I don’t accuse him, aunt. He.don’t know anything about it! Somebody bus ..told him falsehoods about poor Ishmael, and he believes it just as he did before,’ exclaimed the little lady, with flashing eyes. * Well, then, what did he sell it for, „ Claudia ?’ inquired her uncle, smiling. „ f ‘I, don’t, believe he sold it at all!’ said Miss .Claudia. .jV uncle quietly untied the packet, and the book before her, open at the fly--leaf, upon-which, the, names of the donor 7 and the receiyer-were written. ; , ‘ Well, .then,.XXeliovehe must have sold it to get something to eat,’ said Ishmael’s little;advocate, -‘ for I heard Mr thak there was a great deal t the frozen-out working : 'classes .this winter.’-;' "•>' ' < ; ’ 'J - : j-• i‘ It may be as you say, my deal', I do I ‘ Well;' uncle; you ought to know; then 1 It -ie'the d u tyi of the prosperous to find: out' ■ f the Condition of the poor ! When * I come into my fortuno— ’ | *

‘ Yes, I know ; we havo heard all that j before; the millennium will be brought about, of course. But, if I aux not mis- < taken, there is your little protege on the road before us !’ said Mr Middleton, slacking hi 9 horse’s speed, as be caught sight of Ishmael. ‘Yes !itis he ! And look at him ! does he look like a boy who is thinking of playing marbles and spinning tops ?’ inquired Miss Claudia. Indeed, no ! no one who saw the child could have connected childish sports with him. He was creeping wearily along, half bent under the bui’den of the bag of meal he carried on his back, and looking, from behind, more like a little old man than a boy. Mr Middleton drove slowly as he approached him. Ishmael drew aside to let the sleigh pass. But Mr Middleton drew up to examine the boy more at his leisure. The stooping gait, the pale, broad forehead, the hollow eyes, the wasted cheeks and haggard countenance, so sad to see in so young a lad, spoke more eloquently than word# could express, the famine, the cold, the "weariness and illness he suffered. ‘‘Oh, uncle, if you haven’t got a stone in your bosom instead of a heart, you will call the poor fellow here and give him a seat with us ! He is hardly able to stand. And it is so bitter cold !* said Miss Claudia, drawing her own warm, sable cloak around her. ; ‘ But—he is such an object 1 His clothes are all over patches,’ said Mr Middleton, who liked sometimes to try the spirit of his niece. ‘ But, uncle, he is so clean ! just as clean as you are, or even as I am,’ said Miss Claudia. ‘And he has got a great bag on his back !’ ‘ Well, uncle, that makes it so much the harder for him to walk this long, long road, and is so much the more reason for you to take him in. You can put the bag down under your feet. And now if you don’t call him here in one minute, I will—so there now ! Ishmael ! Ishmael, I say ! Here, sir ! here !’ cried the little lady, standing up in the sleigh. ‘ Ishmael! come here, my boy,’ called Mr Middleton. Our boy came as fast as hia weakness and his burden would permit him. • Get in here, my boy, and take this seat beside me. We are going tho same way that you are walking, and we can give you a ride without inconveniencing ourselves. And besides I want to talk with you,’ said Mr Middleton, as Ishmael came up to the side of the sleigh and took off his hat to the party. He bowed and took the seat indicated, and Mr Middleton started his horses, driving slowly as he talked. 4 Ishmael, did you ever have a sleighride before?’ inquired Claudia, bending forward and laying her little gloved hand upon his shoulder, as he sat immediately before her. ‘No, miss.’ ‘ Oh, then, how you’ll enjoy it! It is so grand! not now, though. But only wait until uncle has done talking and we are going fast! Tt is like flying ! You’ll see ! But what do you think, Ishmael ? Do you think somebody—l know it was that old Hamlin—didn’t go and teli uncle that you went and— ’

‘ Claudia ! Claudia ! hold your little tongue, my dear, for just five minutes, if you possibly can, while I speak to this boy myself !’ said Mr Middleton. ‘ Ah, you see uncle don’t want to hear of his mistakes ! He is not vain of them.’ * Will you hold your tongue just for three minutes, Claudia?’ ‘Yes, sir, to oblige you; bub I know I shall get a sore throat by keeping my mouth open so long.’ And with that, I regret to say, Miss Merlin put out her little tongue, and literally 4 held' it between her thumb and finger as she sank back in her seat. ‘lshmael,’ said Mr Middleton, ‘I have seen your poster about the pocket-book. It is mine ; I dropped it this forenoon, when we first came out.’ ‘ Oh, sir, I’m so glad I have found the owner, and that it is you!’ exclaimed Ishmael, putting his hand in his pocket to deliver the lost article. 4 Stop, stop, stop, my impetuous little friend ! Don’t you know I must prove my property before I take possession of it? That is to say, that I must describe it before I see it, so as to convince you it is really mine ?’ 4 Oh, sir, but that was only put in my poster to prevent impostors from claiming it,’ said Ishmael, blushing. 4 Nevertheless, it is better to do business in a business-like way,’ persisted Mr Middleton, putting his hand upon that of the boy to prevent him from drawingtbrof the pocket-book. ‘ Imprimis a crimson pocket - book, with yellow silk lining ; items —in one compartment three quarter eagles in gold ; in another compartment, two dollars in silver. Now, is that right?’ ‘ Oh, yes, sir; but it wasn’t necessary; of course, you know that!’ said Ishmael, putting the pocket-book in the hand of its owner. Mr Middleton opened it, took out a piece of gold, and would have silently forced it in the hand of the poor boy ; but Ishmael respectfully but firmly put back the offering. ‘ Take it, my boy; it is usual to do so, you know,’ said Mr Middleton, in a low voice. ‘ Nob for me, sir ; please do not ever offer me money again unless I have earned it,’ replied the boy, in an equally low tone. 4 But as a reward for finding the pocketbook,’ persisted Mr Middleton. * That was a piece of good fortune, sir, and deserved no reward,’ replied Ishmael. 4 Then for restoring it to me.’ ‘ That was simple honesty, sir, and merited nothing either.’ ‘Still, there would be no harm in your taking this from me,’ insisted Mr Middleton, pressing the gold upon the boy. ‘No, Bir ; perhaps there would not be; but I am sure—l am very sure—that Thomas Jefferson when he was a boy would never let anybody pay him for being honest!’

1 Who V demanded Mr Middelton, with a look of perplexity. ‘Thomas Jefferson, sir, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, that I read of in that beautiful history you gave me. ’ ‘Oh !’. ; said Mr Middleton, ceasing to press the money upon the boy, but putting it in his pocket-book and returning the pocket-book to his pocket. ‘Oh ! and, by the way, I am told that you have sold that history to-day. ft. ;‘Yes! for money to buy spinning-tops and marbles with ?’ put in Miss Claudia. Ishmael looked around in dismay for a moment, and then burst out with : , ‘ Oh, sir ! indeed, indeed I did not!’ ‘ What! you didn’t sell it ?’ exclaimed Mr Middleton. . ,v ‘Oh; yes, sir, I sold it;’ said Ishmael, as the. irrepressible tears rushed to his eyes. * I sold it! I was obliged to do so ! Patrick Henry would have done it, sir !’ • ; Bub you did not sell it to get money to buy toys with?’ ‘Oh, no, no, no, sir ! It was a matter of life and death, else I never would have parted with my book !’ * Tell me all about it, my boy.’ ‘ My aunt Hannah has been ill in bed all the winter. I haven’t been able to earu

anything for the last month. We got outof money and out of provisions.. And Mr Nutt wouldn’t trust us for anything—’ ‘ Uncle, mind you don’t deal with that horrid man any more !’ interrupted Claudia. ‘ Did you owe him much, my boy ?' inquired Mr Middleton. . 4 Not a penny, sir ! We never went in debt and never even asked for credit before. ’ ‘Goon.’ 4 Well, sir, to - day Aunt Hannah wanted a cup of tea so badly that she cried for it, sir—cried like any baby, and said she would die if she didn’t get it; and so I brought my book to town this afternoon, and sold it to get the money to buy what she wanted.’ ‘But you had the pocket-book full of money ; why didn’t you take some of that? 4 The Lord says “Thou shalt not steal!” ' “ But that would have been only taking in advance what would certainly have been offered to you as a reward.’ 4 1 did think of that when aunt was crying for tea ; but then I knew John Hancock never would have done so, and I wouldn’t, so I sold my book.' 4 There, uncle! I said so ! now ! now ! what do you think now ?’ exclaimed Claudia. 4 It must have cost you much to part with your treasure, my boy !’ said Mr Middleton, without heeding the interruption of Claudia. Ishmael’s features quivered, his eyes filled with tears, and his voice failed in the attempt to answer. 4 There is your book, my lad ! It would be a sin to keep it from you,’ said Mr Middleton, taking a packet from the bottom of the sleigh and laying it upon Ishmael’s knees. 4 My book ! my book back again ! Oh, oh, sir ! I—’ His voice sank but his pale face beamed with surprise, delight, and gratitude. 4 Yes, it is yours, my boy, my noble boy ! I give it to you once more ; not as any sort of a reward ; but simply because I think it would be a sin to deprive you or that which is yours by a sacred right. Keep it, and make its history still your study and its heroes still your models,’ said Mr Middleton, with emotion. Ishmael was trembling with joy ! His delight at recovering his lost treasure was even greater than his joy at first possessing it had been. He tried to thank the donor ; but his gratitude was too intense to find utterance in words. 4 There, there, I know it all as well as il you had expressed it with the eloquence of Cicero, my boy,’ said Mr Middleton. 4 Uncle, you are such a good old gander that I would bug and kiss you if I could do so without climbing over aunt,’ said Claudia. 4 Mr Middleton, do let us get along a little faster ! or we shall not reach home before dark,’ said the lady. 4 My good, little, old wife, it will not be dark this night. The moon is lising, and between the moon above and the snow beneath, we shall have it as light as day all night. However, here goes !’ And Mr Middleton touched up his horses and they flew as before the wind. It was a glorious ride through a glorious scene ! The setting sun was kindling all the western sky into a dazzling effulgence, and sending long golden lines of light through the interstices of the forest, on one hand ; and the rising moon was flooding the eastern heavens with a silvery radiance on the other. The sleigh flew as if drawn by winged horses.. ‘lsn’t it grand, Ishmael?’ inquired Claudia. 4 Oh, yes, indeed, miss !’ responded the boy, with fervour. In twenty minutes they had reached the turnpike road, from which started the little narrow footpath leading through the forest to the hut. ‘ Well, my boy, here we are ! jump out ! good-night! I shall not lose sight of you !’ said Mr Middleton, as he drew up to let Ishmael alight. ‘Good-night, sir; good-night, madam; good-night, Miss Claudia. I thank you more than I can express, sir; bub,, indeed, indeed, I will try to deserve your kindness,’ said Ishmael, as he bowed and took his pack once more upon his back and sped on through the narrow forest-path that led to his humble home. His very soul Within him was singing for joy.

CHAPTER XXV. A TURNING POINT IN ISIIMAEL’s Lilli. There is a thought, so purely blest, That to ilsuse I oft repair, When evil breaks ray spirit’s rest, And pleasure is but varied care ; A thought to light the darkest skies. To deck with flowers the bleakest moor— A thought whose home is Paradise,— The charities of Poor to Poor. Richard Monckton Mil.ves. Ishmael lifted the latch and entered the hub softly, lest Hannah should have fallen asleep and he should awaken her. He was right. The invalid had dropped into one of those soft, refreshing slumbers that often visit and relieve the bedridden and exhausted sufferer. Ishmael closed the door, and, moving about noiselessly, placed his treasured book on the bureau ; put away his provisions in the cupboard; rekindled the smouldering tire ; hung on the tea-kettle; set a little stand by Hannah’s bedside, covered it with a white napkin and arranged a little teaservice upon it; and then drew his little three-legged stool to the fire and sat down bo warm and rest his cold and tired limbs, and to watch the tea-kettle boil. Poor child! His feeble frame had been fearfully overtasked, and so the heat of the : fire and the stillness of the room, both acting upon his exhausted nature, sent him also to sleep, and he was soon nodding. He was avoused by the voice of Hannah, who had quietly awakened. ‘ Is that you, Ishmael ?’ she said. _ » ‘Yes, aunt,’ he exclaimed, starting up With a jerk and rubbing his eyes—‘and I have got the tea and things ; and the kettle is boiling ; but I thought 1 wouldn’t set the tea to draw, till you woke up, for fear it would be flat.’ ‘Come here, my child,’ said Hannah, in a kindly voice, for you see the woman had had a good sleep and had awakened much refreshed, with calmer nerves and consequently better temper. ‘ Come to me, Ishmael,’ repeated Hannah ; for the boy had delayed obeying long enough to set the tea to draw, and cut a slice of bread and set it down to toast. When Ishmael went to her she raised herself up, and took his thin face between her hands and gazed tenderly into it, saying : , , .. . ‘ I was cross to you, my poor lad, this morning ! but, oh, Ishmael, I felt so badly I was nob myself;.’ ‘I know that, Aunt Hannah; because when you are well you are always good to me; but let me run and turn your toast now, or it will burn ; I will come back to you directly.’ And the practical little fellow flew off to the fireplace, turned the bread and flew back to Hannah. ‘But where did. you get the tea, my child ?’she inquired. .. . Ishmael told her all about it m a few words. • , ‘And so you walked all the way back again to Bay mouth, tired and hungry as you were; fl.nd you sold your precious book, much as you loved it, all to get tea

for nie ! Oh, my boy, my boy, how unjust I have been to you ! Bub I am so glad Mr Middleton brought it back and gave it to you again ! And the pocket-book was his ! and you gave it to him and would nob take any reward for finding it! That was right, Ishmael! that was right! And it seems to iv e that every good thing you have ever in this world has come through your own right doing,’ was the comment of Hannah upon all this. 4 Well, aunt, now the tea is drawn and the toast is ready, let me fix it on the stand for you,’ said Ishmael, hurrying off to perform his duty. That evening Hannah enjoyed her tea and dry toast only as a woman long debarred from these feminine necessaries could enjoy them. When Ishmael also had had his supper and had cleared away the tea service, he took down his book, lighted his iittle bib of candle, and—as his aunt was in a benignant humour, he went to her for sympathy in his studies—saying : 4 Now, aunt, don’t mope and pine any more ! George Washington didn’t, even when the army was at Valley Forge and the snow was so deep and the soldiers were barefooted ! Let me read you something out of my book to amuse you ! Come, now, I’ll read to you what General Marion did when— ’ ‘ No, don’t, that’s a good boy,’exclaimed Hannah, interrupting him in alarm, for she had a perfect horror of booke. 4 You know it would tire me to death, dear! But just you sit down by me and tell me all about Mrs Middleton and Miss Merlin and how they were dressed. For you know, dear, as i haven’t been able to go to church thesa three months, I don’t even know what sorb of bonnets ladies wear.’ . This requirement was for a moment a perfect ‘poser’ to Ishmael. He wasn’t interested in bonnets ! But, however, as he had the faculty of seeing, understanding, and remembering everything that fell under his observation, in his own limited sphere, he blew out his candle, sat down and complied with his aunt’s request, narrating and describing until she went to sleep. Then he relighted his little bit of candle and sat down to enjoy his book in comfort. That night the wind shifted to the south and brought in a mild spell of weather. The nexbday the snow began to melt. In a week it was entirely gone. In a fortnight the ground had dried. All the roads became passable. With the improved weather Hannah grew better. She was able to leave her bed in the morning, and sit in her old arm-chair in the chimney corner all day. The professor came to look after hi 3 pupil. Poor old odd-jobber! In his palmiest days he had never made more than sufficient for the support of his large family; he had never been able to lay up any money ; and so during this long and severe winter, when he was frozen out of work, he and his humble household suffered many privations : not so many as Hannah and Ishmael had ; for you see there are degrees of poverty even among the very poor. And the good professor knew this ; and so on that fine March morning, when he made his appearance at the hut, it was with a bag of flour on his back and a side of bacon in his hand. After the primitive manners of the neighbourhood, lie dispensed with rapping, and just lifted the latch and walked in. He found Hannah sitting propped up in her arm - chair in the chimney - corner, engaged in knitting, and glancing ruefully at the unfinished web of cloth in the motionless loom, at which she was not yet strong enough to work. Ishmael was washing his own clothes in a little tub in the other corner. 4 Morning, Miss Hannah ! Morning, young Ishmael!’ said the professor, depositing his bag and bacon on the floor. 4 1 thought I had better just drop in and see after my ’prentice. Work has been frozen up all winter, and now, like the rivers and the snow-drifts, it is thawed and coming with a rush! I’m nigh torn to pieces by the people as has been sending after me; and 1 thought I would just take young Ishmael on again to help me. And—as I heard how you’d been disabled along of the rheumatism, Miss Hannah, and wasn’t able to do no weaving, and as I knowed young Ishmael would be out of work as long as-I was, I just made so free, Miss Hannah, to bring . you this bag of flour and middling of bacon, which I hope yoai’ll do me tho honour of accepting from a well-wisher.’ 4 1 thank you, Morris: 1 think you very much ; but I cannot think of accepting such assistance from you ; I know that even you and your family must have suffered something from this long frost; and I cannot take the gift.’ ‘Law, Miss Hannah,’ interrupted the honest fellow, ‘ I never presumed to think of such a piece of impertinence as to offer it to you as a gift? I only make free to beg you will take it as an advance on account of young Tshmael’s wages, as he’ll be sure to earn ; for, bless you, miss, work is a-pouring in on top of me like the Cataract of Niagara itself! And I shall want all his help ! And as I mayn’t have the money to pay him all at once, I would consider of it as a favour to a poor man if you would take this much of me in advance,’ said the professor. Now whether Hannah was really deceived by the benevolent diplomacy of the good professor, or not, I do not know; but at any rate her sensitive pride was hushed by the prospect held out of Ishmael’s labour paying for the provisions, and as she had nob tasted meat for three weeks and her very soul longed foi’ a -savory ‘ rasher,’ she replied—- ‘ Oh, very well, Morris, if you will take the price out of Ishmael’s wages, I will accept the things and thank you kindly too ; for to be candid with so good a friend as yourself, I was wanting a bib of broiled bacon. ’ * Law, Miss Hannah! It will be the greatest accommodation of me as ever was,’ replied the unscrupulous professor. Ishmael understood it all. ‘ Indeed, professor,’ he said, ‘ I think Israel Putnam would have approved of you.’ * Well, young Ishmael, I don’t know; — when I mean well, my acts often work evil; and sometimes I don’t oven mean well! But it wasn’t to talk of myself as I came here this morning ; bub to talk of you. You see I promised to go over to Squire Hall’s and do several jobs for him to-morrow forenoon : and to-morrow afternoon I have gob to go to old Mr Truman’s; and to-morrow night I have to lead the exercises at the coloured people’s missionary meeting at Colonel Mervin’s. And as all that will be a long day’s work I shall have to make a pretty early start in the morning; and of course as I want you to go with me, I shall expect you to be at my house as early as six o’clock in the morning ! Can you do it?’ ‘Oh, yes, professor,’ answered Ishmael, so promptly and cheerfully that Morris Maid his hand upon the boy’s head and smiled upon him as he said, addressing Hannah : ‘ I take great comfort in this boy. Miss Hannah ! I look upon him a’most as my own son and the prop of my declining years; and I hope to prepare him to succeed me in my business* when I know he

will do honour to the profession. Ah, Miss Hannah, I feel that I am not so young as I used to be ; in fact that I am rather past ray first youth ; being about fifty-two years of age ; professional duties wear a man, Miss Hannah ! But when I look at this boy lam consoled ! I say to myself though I have no son, I shall have a successor who will do credit to my memory, my teachings, and my profession ! I say, that, fall when it may, my mantle will fall upon his shoulders !’ concluded Jim with emotion. And like all other great orators, after having produced his finest effect he made his bow and his exit. The next morning, according to promise, Ishmael rendered himself at the appointed hour at the professor’s cottage. They set out together upon their day’s round of professional visits. The forenoon was spent at Squire Hall’s in mending a pump, fitting up some rain pipes, and putting locks on the cabin doors. Then they got their dinner. The afternoon was spent at old Mr Truman’s in altering the position of the lightning rod, laying a hearth and glazing some windows. And there they got their tea. The evening was spent in" leading the exercises of the coloured people’s missionery meeting at Colonel Mervin’s. As the session was rather long it was ton o’clock before they left the meeting-house, on their return home. The night was pitch dark ; the rain that had been threatening all day long, now fell in torrents. They had a four miles’ walk before them ; but the professor had an ample cotton umbrella that sheltered both himself and his pupil; so they trudged manfully outward cheering the way with lively talk instead of overshadowing it with complaints. * Black as pitch ! not a star to be seen ! but courage, my boy, we shall enjoy the light of the fireside all the more when we get home,’ said the professor. ‘ Yes ! there’s one star, professor, just rising—rising away there on the horizon beyond Brudenell Hall,’ said Ishmael. ‘So there is a star, or something ! it looks more like the moon rising ; only there’s no moon,' said Morris, scrutinising the small dull red glare that hung upon the skirts of the horizon. ‘ It looks more like a bon-fire than either, just now,’ added the boy, as the lurid red light suddenly burst into flame. ‘lt is: it is a large fire !’ cried the professor, as the whole sky became suddenly illuminated with a red glare. ‘lt is Brudeneel Hall in Flamfs !’ exclaimed Ishmael Worth, in horror. ‘ Let us hurry on and see if we can do any good.’ {To be Continued.)