friends or home to leave he said and had come to share his fortunes he loved the child as though she were his own well well said the clergyman let it be as you desire she is very young old in and trial sir replied the help her let her rest and forget them said the old gentleman but an old church is a and gloomy place for one so young as you my child oh no sir returned i have no such thoughts indeed i would rather see her dancing on the green at nights said the old gentleman laying his hand upon her head and smiling sadly than have her sitting in the shadow of our arches you must look to this and see that her heart does not grow heavy among these solemn ruins your request is granted friend after more kind words they withdrew and repaired to the child s house where they were yet in conversation on their happy fortune when another friend appeared was a old who lived in the house and had resided there so they learnt soon afterwards ever since the death of the clergyman s wife which had happened fifteen years before he had been his college friend and always his dose companion in tiie first shock of his grief he had come to console and comfort him and from that time they had never parted company the old was the active spirit of the place tiie of all differences the of all merry the of his friend s and of no small charity of his own besides the and friend none of the simple villagers had cared to ask his name or when they knew it to store it in their memory perhaps from some vague rumour of his college honours which thb old shop abroad on his first arrival perhaps because he was an gentleman he had been called the bachelor the name pleased him or suited him as well as any other and the bachelor he had ever since remained and the bachelor it was it may be added who with his own hands had laid in the stock of which the had found in their new the bachelor then � to call him by his usual � lifted the latch showed his little round mild face for a moment at the door and stepped into the room like one who was no stranger to it you are mr the new he said greeting s kind mend i am sir you come well recommended and i am glad to see you i should have been in the way yesterday expecting you but i rode across the country to carry a message from a sick mother to her daughter in service some miles off and have but just now returned this is our young church keeper you are not the less welcome mend for her sake or for this old man s nor the worse teacher for having humanity she has been iu sir very lately said the in answer to the look with which their visitor regarded when he had kissed her cheek yes yes i know she has he rejoined there have been suffering and here indeed there have sir the little old gentleman glanced at the grandfather and back again at the child whose hand he took tenderly in ms and held you wiu be happier here he said we will try at least to make you so you have made great improvements here already are they the work of your hands yes sir we may make some others � not better in themselves but with better means perhaps said the bachelor let us see now let us see accompanied him into the other little rooms and over both the houses in which he found various small comforts wanting which he engaged to supply from a certain collection of odds and ends he at ta at have been thb old curiosity shop a yery miscellaneous and extensive one as it the most opposite articles imaginable they all came however and came without loss of time for the little old disappearing for some five or ten minutes presently returned laden with old shelves blankets and other household gear and followed by a boy bearing a similar load these being cast on the floor in a heap a quantity of occupation in arranging and putting away the of which task evidently afforded the old gentleman extreme delight and engaged him for time great and activity when nothing more was left to be done he charged the boy to run off and bring his to be before their new master and solemnly as good a set of fellows as you d wish to see he said turning to the when the boy was gone but i don t let em know i think so that wouldn t do at all the messenger soon returned at the head of a long row of great and small who being confronted by the bachelor at the house door fell into various of politeness clutching their hats and caps them into the smallest possible dimensions and making all manner of bows and which the little old gentleman contemplated with excessive satisfaction and expressed his approval of by a great many and smiles indeed his approbation of the boys was by no means so disguised as he had led the to suppose inasmuch as it broke out in whispers and confidential remarks which were perfectly audible to them every one this first boy said the bachelor is john a lad of good parts sir and frank honest temper but too thoughtless too playful too light headed by far that boy my good sir would break his neck with pleasure and deprive his parents of their chief comfort � and between ourselves when you come to see him at hare and hounds taking the fence and ditch by the finger post and sliding down the 