i was too sorrowful to discuss the question which would possibly have been beyond me under any circumstances and mr took me back into the parlor breathing with some difficulty on the way he then called down a little break neck range of steps behind a door bring up that tea and bread and butter which after some time during which i sat looking about me and thinking and listening to the in the room and the tune that was being across the yard appeared on a tray and turned out to be for me i have been acquainted with you said mr after watching me for some minutes during which i had not made much impression on the breakfast for the black things destroyed my appetite i have been acquainted with you a long time my young friend the personal history and experience have you sir all your life said mr i may say before it i knew your father before you he was five foot nine and a half and he lays in five and ty foot of ground eat � rat � rat � across the yard he lays in five and ty foot of ground if he lays in a said mr pleasantly it was either his request or her direction i forget which do you know how my little brother is sir i inquired mr shook his head eat � rat � rat � he is in his mother s arms said he oh poor little fellow is he dead don t mind it more than you can help said mr yes the baby s dead my wounds broke out afresh at this intelligence i left the breakfast and went and rested my head on another table in a corner of the little room which hastily cleared lest i should spot the mourning that was lying there with my tears she was a pretty girl and put my hair away from my eyes with a soft kind touch but she was very cheerful at having nearly finished her work and being in good time and was so different from me presently the tune left off and a good looking young fellow came across the yard into the room he had a hammer in his hand and his mouth was full of little nails which he was obliged to take out before he could speak well said mr how do you get on all right said done sir colored a little and the other two girls smiled at one another what you were at it by candle light last night when i was at the club then were you said mr shutting up one eye yes said as you said we could make a little trip of it and go over together if it was done and me � and you oh i thought you were going to leave me out altogether said mr laughing till he � as you was so good as to say that resumed the young man why i turned to with a will you see will you give me your opinion of it i will said mr rising my dear and he stopped and turned to me would you like to see your no father interposed i thought it might be agreeable my dear said mr but perhaps you re right i can t say how i knew it was my dear dear mother s coffin that they went to look at i had never heard one making i had never seen one that i know of but it came into my mind what the noise was while it was going on and when the young man entered i am sure i knew what he had been doing the work being now finished the two girls whose names i had not heard brushed the and threads from their dresses and went into the shop to put that to rights and wait for customers stayed behind to fold up what they had made and pack it in two baskets this of david she did upon her knees humming a lively little tune the while who i had no doubt was her lover came in and stole a kiss from her while she was busy he didn t appear to mind me at all and said her father was gone for the chaise and he must make haste and get himself ready then he went out again and then she put her and in her pocket and stuck a needle with black thread neatly in the bosom of her gown and put on her outer clothing at a little glass behind the door in which i saw the reflection of her pleased face all this i observed sitting at the table in the corner with my head leaning on my hand and my thoughts running on very different things the chaise soon came round to the front of the shop and the baskets being put in first i was put in next and those three followed i remember it as a kind of half chaise cart half piano van painted of a sombre color and drawn by a black horse with a long tail there was plenty of room for us all i do not think i have ever experienced so strange a feeling in my life i am wiser now perhaps as that of being with them remembering how they had been employed and seeing them enjoy the ride i was not angry with them i was more afraid of them as if i were cast away among creatures with whom i had no community of nature they were very cheerful the old man sat in front to drive and the two young people sat behind him and whenever he spoke to them leaned forward the one on one side of his face and the other on the other and made a great deal of him they would have talked to me 