The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13

his uncle's head hanging dejectedly, while the captain thumped him en- couragingly on the back with the great silver watch and gesticulated hopefully with the sugar tongs and the spoons. So he sailed away, and day after day went by, and week followed week and became months, and there came no news of the ship. At last men ceased waiting and hoping and there ran the news through the shipping districts that she had been given up officially. It came to Florence, who hurried at once to the Lit tie Midshipman, where Captain Cutie dauntlessly vowed that Walter could not be lost 'No, Hearts Delight" said he i in his brave simplicity, T ain't a bit afeared as yet It ain't easy" and he made a little bow, ito break up the hearts of an oak whether they're in brigs or bosoms.'
 But old Sol Gills did not share his friends faith. He seemed lost and brood ing. The next day Captain Cutie re- ceived a letter from the old instrument maker, announcing that he had gone to the West Indies to seek news, and ask ing the mariner to take charge of the shop and keep it as home for Walter if he himself should die in foreign lands.
 Captain Cuttle sat him down in the little shop, among the scientific instru- ments which he looked at with awe, and lost count of time as he brooded and sorrowed and mourned for Solomon Gills and Walter and Florence, and all the in- nocent dreams of his pure old heart, as among the things that had been.
 MT. Carker did not mourn. His teeth were exposed in a smile that was most close to a real one when his reports as- sured him that the ship undoubtedly was lost. He took to riding past the Dombey house on pleasant evenings and looking at the windows of Miss Dom- bey's room with the air of one who sees prize within his grasp. Meeting her once on the street he bowed low and said, with his widest smile, "There Is no news of the ship" She was seized with a shudder as he looked at her.
 Not long afterward she went away to the country. When she returned she was amazed to find the house covered with scaffolding on which workngmen were engaged Everywhere were piles of brick and mortar. She hurried in, as- tonished, and found her father with two ladies-one an old, terribly skinny lady. with false hair and false eyebrows and an amazingly roseate complexion, and the other tall lady, very beautiful, very naughty, with proud and weary air.
 MT. Dombey introduced Florence to the old lady, whom he called Mrs Skewton. Then, turning to the young lady, he said: "Edith, this Is my daughter Fqor ence. Florence tomorrow this lady will be your mama"
 Florence started and looked at the beau- tiful face with surprise, admiration. and at the same moment an indef1nabIe sort of fear. Then she cried out: "Oh. papa. may you be happy! May you be very, very happy all your life!' and fell weeping on the lady's breast.
 made his young bosom heave and swell when she was gone. Dr. Blimber lost no time in inducting Paul into the mysteries of knowledge, into which thers.-peered beside himself the most depressed and hopeless young gentlemen who ever had been gathered under any one civilized roof. They spent their days in dejected consideration of old Romans and Greeks and their nights in painful slumbers made terrible by nightmares of unaccomplished tasks
 Every evening Florence would pass and repass the school and wave her hand to him where he waited for her at his win dow. So soon as he saw her, even far away. his face was lighted up with Joy; and so soon as she vanished again the light would retreat and leave a patient melancholy on the little face.
 Many times after dark another figure walked before the school. It was that of MT. Dombey. He did not come often now to see his son face to face. He shrank from the weary, weary look and the tiny, wasted form. Yet he could not see what Florence saw. He was soo much