Year: 1872

AZ hAS Nh1Ai1 anu SiouNtN iHhSuiNA
around she room. He didn't glanc
long-he looked. No wonder, either :
for there, suspended by string was
letter. Tommy rubbed his eyes and a
last, fully convinced that he was awake
rose to his feet, clipped the cord, glanced
at the superscription, and found that i
was addressed to himself He scratched
his head in a bewildered manner anC
glanced in the direction of the lamp
Overjoyed to find it turned down, b,
made the matter worse by producing 6
blaze which blackened the lamp in 8
moment, but he gradually got the wick
in the proper position, and finding him
self by this time relieved of any undue
excitement, broke open the letter. The
first thing he found was ten dollar bill
The next he found the letter itself II
ran thus:


"JUsT BEFoREGoING TO oBED, March TO-


My Boy We thought you might
want to go on a visit to your Uncle
lsaac's next week, and we inelose ten
dollars to pay expenses. Don't stay a
very great while-not more than two or
three weeks-for we want you to be here
to take your pick out of those Norman
colts, and to transact little business in
which you are interested. We shall ex-
pect you to chop wood the rest Of the
week, Tommy, andIll fix up your shirts
so that you can start on the train Mon
day morning. Good night, my own dear
boy, and pleasant dreams.


MOTHER"


Tommy came pretty near being thun-
der-struck. He had never been the pos
SCISSOR of $40 at one time, in his whole
life before: and he gazed at the bill as
siduously for not less than fifteen min
utes. At the expiration Of this time he
drew out his wallet, folded the note care
fully, and laid it as smoothly as possible
in the deepest pocket. He then re-read
the letter, and taking the lamp in his
hand, went out in the wood house. Af-
ter some considerable fumbling among
the chips, he found an ak. Carefully
scrutinizing the edge, he laid it down
saying:


"Confound her she's dull but guess
/ can make her do the rest of the week.
One of them colts, hey?" and he slapped
his pocket triumphantly-"that's gay,
and no mistake. And there's other bus
iness in which I'm interested too. Jolly
but things look lively, anyhow" and
the young gentleman slapped his pocket
once more, which act put him in mind
of the ten dollars. So he set the lamp
down on block of wood, and, with
drawing his pocket book, found the iden-
tical bill safe and sound He examined
it full ten minutes by the watch. FL
nally be got back in the kitchen. He
found the letterjust where he left it, and
read it once more to see if there was
anything he'd skipped. He then felt to
see if his pocket book was all right, and
opened it to see if everything was snug
inside. S. aing the ten dollars, he drew
it out, anu examined it with great Curl

osity for something like FIVE minutes,
then he went to bed.


He rose remarkably early the next
morning-earlier than usual, although
he had retired at so late an hour. He
ate breakfast with an appetite, but did
not venture any remark in reference to
the letter he had received the night be-
fore. He felt that postmasters distribu-
ted the mails without regard to their
contents, and concluded to keep silent.
Promptly at seven he shouldered his ak
and proceeded to the woods, where he
chopped all day with an energy of pur-
pose perfectly surprising. He worked
just as hard the next day, and the next,
and the next. But that was Sunday
Well, he didn't chop that day; but he
thought good deal about making mon
ey, and the visit almost at hand, and
that colt, and the SO, and any amount
of other things just as bad you know


Monday morning came at the regular
time, and Tommy was up before daylight
He was somewhat uneasy at the thought
of having to wait until after breakfast
but he managed to pass away the time
packing his valise. When the bell rang
he sat down and drank cup of tea, and
then got up and put on his hat. He
wasn't hungry and might miss the train,
and so good bye-and be was off. We
would add, in order to prevent anxiety,
that Tommy didn't miss the train. He
was two hours ahead of time, and the
train was one hour behind. So he had
to wait three dismal hours. But he got
away at last, and was happy.
AT the expiration of two weeks he re- |
turned, and upon being requested to
take bis pick of the four colts standing |