Year: 1873

Il the city, and though not fashionable,all
the surroundings were neat. The time when
our story commences was at o'clock on
dull evening in November, as it was just at
that hour, that queer looking little man
ran up the steps of one of the houses, and
taking out letter looked at it carefully
and then at the number on the door before
him. AS he did this he said to himself
"yes this must be the place, No. 2S7 B
Court" i" and having come to this conclusion
he knocked, in quick impatient manner
that characterized all his movements.


Although it was getting dark the gas
light which shone upon him, revealed a
curious little figure that would at once have
set you to wondering who he was and what
his errand could be. His head was so
many sizes too large for his body, that it
made him look top heavy, and this effect
was certainly not diminished by the fact
that he wore his hair long, thick and curl
| ing, and beard that fell almost to his
waist His clothes were coarse and i'll
made but warm, and in good repair. His
slight figure, small hands and feet, and
quick movements made the great head and
wide-brimmed hat almost grotesque in
their dsproportionate size Getting i'm
patient he gave second knock at the door
of the small house, and this time so long
and loud that the door flew open before
he had taken his hand from the knocker.
! A little girl stood in the entry, cycling him
with an expression that seemed to argue a
debate in her mind whether to remain and
let the visitor come in, or to shut the door
and run away.


"You take good while to come to the
door, ma am" he said, and at once decid-
ed the question in the mind Of the little
girl. A voice and smile like that could
never belong to cruel ogre who ate up
little girls without salt or pepper, however
big his head.


"Do you want to see aunt Henrietta?"


I" Who is aunt Henrietta ?"


miss Mosely, the lady who keeps the
house, and let's us board here"


"Oh yes, want to see her."


4" If you walk into the parlor she'll be in
presently she's gone to market" and a
musical little gleeful laugh followed this
announcement.


"Gone to market?"


"Yes, and Cora's gone too :" here the
delight could no longer be suppressed.
"They have gone to buy turkey for to-
morrow, and Pm taking care of the house
and Eddy till they come back"


"Gone to buy aturkey for tomorrow ?"


Yes, it's Thanksgiving, you know
We are going to have treat. Aunt Hen
rietta promised week ago, and she never
forgets, never"


"She must be famous aunt"


"Well," and here the little girl came
close to her odd visitor and took seat
beside him on the sofa, "she amt our own
aunt really, you know not our very own.
But she's just as good to Cora and Eddy
and me-"


:" Who is Cora ?"


"Cora is my grown-up sister she's ever
and ever so old, almost nineteen, I'm ten
and Eddy is two and half Cora gives
music lessons, and she is out almost all
day, and Aunt Henrietta makes flowers,
and help her Eddy plays" t


"But where are your papa and NAM
ma p"


" Papa died when Eddy was wee baby,
and VIC came here then to board with Miss
Mosely. Mamma sewed all day, and Cora
practiced. Then Mamma died too, but
Aunt Henrietta said we must stay, and
manage the board somehow, for she would
not let Cora go away to take care Of us all
alone. You see this aint very good house
for boarders, and the front room has been
empty q long time"


Then Miss Mosely takes boarders, does
she?"


"Yes indeed. We have the third story
front, and Miss Manners, she goes out nurs-
ing and amt here much, she has the third
story back Aunt Henrietta sleeps down
here in the back parlor, SO there is nobody
in all the second story, that was the reason
Aunt Henrietta sent away the servants and
makes flowers for the milliners' stores. 1t
takes SO much money to feed us all, and
buy our dresses and boots"


" But, my dear child, have you no uncles
or aunts, nobody to keep sister Cora9"


"No Uncle James Reed is in California
and of course he can't come. Cora wrote
to him, but guess he didn't get the letter.
Anyhow he didn't answer it,"
J "Did you ever see him? ?" n