The Wide, Wide World

et a stranger

en the change o

kesp

ended shopping; nor the next. The thi

n venture out to-day

te equal to it; and the wind is a g

shall have a fine day by-and-by, I suppose, if we wait long enough; we had to wai

be here, and your clothes may be suddenly wanted before they are ready, if we do not bestir

ll you d

deed, Ellen; I am

get the stuffs

all about shopping for me; he would be sure to brin

obody else you could ask to get the things

I see nothing for it but to be patient and let things take their course, though if a favourable opportunity s

possibility, of Ellen's going unprovided,

bout my clothes. You don't know how little I think of them or c

dly over her little daughter's head, but presen

ing up, "a bright thought has just come

wh

r you, mamma. You needn't smile-I

dwill only were wanting; but a great deal of skill and experience

it should be, and tell me what price you wish to give, and then I'll go to the store and ask them to show me different pieces, you know; and if I see any I think you would like, I'll ask them to give me a

dear child, I am afraid you

ould like it dearly if I could help

alone on such an errand, among crowds

ow, mamma, I have often taken walks alone-that's nothing new; and what harm should c

ry smiled, bu

"Let me go at least and try what

on either hand. I will let you go and see what you can do. It

I go right a

er. You are not af

ile she was dressing, and that made her heart beat quicker than it ought, or than was pleasant, and one of her cheeks so much hotter than the other. However, she set forth upon her errand with a very brisk step, which she kept up till on turning a corner she came in sight of the place she was going to. Without thinking much about it, Ellen had directed her steps to St. Clair & Fleury's. It was one of the largest and best stores in the city, and the one she knew where her mother generally made her purchases; and it did not occur to her that it might

eturn to her old station in the middle of the floor. Clerks frequently passed her, crossing the store in all directions, but they were always bustling along in a great hurry of business; they did not seem to notice her at all, and were gone before poor Ellen could speak to them. She knew well enough now, poor child, what it was that made her cheeks burn as they did, and her heart beat as if it would burst its bounds. She felt confused, and almost confounded, by the incessant hum of voices, and moving crowd of strange people all around her, while her little figure stood alone and unnoticed in the midst of them; and there seemed no prospect that she would be able to gain the ear o

u wish, mis

m and failing in the attempt, that now, when an opportunity to spea

ng, miss?" inquired

sh, if you please, sir-mamma wished me

mamma in

annot come out, and she sent me to look

r. St. Clair, "show this

and just as busy as those they had quitted. Mr. Saunders having brought Ellen to the merino counter, placed himself behind it; and leaning over it and fixing his eyes carelessly upon her, asked what she wanted to look at. His tone and manner struck Ellen most unpleasantly, and made her again wish herself out of the store. He was a tall, lank young man, with a quantit

business on hand he would like to be rid of. Ellen heartily wished he was rid o

escriptions of merinoes, and I can't pull them all dow

ing," said Ellen, "won't y

es upon the counter, and tu

ou want? There's a pink one, and there's a blue

id Ellen; "but this is

lour do

dark, if

; won't that do? See, that woul

en; "mamma don

se her stuffs herself, then?

a nice grey would do," said

h! Well, she's pretty easy to suit. A dark blue I'

ark enough,

pulling down another piece, "how

r at first. Even Ellen could see that, and fumbling for her little pattern of

embling hope that she was going to be rewarded

llars a

ell together. "That's too h

eal prettier than that dark one, and not so dea

and her heart throbbing, but

o good as to sh

lent piece of dark grey, which Ellen fell in love with at onc

ce; if you will have cheap goods, of course you can't have the same quality that you like; but now

too coarse," said Ellen;

and pretending to compare it; "it's quite

idly, "give me a little bit

we can't cut up our goods; if people don't choose to buy of us they may go somewhere else, and if

ders?" said one of his b

merino from a sheep's back," said he, laughing. And some other customers coming

ward the speaker. It was an old gentleman, an odd old gentleman too, she thought; one she certainly would have been rather shy of if she had seen him under other circumstances. But though his face was odd, it looked kindly upon her, and it was a kind tone of voice in which this question had been put; so he seemed to her like a friend. "What is all this?" repeated the old gentleman. Ellen began to tell what it was, but the pride which had forbidden her to weep before strangers gave way at one touch of sympathy, and she poured out tears much faster

anything, I believe, sir,"

t passion; "I saw the whole matter with my own eyes. You are a disgrace to the

an, and knew very well he was a person that must not be offended,-"I really thou

and hold your tongue. Now,

to show to mamma. I couldn't buy it, you know,

any words," said the old ge

s best?" pursued

much, sir, and I thought mam

is it?" in

lings," replie

two dollars!"

ders, "the young lady mistook me; I was speak

lars and the grey fourtee

n shillings?" inquir

s; "I believe not, sir-I think it's only

r tricks, sir. Cut a piece off the blue. Now, my dear, are there any mo

oyed Ellen; "I am sure sh

ll we go

ke to have my bit of merino that I brought fro

re i

an threw it o

aid the old gentleman

artily that he had some safe means of revenge, and obliged to come to the conclusion that none was within his reach, and that he

from here?" asked

ot very; it's only at Green'

hich merino she will have, we'll come right back and get it. I d

t I was afraid of. But I shall be giving you a grea

leman; "I can't be troubled, so yo

hingly, that it was of no manner of use for her to be in a hurry, for he could not possibly set off and skip to Green's Hotel, as she seemed inclined to do. They got there at last. Ellen showed the old gentleman in

to come upstairs," she said, seizing his ha

all;" but he followed his little conductor, nevertheless, to the door o

nce. She rose from her sofa, and extending her hand, than

the old gentleman; "I suppose my little fr

hort account of it,"

that her behaviour was such as would have become any years. I assure you, ma'am, if I had no kindness in

plied. "I was very far from thinking, when I permitted her to go on this errand, that I was exposing her to an

that should be often done. There are all sorts of people in this world,

h an involuntary pang. He saw the shade t

proposed; but in truth I was making a choice between difficulties. I am very sorry I chose as I did. If

ff when I have the best chance to do that, so if you will be so good as to choose that merino, and let Miss Ellen and me go and despatch our business

commissioned not only to get and pay for this, but also to choose a dark dress of the same stuff, and enough of a certain article for a nankeen coat; Mrs. Montgom

eart was completely opened to him. He seemed as pleased to listen as she was to talk; and by little and little Ellen told him al

s; bought the grey merino, and the nankeen, and a dark brown merino f

said Ellen; "that will

l be better. Let us have another

ma won't like it, si

or it's as cold as the mischief up there in Thirlwall; your pasteboard things won't do; if you don't take good care of your ears you will lose them some fine frosty day. You must quilt and pad, and all sorts of things, to keep alive

ction that it fitted Ellen well, and would protect her ears nicely; and having paid for it and ordered it home, he and Ellen sallied forth into the street again. But he wouldn't let her thank him. "It is just the very thing I w

yourself or your mother, Ellen, if

sir," said Ellen

"let us see if we can fin

igs and white grapes to be packed up in papers; and being now very near home he took one parcel an

ome in, sir?

n't this time-I must

d Ellen, a shade coming over her face, wh

ll hear from me again, at any rate, I promise you. We've spent

both his, packages and all, and shook them after a fashion,

an, but a black man with a brace of beautiful woodcocks in his hand. He bowed very civilly, and said he had been ordered to leave the birds with Miss Montgomery. Ellen, in surprise, took them from him, and likewise a note which he delivered in

own way, by showing his regard for her little daughter, and not

f I would rather have something for myself or for you. How kind he is! to do just the very thing for me that he knows would give me the most pleasure.

tgomery; "this is just the season for wood

ke woodcoc

very

k Sam to have them done very nicely for y

rdingly, and to him the birds were committ

"I think these birds have

d the skirts of your dresses to make, we need not wait for Miss Rice to do that; and whe

I am as will

re for the present kept effectually in check. She could not forget that her days with her mother would very soon be at an end, for a long time at least; and this consciousness, always present to her mind, forbade even the wish to do anything that might grieve or disturb her. Love

time he came with some fine larks; next was a superb grouse; then woodcock again. Curiosity strove with astonishment and gratitude in Ellen'

s. Montgomery gravely, "for I see

man that brings the birds what

it would be very

it, mam

ructed not to disclose it; don't you remember, he did not tell it when you asked him the first time he came. Now this shows that t

ould be done by, to be sure; but

out other people which does not concern you, and which the

I'll never do it

ely, provided, of course, that some higher interest does not oblige you to go on. That is true politeness, and tr

on't try to find out,-but it does worry me that I cannot

write and

pening her eyes very w

ou like. It woul

he comes to-morrow, as I suppose he will. Mamma," said she, on opening her desk, "how funny! don't you remember

self with what she wrote. It was a full hour from the time she bega

think I do more; for I have the double pleasure of giving them to mamma, and of eating them afterwards; but your kindness is

Montg

. Mrs. Montgomery laughed when she saw the direction, but let it go. Without consulting her, Ellen had written on the outside, "To the old gentleman." She sent it the next morn