Jane Lends A Hand

other cushion. The light was already waning, for the days were growing perceptibly shorter, and furthermore the afternoon had been dark and stormy. A driving autumn

e stubborn brown leaf still clung to a twig, but you could see the whol

they knew that they had outlived four generations of human beings. Granny's room, was in fact, a regular museum; a big, speckled sea shell served as the door prop; chunks of rock sparkling with mica lay on each side of the stove; a stuffed owl, with only one glass eye stared down from the lintel of the door. Wherever you looked you saw some singular object which interested you simply because you coul

e side of the room. Like all good Winklers, Granny had a sweet tooth, which was one reason why the young Lamberts found her society so desirable. To be sure, some people might not care much

f red wool off to a far corner, and was gleefully tangling it around the legs of the dressing table. Every now and then a burst of fresh laughter from one of the flaxen haired twins roused her, and she smiled sympathetically, and for a little

ane was no longer engrossed in "John

play with

forget her fifteen years, and to

Want to play 'French Revolution'?" Jane had little tas

play that?"

m," ordered Jane, and Minie obediently trotted off to

has to be full of prisoners; princesses and duchesses, and of course Marie Antoinette. No

he poor paper prisoners were marched to their doom, Jane directing the carnage, describing the history of each victim, like a Greek chorus, and deli

Jane ju

s an awful game

play any more?" cried Lottie

d Minie, suddenly realizing the extent of

id hastily; "there are lots of

make Isabel aga

t her head of

" cried Lottie, takin

nie's tears went to Jane's heart. "I'm sorry, Minie, darl

y, tearful fa

iry s

a prince a

't have it e

legends, had soon charmed the twins into forgetfulness of their late bereav

-

s originally much too loose for his lean frame, and now soaked through, gave him an almost grotesque appearance. A faded dark blue cap, with a patent leather visor, such as sea-captains wear, and the upturned collar of his coat, almost concealed his long brown face, in which the most str

lk, and looked up at the signs. On the left, the white board, roughly carved into the semblance of a pointing finger, read, "Frederickstown, 2-? Miles."

distance lent it greater charm, and the very impossibility of walking thirty miles that day made it seem the more desirable, at any rate there he stood, looking uncertainly to the right, then to the left, and back to the right again. A gust of wind, flapping the skirts of his coat rudely, see

he blur of the rain, were bleak fields, muddy furrows, here and there a clump of leafless trees, the skeleton of a for

, and the creaking of wheels. He turned around. A covered

n the horse to a stand-still, and thrust

go to?" asked the boy,

ining time to cast a shrewd eye over the appearance of the questioner. He was one of those excellent b

, "goes to the City-thirty mil

ay are y

s head in the direct

ch, but I will gladly give you what I can." He pulled the last coin out of his pocket, and looked a

young feller, and get in if you wa

wasting any more words, clambered up to the hard

tions without biting his tongue in two; moreover, now that he was sitting down, after walking almost steadily since early morning, he found himself almost too tir

ht you be

ickstown. His name is Lam

Lambert. Well, I took

ot a fo

of care-ful like. Like it wasn't yer natural langwi

trader. I don't belong to any country. I have come back to work with my uncle, because my father is dead, and I have no othe

rmer, much interested. "And what

Wink

ul fervently hoped that the catechis

kin' me where that

led, and sh

n't k

or curi

es

old migh

ente

r yer years. I should ha

broke the silen

the Cit

erent from where the Lord put you. Opportunity-that's what my boy's forever chatterin' about-you got to get where you have opportunities. I says to him, 'Well, Tom, what is it ye're after?' 'Independence, Dad,' says he, 'Like George Washington.' 'A good thing,' says I. 'And what do ye call independence?' Well, sir, we argue away for hours, and for the life of me I can't see th

tone, and evident eagerness for further di

and at last the comfortable lights of

d with his whip, "and I've no doubt it's a gl

miles,

les! Pretty

es

across the

ather's travelling to this coun

he was so hungry! All at once he caught the odor of spices, of fresh ginger-bread-such a friend

rse st

man, I guess

the friendly, horny paw that his erstwhile companion thrust out, and tried

In front of him the light shone cheerily through the bakeshop window. Somehow, he rather dreaded to go up and knock at the door. Suppose th

-

cut the third of the golden apples

o your father?" demanded Gran

rectly over the dining room, and sounds carried

" said Jane. "Nobody i

y felt nervousl

head of the stairs and see. Minie, darling, do y

bannister, had to wait several moments before she caught a glimpse of the s

h, later this evening. I see that you are t

cover that my money had been sto

e know of you

id not t

as he took a step back toward the fireplace, and in

like a veritable ragamuffin. But it was not this so much as his whole bearing and expression that displeased her. There was something both sullen and stubborn in his face, which, combined with lines of weariness and hunger, made him seem much older than he really was, and decidedly unattractive. And she had b

lady's singular impatience to know who the stranger was, had not allowed her to wai

, child." And without waiting for a reply, she descended the stairs wit

firelight illumined the two figures in the dusk. Then she stared into

e? Ah, heaven's! My dear boy, I am your old Granny!" And weeping from sh

eir mother, who kissed him warmly, exclaimed over his size, and at once began to worry affectionately about his wet clothes. Elise greeted him with he

elieve that all these good people who were smiling at him, shaking hands with him, and asking him if h

g him intently; and it was he who turned to her, and with the pol

you do,

usin Paul?" repeat

gree of liking she felt for this tall, reticent youth, this sober, chilly, sel