R«ve me foam l

for Iht t

of which eh* did not take ad van —- ! 'Lisbcth i mmcdiaiely roue f lining him to

fcosnKrm.1 He would go to Mr. Higgins and frankly lay bln case before him. asking the man to help him to sumo sort of ittervd not what, so that he kept from starring. Perhaps like that 'Lisbeth's friendliness might connt for eunn-thiug, and ho ahonld not be sorry to bare it. Already ho thanked her in his heart. Certainly she hod seemed to sympathise with hi: i a little, and that thoughf’was the oca ray of light in his dctipiaidency. and ho immodiatelr nursed and cherished it until it make as bright a day his heart as there was without, into which he soon emerged. He brushed otf the hay from his washed at the pump, and bis hair with his pocket comb, the horse trough for a mirror, fearfully he crept around to the front door of the store. It stood wide allowed a long strip of Hoot that had jnst been swept clean. Bat no sound came from within. No doubt the proprietor and his family

fast.

Aloe tiptoed into the vacant ■at down on the old bench.

of fruit,

pik'd on the sb the other, and _ >r. bars of ajap, of tigs, and what not it would be to say. In a fly specked glass case the counter was a variety of brightcandies, and at one end some Beneath the of various kinds of sw piled on the floor

ill farming

implements. At the dour were rakos, scythes and shovels of varuau kinds for various uses. Tliero perhaps half filled with rongh boots. And in the middle of

is not too clean

spite of the center being freshly swe

of crackers, sugar, n

flour and meaL And then behind him "Joe Iliggini piled high with calicoes, tjuired, looking t thread, jeans, jackets and overalls, approaching h brightly colored suspenders, bandker- "Mr. Higgiu

chiefs, and a variety of small articles

.for ladies' use. In the rear of Uie room do for you?" Twere barrels of molasses, vinegar, kero- “I wanted a

^ ' lying on their answered w (There were aftubiimls upright which might be o»T»f corn and cott »ecd meal; perhaps also barrels of salt

' beef, and small barrels

can of oysters,

hopeful thought came to

be looked from one to another of , - South Lafayette St. stiff and rheumatic, and 'Lisbeth evidently had more than she could do In taring for the tavern aad in housekeeping. Why should not Aloe become a clerk in the store! He would offer himself. proposing to work for board and

il Mr. Higgins thought him

decided to do this, : of rush of hope and expecti Mr. Higgins lumbered in. n as he saw Alec be stopped Alec quickly rose and turned

than yon can do yoorsclf. young and spry, «“d I could Inart] quickly, if you wonld let me. I am sure. would jnst give mo a trial for a few days, yon could tell by that time what I am able to da ” Alec spoke earnestly and eagerly as be ant on and advanced nearer and nearer the Counter, till be fairly loaned over it, and Mr. Higgins shrank back against the shelves with his bands in his pocknumeut taken aback by the

"Too ain't no city chap op here for a lark, be you?" he asked suddenly. "No," replied Alec simply, but in a way that apparently satisfied Mr. Higgins. man looked slowly about 4 at last remarked, as if it iclnsion of bia thought: do need somebody to help me. I'm getting sort of old and rheuvictuals wouldn't put me out so very moch, a-aeeiug% we’ve >k anyway and I get thing! at

Then with a merry twinkle be looked at Alec sharply and said: 'Ef you're going to work fi board. I s'puse you want to lug breakfast. Well, of yon step there, I cal'glate 'Lisbeth wiU sort o’ fix yon up." Thun be lumbered off toward the postofboe department, which was at the end of the ouunUsr nearest -the door.

EVERYBODY READS 4 ,T

PRICE 3 CENTS

beth came in where Alee bad 1m*u left alone nnd hastily showed him where to find the principal articles and what were the prices uf each. Ho had a ready memory and a quick aeuso of locality and form, and in two hours had digested enormous amount of statistical it

"If you'll sit down, I'll got yon sou breakfast right off." With which al burned into the kitchen.

CHAPTER X. I RKU.1 A WOOI. OFTHKKAP AMI R FlilKNOS WITH THE CHILDREN. After his breakfast was finished Alee rat into the sMn» and began to lo

his position

abut in the light of ejerk, and dimly realise not where to find any particular thing whatever, nor what jirii when he did find it. As in Joe Higgins immi'diately lumbered off. leaving him to mind the store.. At first be occupied himself in looking slyly intoteui|>ting cubby holes and ■ ners. and gingerly picking np one th and another, sjiecnlating oftentimes on its possible use. lint be soon abandoned this prving of curiosity, aud stood silently behind the counter waiting for his customer. About S o'clonk he arrived, a small boy of 6, who came into the store in anch a way that iiv Nvoied to have tumbled into the middli- of the floor without Alee knowing rise! ly how. On reflection Alee courloded that lie most have stumbled over the doorstep. But whim he had recovered himself, the little fellow stood staring stupidly at Alec, as much as to

irld did you

latei

lie faces might hare beer

door, peering curiously in to see strange white fellow taihiud the con whom everybody had heard of the dav before. Fifteen minutes later api» ansl at tin d.- r. Bliewast er of the little boy. He had gi ami told her that the white city aweU was staiichng 11 Innd the counter at the stoic und Joe Higgins was nowhere lie seen, bo Un- woman, after scolding her son for not g<-ttuig the spool of

thread she bail sent bin * self to see what it all m

After pausing a mumcnC at the door she went in aud stood supporting herself by a hand on either hip, for she was cididly well favored—the boys said

t about?" she In-

I out." replica the hero anything I c

of Burt's 86,'

oriug and looking

ai Alec as n sue very much doubted ' ' uiidi i standing' onytliing about the n

ter whatever. Bythistimi little barefooted girls in short

and boys with htoad brimmed bats which had quite lost their from various drenehmgs. had gathered

oman aud were staring with

:t f.n i -

did yon say?" n..ked Alee,

idling at the word spool, for lie did

t know wbai “Burt's .8(1" meant.

•Burt's 86.” kIio replied glnmly, and ec wont to a little case of small draw* which seemed to Contain thread, ter souivhmg for Nimerime in several of them he found a spiHil of thread with SO on it, but il was black, and the woman said It was nt a no count cheap make, anyway, that Joe Higgins ' jnst lo make money off of; she wauled

“Bnrt's."

At last he fonud what was want but he didn't know what the price i and spent some time looking over spool for a mark. The children I what hi' was searching fur, and w! be turned to the woman and as! lightly if she knew the jirice of it children cried out in chorus, "Five cents," for they hail been aching t him. He handed the spool to the an aud took the b cents she held I politely waiting fur her. At las held tlio spool out to him, aaying: "I s'poso you're not too busy to wrap this up, are yon?” The children Uttered, Alec blushed, and the woman walked away. At B the stage driviT came lamburing up to the door and threw

the store and started directly place behind the little barrier of glass covered boxi«, crying out to if he had always done it: "Come, bnstle that mailbag in 1 We ain't got over five hours to eh

erything to rights. id herself handed it over the counter the waiting Michael, who caught it, row it on to the stage and in a mocut was driving madly away to catch By this time h^lf a doann men were »udiug about the store, many of whom [■re amuug the loafers at the evening before. They stared at Alec, and Alec eyi-s, for he knew what they

ing of tl

ie thing. Mr. Higgins wxa

own selfish interests m

'Lisbeth was sitting alone at the end disparager of the table finishing her breakfast, for sure • ' e bad been waiting on the other*. i muring ‘Good morning, ' 1 said Alec tecta- i vtiiurs at She po»bi««t a weW^oe. with a —nibi dark. Bui

otherwise. So, In a mo-

be glanced, smiling, at the men, rithoct a word or even look of agent. :.t they walked oat of the

mept curious chilli stato at the new X m i mil hem ami

n for 'Liabeth's

Had

. thong this lesson, ho Wondered v ho should have done, emed to assume that he knew it all to start with, or that telling him things was a nuisance, not to be gone into except when a customer was in actual need. After tea Mr. Higgins liked to go lnd, stretching 1' * i the unntvupi er, he talking t to drop in after their day's So Alec sat down In the little sitting room Just back of the tavern parlor, and while 'Lisbeth and Mr* washed them he entertained the children. They were shy of him at first, but they hail a gnat respect for hia personality. When lie went into the anting the morning paper, the children all followed him with a certain dignified re- ' taking U

three of t quite a lad and took oare of the gulden for his mother w hen not in sc+iool; Bessie, who was 10. a romping, affectionate child, ami Baby Flo, who was 6 yours old. She dearly loved to lounge on Mancbody’s knee. For five tiuu in the upright chulr. reading a S3: which she held upside down. But at the end of that time she grew weary of this and sidling shyly np lo Alee mated her chubby arms on his creased knee* He said nothing, nor did be even look at her. but ho put his arm abont her at he went on reading, and thns enronrnged she was soon riding on hia foot. When Bessie saw whatngood time Fio was having, she came and wanted to be taken up in Alec's lap. and Jim stood a little way off. prepared to make some wise remarks on gardening. So Alee was soon obliged to abandon bis paper und give his strict attention to the children. A little later 'Lisbeth came in and sitting down not far from Alec bsgan talking With him in a friendly way abont bow ho liked the country, and where he had lived and what ho was planning to da The unpleasantness of bis entry into the village was apiiarcutly quite fi rgotten. He seemed suddenly to have found n hmnr und affeotiun, •ren if of a humble kind, and for the first tune since iw had left the city be felt content. The worry and the work aud doubtful struggle bud wearied him out. but now he was getting a genuine rest. Hu had a little vantage ground on which he could stand for a time and reconnoitrr the enemy—that moot malignant of en•'inins.Tala But soon Alec found that he was plunged immediately into another drama than bis own, in the thought of which he quite lost sight for tho time of bis own trouble* There was • a sound of stumbling feet in the passage, a hnrrled rap at tho little door, and a somewhat stooped but fine looking man of 80 or mure made his entranou. When he aaw Aloe, be hesitated and Boomed disconcerted. hut reougnizing him in a moment as the young man who bad oome into the store he gave a qotek glanoe at ‘Lisbeth. who iminiiliatley introduced him to Alec as Gforgo Marston, the blacksmith. He had a clear, open faae, bine eyes, and a patient, not altogether happy expression. He bad evidently come to see 'Lisbeth. hot he talked pleasantly and kindly to Aloe instead. Ho was educated and well read, and hod very interesting and cumnioo cm re notions about mint subjects of bam an thought and endeavor. From time to time ho gave hungry glances at 'Lisbeth. and sho sat upright in In r chair aud acareely gave him a ousual look. In two hoars be took bis leave, aud Alec fell to thinking tff him. This was no doubt ’Lisbeth’s jover.

.it not wise. Perhaps she felt too much the responsibility of her father’s family. Alec looked at her and pitied her She nutioed hie pitying glanoe, and turned her head quickly away as if to 'c gave no sign of knowledge of her

Chaunory M Depow ts to take hia vacelon earlier than usual tfiis year. He will all for Euro|w the secoud week In May, “My doctor tells mo that I need a rest, “ Dr. Depew -aid imtcrday. "I have been doing my full shnru of work lately, and ill doing It, In fart. But he thinks rest will do mo lots of good. Mr. lais been ill for six month* Ho luck to work Monday, apparently id to health. Mr. C. C. Clarke, the lew i«eddi-nt of the Central, ts now way lack from California, and will be at his dusk -a Monday. Their absence • kept mo busy, hut with them back it tMug- running easily. It won't be Ik-ull fur me to get away." •Who la your I'byslclanr' Dr. Depew

is asked.

'Don't nsk me. I'd rather not Bay,” said, with a dcjnraaUug wave of his nd. "1 hive seiend, and I call upon :m according to what to be the itter with me. To mention any particular one mlghiereaie jealousy,and 1 don't ire to do that." Dr. Depew s large staff of iwadleal attendants is something of a standing joke

it New Tori

Dr. Depew, according i

ohuI^duSSiS