e an admiring friend. He
maintained that Master Gridley had a bigger bump of benevolence and as
large a one of cautiousness as the two people most famous for the size of
these organs on the phrenological chart he showed him, and proved it, or
nearly proved it, by careful measurements of his head. Master Gridley
laughed, and read him a passage on the pseudo-sciences out of his book.

The disposal of Miss Cynthia's bequest was much discussed in the village.
Some wished the trustees would use it to lay the foundations of a public
library. Others thought it should be applied for the relief of the
families of soldiers who had fallen in the war. Still another set would
take it to build a monument to the memory of those heroes. The trustees
listened with the greatest candor to all these gratuitous hints. It was,
however, suggested, in a well-written anonymous article which appeared in
the village paper, that it was desirable to follow the general lead of
the testator's apparent preference. The trustees were at liberty to do
as they saw fit; but, other things being equal, same educational object
should be selected.

If there were any orphan children in the place, it would seem to be very
proper to devote the moderate sum bequeathed to educating them. The
trustees recognized the justice of this suggestion. Why not apply it to
the instruction and maintenance of those two pretty and promising
children, virtually orphans, whom the charitable Mrs. Hopkins had cared
for so long without any recompense, and at a cost which would soon become
beyond her means? The good people of the neighborhood accepted this as
the best solution of the difficulty. It was agreed upon at length by the
trustees, that the Cynthia Badlam Fund for Educational Purposes should be
applied for the benefit of the two foundlings, known as Isosceles and
Helminthia Hopkins.

Master Bytes Gridley was greatly exercised about the two "preposterous
names," as he called them, which in a moment of eccentric impulse he had
given to these children of nature. He ventured to hint as much to Mrs.
Hopkins. The good dame was vastly surprised. She thought they was about
as pooty names as anybody had had given 'em in the village. And they was
so handy, spoke short, Sossy and Minthy,--she never should know how to
call 'em anything else.

"But my dear Mrs. Hopkins," Master Gridley urged, "if you knew the
meaning they have to the ears of scholars, you would see that I d