u had breakfast, Rufus?"

"Yes; I got breakfast at the Lodging House."

Here it may be remarked that Rufus had enjoyed advantages superior to
most of his class, and spoke more correctly in general, but occasionally
fell into modes of pronunciation such as he was accustomed to hear from
his street associates. He had lately devoted a part of his evenings to
study, under the superintendence of Miss Manning, who, coming originally
from a country home, had had a good common-school education.

"It's time I was going down to the office," said Rufus. "Good-morning,
Miss Manning. Good-morning, Rosy," as he stooped to kiss his little
sister, a pretty little girl of eight.

"Good-morning, Rufie. Don't let Mr. Martin carry you off."

"I think he'd have a harder job to carry me off than you, Rosy," said
Rufus, laughing. "Don't engage lodgings on Fifth Avenue, Miss Manning.
I'm afraid it would take more than I can earn in Wall Street to pay my
share of the expense."

"I shall be content with an humbler home," said the seamstress, smiling.

Rufus left the little room, which, by the way, looked out on Franklin
Street near the Hudson River, and the seamstress, taking the "Herald,"
turned to the column of "Boarders and Lodgers Wanted."

There was a long list, but the greater part of the rooms advertised
were quite beyond her slender means. Remembering that it would be
prudent to get out of their present neighborhood, in order to put the
drunken step-father off the track, she looked for places farther up
town. The objection to this, however, was, that prices advance as you go
up town. Still the streets near the river are not considered so
eligible, and she thought that they might find something there. She
therefore marked one place on Spring Street, another on Leroy Street,
and still another, though with some hesitation, on Christopher Street.
She feared that Rufus would object to this as too far up town.

"Now put on your things, Rose, and we'll take a walk."

"That will be nice," said Rose, and the little girl ran to get her shawl
and bonnet. When she was dressed for the street, Rose would hardly have
been taken for the sister of a newsboy. She had a pretty face, full of
vivacity and intelligence, and her brother's pride in her had led him to
dress her better than might have been expected from his small means.
Many children of families in good circumstances were less neatly and
tastefully dressed than Rose.

Taking the littl