ome
stalks of the sweet-flag in his hand; there is a succulent pith in the
end of the stalk which is very good to eat,--tender, and not so strong
as the root; and John liked to pull it, and carry home what he did not
eat on the way. As he was walking along he met a carriage, which stopped
opposite to him; he also stopped and bowed, as country boys used to bow
in John's day. A lady leaned from the carriage, and said:

"What have you got, little boy?"

She seemed to be the most beautiful woman John had ever seen; with light
hair, dark, tender eyes, and the sweetest smile. There was that in her
gracious mien and in her dress which reminded John of the beautiful
castle ladies, with whom he was well acquainted in books. He felt that
he knew her at once, and he also seemed to be a sort of young prince
himself. I fancy he did n't look much like one. But of his own
appearance he thought not at all, as he replied to the lady's question,
without the least embarrassment:

"It's sweet-flag stalk; would you like some?"

"Indeed, I should like to taste it," said the lady, with a most winning
smile. "I used to be very fond of it when I was a little girl."

John was delighted that the lady should like sweet-flag, and that she
was pleased to accept it from him. He thought himself that it was about
the best thing to eat he knew. He handed up a large bunch of it. The
lady took two or three stalks, and was about to return the rest, when
John said:

"Please keep it all, ma'am. I can get lots more."

"I know where it's ever so thick."

"Thank you, thank you," said the lady; and as the carriage started, she
reached out her hand to John. He did not understand the motion, until he
saw a cent drop in the road at his feet. Instantly all his illusion
and his pleasure vanished. Something like tears were in his eyes as he
shouted:

"I don't want your cent. I don't sell flag!"

John was intensely mortified. "I suppose," he said, "she thought I was a
sort of beggar-boy. To think of selling flag!"

At any rate, he walked away and left the cent in the road, a humiliated
boy. The next day he told Jim Gates about it. Jim said he was green not
to take the money; he'd go and look for it now, if he would tell him
about where it dropped. And Jim did spend an hour poking about in the
dirt, but he did not find the cent. Jim, however, had an idea; he said
he was going to dig sweet-flag, and see if another carriage wouldn't
come along.

John's nex