ay the old man's voice trembled and eyes glistened, Bert
thought he must have meant by these riches, the friends he had lost,
wife and children, perhaps.

"To think of me inviting you to dinner!" he said, abashed and ashamed.

"It was odd. But it may turn out to have been a lucky circumstance for
both of us. I like you. I believe in you, and I've an offer to make you.
I want a trusty, bright boy in this office, somebody I can bring up to
my business, and leave it with, as I get too old to attend to it myself.
What do you say?"

What could Bert say?

Again that afternoon he walked--or rather ran--to his mother; and, after
consulting with her, joyfully accepted Mr. Crooker's offer.

Interviews between his mother and his employer followed. The lonely,
childless old man, who owned so many houses, wanted a home; and one of
these houses he offered to Mrs. Hampton, with ample support for herself
and children if she would also make it a home for him.

Of course this proposition was accepted; and Bert soon had the
satisfaction of seeing the great ambition of his life accomplished. He
had employment, which promised to become a profitable business, as indeed
it did in a few years. The old man and the lad proved useful to each
other; and, more than that, he was united once more with his mother and
sisters in a happy home, where he has since had many Thanksgiving
dinners.

[Illustration: "_One of these houses he offered to Mrs. Hampton_."]

[Illustration]

THE BOY AND HIS SPARE MOMENTS.

A lean, awkward boy came one morning to the door of the principal of a
celebrated school, and asked to see him.

The servant eyed his mean clothes, and thinking he looked more like a
beggar than anything else, told him to go around to the kitchen.

The boy did as he was bidden, and soon appeared at the back door.

"I should like to see Mr. Brown," said he.

"You want a breakfast, more like," said the servant girl, "and I can
give you that without troubling him."

"Thank you," said the boy; "I should have no objection to a bit of
bread; but I should like to see Mr. Brown, if he can see me."

"Some old clothes, may be, you want," remarked the servant, again eyeing
the boy's patched trousers. "I guess he has none to spare; he gives away
a sight;" and without minding the boy's request, she set out some food
upon the kitchen table and went about her work.

"Can I see Mr. Brown?" again asked the boy, after finishing his meal.