lows, which seemed quite lost in the much too large
cases which covered them. The boy sighed as he took in all the dinginess
and gloom, and his heart throbbed yearningly for the pleasant room
which, even in adversity, had been his at home, cheered and enlivened so
often, too, by the presence of his tender mother.

"It isn't time to get up yet, is it, Gulian?" said Arthur, half-rousing
himself, then closing his weary lids again. "The sun isn't up yet, is
it?"

"The sun never gets into this room, Arthur; we can only know when it's
up by the increased light."

"I was dreaming of home; oh! such a pleasant dream! I must sleep a
little longer," murmured Arthur again, in the lingering tones of one but
half-awake.

"Not this morning, brother. Come, we must up, and be doing. I hear them
opening the store below; we shouldn't be late the first morning, you
know, dear Arthur. It is too late to sleep."

Alas! that this first bright dream of home, in that old gloomy room,
should ever have been broken! Alas! that the first sweet slumber, on
that rude couch, should have had its awaking! Alas! for the beauty of
that boyish face, radiant in the flush and glow of early youth, with the
halo of home dreams upon it, that it had not there and then chilled and
crumbled! Alas! for the innocence and purity of that buoyant spirit,
that it had not then taken its flight to brighter realms, forewarned of
the dark time coming, when it would quake to find in conscience's
depths, that, indeed, "it was too late to sleep."

Upon going down stairs the first person the brothers met was Jeff, who
stood at the foot of the staircase, looking up as if expecting them.
They returned his cheerful and respectful salutation kindly, and passed
on to the front door, where Wilkins stood in his shirt-sleeves; leaning
against the door-post, reading the morning paper.

He raised his eyes as they approached, and nodded to them, and, somewhat
to Guly's surprise, inquired how they had rested, adding that the room
needed some cleaning before it could be made habitable for human beings,
and he would see to it.

They thanked him, and, as he resumed his reading, they could do nothing
more than stand in the door and look out, or walk briskly up and down
the floor for exercise. The clerks began to gather in after a while, all
of whom gave the young strangers a passing greeting, as they stationed
themselves at their respective places. At length beginning to experience
th