him without recognition.

"Eben!"

Eben turned swiftly as he heard his name called, and a flush of shame
overspread his face.

"Is it you, Herbert?" he asked, faintly.

"Yes, Eben. You don't seem very prosperous."

"I never thought I should sink so low," answered Eben, mournfully, "as
to saw wood for a colored man."

"What are you talkin' about?" interrupted his boss, angrily. "Ain't I as
good as a worfless white man that begged a meal of vittles of me, coz he
was starvin'? You jest shut up your mouf, and go to work."

Eben sadly resumed his labor. Herbert pitied him, in spite of his folly
and wickedness.

"Eben, do you owe this man anything?" he added.

"Yes, he does. He owes me for his dinner. Don't you go to interfere!"
returned the colored man.

"How much was your dinner worth?" asked Herbert, putting his hand into
his pocket.

"It was wuf a quarter."

"There is your money! Now, Eben, come with me."

"I've been very unfortunate," wailed Eben.

"Would you like to go back to Wayneboro?" asked Herbert.

"Yes, anywhere," answered Eben, eagerly. "I can't make a livin' here. I
have almost starved sometimes."

"Eben, I'll make a bargain with you. If I will take you home, will you
turn over a new leaf, and try to lead a regular and industrious life?"

"Yes, I'll do it," answered Eben.

"Then I'll take you with me to-morrow."

"I shouldn't like my old friends to see me in these rags," said Eben,
glancing with shame at his tattered clothes.

"They shall not. Come with me, and I will rig you out anew."

"You're a good fellow, Herbert," said Eben, gratefully. "I'm sorry for
the way I treated you."

"Then it's all right," said Herbert. Herbert kept his promise. He took
Eben to a barber shop, where there were also baths, having previously
purchased him a complete outfit, and Eben emerged looking once more like
the spruce dry-goods salesman of yore.

*****

One day not long afterwards Mrs. Carr was sitting in her little sitting
room, sewing. She had plenty of leisure for this work now, for Mr.
Graham had undertaken to attend to the post-office duties himself. It
was natural that she should think of her absent boy, from whom she had
not heard for a long time.

"When shall I see him again?" she thought, wearily.

There was a knock at the outer door.

She rose to open it, but, before she could reach it, it flew open, and
her boy, taller and handsomer than ever, was in her arm