greeting to her "boy," which, through many a year, had never been
omitted.

_Her_ boy,--you would have known that as soon as you saw him,--the same
eyes, same face, the same kindly look; but the face was thinner and
finer, and the brow was a student's brow, full of thought and
speculation; and, looking from her hearty, vigorous form, you saw that
his was slight to attenuation.

"Sit down, sonny, sit down and rest. There! how tired you look!"
bustling round him, smoothing his thin face and rough hair. "Now don't
do that! let your old mother do it!" It pleased her to call herself old,
though she was but just in her prime. "You've done enough for one day,
I'm sure, waiting on other people, and walking with your poor lame foot
till you're all but beat out. You be quiet now, and let somebody else
wait on you." And, going down on her knees, she took up the lame foot,
and began to unlace the cork-soled, high-cut shoe, and, drawing it out,
you saw that it was shrunken and small, and that the leg was shorter
than its fellow.

"Poor little foot!" rubbing it tenderly, smoothing the stocking over it,
and chafing it to bring warmth and life to its surface. Her "baby," she
called it, for it was no bigger than when he was a little fellow. "Poor,
tired foot! ain't it a dreadful long walk, sonny?"

"Pretty long, mother; but I'd take twice that to do such work at the
end."

"Yes, indeed, it's good work, and Mr. Surrey's a good man, and a kind
one, that's sure! I only wish some others had a little of his spirit.
Such a shame to have you dragging all the way up here, when any dirty
fellow that wants to can ride. I don't mind for myself so much, for I
can walk about spry enough yet, and don't thank them for their old
omnibuses nor cars; but it's too bad for you, so it is,--too bad!"

"Never mind, mother! keep a brave heart. 'There's a good time coming
soon, a good time coming!' as I heard Mr. Hutchinson sing the other
night,--and it's true as gospel."

"Maybe it is, sonny!" dubiously, "but I don't see it,--not a sign of
it,--no indeed, not one! It gets worse and worse all the time, and it
takes a deal of faith to hold on; but the good Lord knows best, and
it'll be right after a while, anyhow! And now _that's_ straight!"
pulling a soft slipper on the lame foot, and putting its mate by his
side; then going off to pour out the tea, and dish up the stew, and add
a touch or two to the appetizing supper-table.

"It's as good as a feas