enerable, appearance, flying like crazy people over
pegs, inserted, for the purpose, in their own street-doors. There were
beasts of all sorts, horses, in particular, of every breed, from the
spotted barrel on four pegs, with a small tippet for a mane, to the fine
rocking horse on his highest mettle.

"You were out in the rain last night in your beautiful new overcoat,"
said Bertha.

"Yes, in my beautiful new overcoat," answered Caleb, glancing to where a
roughly-made garment of sackcloth was hung up to dry.

"How glad I am you bought it, father."

"And of such a tailor! quite a fashionable tailor; a bright blue cloth,
with bright buttons; it's a deal too good a coat for me."

"Too good!" cried the blind girl, stopping to laugh and clap her
hands--"as if anything was too good for my handsome father, with his
smiling face, and black hair, and his straight figure, as if _any_ thing
could be too good for my handsome father!"

"I'm half ashamed to wear it, though," said Caleb, watching the effect
of what he said upon her brightening face; "upon my word. When I hear
the boys and people say behind me: 'Halloa! Here's a swell!' I don't
know which way to look. And when the beggar wouldn't go away last night;
and, when I said I was a very common man, said 'No, your honor! Bless
your honor, don't say that!' I was quite ashamed. I really felt as if I
hadn't a right to wear it."

Happy blind girl! How merry she was in her joy!

"I see you, father," she said, clasping her hands, "as plainly as if I
had the eyes I never want when you are with me. A blue coat!"----

"Bright blue," said Caleb.

"Yes, yes! Bright blue!" exclaimed the girl, turning up her radiant
face; "the color I can just remember in the blessed sky! You told me it
was blue before! A bright blue coat----"

"Made loose to the figure," suggested Caleb.

"Yes! loose to the figure!" cried the blind girl, laughing heartily;
"and in it you, dear father, with your merry eye, your smiling face,
your free step, and your dark hair; looking so young and handsome!"

"Halloa! Halloa!" said Caleb. "I shall be vain presently."

"I think you are already," cried the blind girl, pointing at him, in her
glee. "I know you, father! Ha, ha, ha! I've found you out, you see!"

How different the picture in her mind from Caleb, as he sat observing
her! She had spoken of his free step. She was right in that. For years
and years he never once had crossed that threshold at his own