n I be of any service in assisting you to pack up, Mrs. Lee?"
asked Mrs. Mudge, with new-born politeness. She felt that as a lady of
property, Aunt Lucy was entitled to much greater respect and deference
than before.

"Thank you, Mrs. Mudge," said Paul, answering for her.

"She won't have occasion for anything in this house. She will get a
supply of new things when she gets to New York."

The old lady looked very happy, and Mrs. Mudge, in spite of her outward
deference, felt thoroughly provoked at her good fortune.

I will not dwell upon the journey to New York. Aunt Lucy, though
somewhat fatigued, bore it much better than she had anticipated. Mr. and
Mrs. Cameron entered very heartily into Paul's plans, and readily agreed
to receive Aunt Lucy as an inmate of their happy and united household.
The old lady felt it to be a happy and blessed change from the
Poorhouse, where scanty food and poor accommodations had been made
harder to bear by the ill temper of Mr. and Mrs. Mudge, to a home whose
atmosphere was peace and kindness.

*****

And now, dear reader, it behooves us to draw together the different
threads of our story, and bring all to a satisfactory end.

Mr. and Mrs. Mudge are no longer in charge of the Wrenville Poorhouse.
After Aunt Lucy's departure, Mrs. Mudge became so morose and despotic,
that her rule became intolerable. Loud complaints came to the ears of
'Squire Newcome, Chairman of the Overseers of the Poor. One fine morning
he was compelled to ride over and give the interesting couple warning
to leave immediately. Mr. Mudge undertook the charge of a farm, but his
habits of intoxication increased upon him to such an extent, that he was
found dead one winter night, in a snow-drift, between his own house and
the tavern. Mrs. Mudge was not extravagant in her expressions of grief,
not having a very strong affection for her husband. At last accounts,
she was keeping a boarding-house in a manufacturing town. Some time
since, her boarders held an indignation meeting, and threatened to
leave in a body unless she improved her fare,--a course to which she was
obliged to submit.

George Dawkins, unable to obtain a recommendation from Mr. Danforth, did
not succeed in securing another place in New York. He finally prevailed
upon his father to advance him a sum of money, with which he went to
California. Let us hope that he may "turn over a new leaf" there, and
establish a better reputation than he did in New Yo