E.

ONE evening, near the close of the term, Nelly walked home in company
with one of her schoolmates, and did not notice that her cousin went
another way. One, two hours passed by, and Frankie did not make his
appearance; and at last his mother became so anxious, that she sent his
brother out to search for him.

Willie went to the square to see whether he had stopped at any of the
stores, then, as he did not find him, to the houses of some of his
schoolmates, but none of them had seen him since school.

"Where can he have gone?" said Willie to himself. "Perhaps he was at his
teacher's, and has returned before this time."

He walked back toward home, looking around on every side.

He was passing a house, when he heard a noise in the yard, and looking
through the trees, saw a company of boys standing round a curious little
carriage, in which sat a boy who was talking to them. He ran eagerly
into the yard, for he thought Frankie was among them.

As he drew nearer, he found it was not a boy in the carriage, but a man
without legs. He had met with a dreadful accident, and been obliged to
have both his legs cut off; and now he was trying to support himself by
selling pictures, rolling himself in his carriage from house to house by
means of a crank wheel. This was very hard work for him, especially when
he was going uphill; sometimes he was obliged to get boys to push
behind.

Willie saw his brother Frankie standing by the man, helping him hold his
pictures, which he was exhibiting to the lady at the window. Frankie's
face was very red, and great drops of perspiration stood on his forehead
and nose.

"Why haven't you been home?" asked Willie. "Mother is very anxious about
you."

"O, Willie, see this poor man!" exclaimed Frankie. "I have been pushing
his wagon for him ever since school. He says he is a cripple, and can't
walk at all. I'm going to push his carriage home now, as soon as he has
sold pictures here, and then ask mamma to give him some supper."

"Why, Frankie Gray," called out the lady at the window, "is that you?
Well, come and take this money, dear, to pay for three pictures."

When the carriage started, the boys all ran along; but none of them
offered to assist in rolling it, except Willie and Frankie.

"You are tired," said Willie; "I'll push now." So Frankie took off his
straw hat, and wiped the perspiration from his forehead. His hair was
wet through, and curled in small rings all over his head