iving him a pull. "Sure don't you know it's not civil to do the
likes of that? tell us what it is ye want, and then take yourself
off."

William stated his errand, and the ruddy damsel, satisfied that he
meant no harm, said she "did not know whether ould Mistress Stewart
was in the place, but she would go and see."

Thus left, there was time to renew his observations; and just then the
door of the basement room opened, and a delicate but bright-looking
boy of fourteen, with a gun in his hand and a game-bag over his
shoulder, entered. "O Clara! such a pleasant day Harry Clinton and I
have had! I have shot a round dozen of birds, and he has more! But
tell me, is little Frank any better?"

"O yes, a great deal better," answered Clara, "so that grandmother--"

Biddy now interrupted the speech by her presence, and telling our hero
that she had been "hunting the ould lady up stairs and down stairs, in
my lady's chamber, and everywhere, without finding her, she went till
young Mistress Stewart, and she tould her she was not in it, but was
away an hour ago."

It was now growing late, and our little shoemaker thought his wisest
plan was to carry the shoes home for the present; he felt that he had
already wasted too much time, and that he would most probably find the
Walters displeased at the delay. He turned most reluctantly away from
the window, unwilling to depart from a place where such a new and
strong interest had been created, but there was no help for it; and he
pursued his way with a feeling of regret, as he contrasted the
circumstances of those happy children with his own. This mood could
not continue long; he felt that it was wrong; he would not murmur, but
submit.

With his usual openness he explained to Mr. Walters the cause of his
delay; for which he received the usual amount of grumbling, with a
threat for the future he should be made to stick to his last, and
learn how to use time--a threat which was at once put into execution,
for the next day he carried the shoes to Professor Stewart's himself,
and the affair was ended to his satisfaction. He was, as he had been
threatened, kept closely to work; but although his work was even more
joyless than ever, he was not without a gleam of sunshine in his
heart, lent him by the prospect of being able to prepare happiness for
others.

Time passes on rapidly, but with equal pace, unheeding whether, as a
"swift-winged and beautiful angel," he opens flowers on the way