d early in the parlour, and an excuse for being a little pressing
was made, on the ground that so many present had so far to go. The deacon
had probably made a remove much more distant than any that awaited his
relatives.

"It is right to look a little into the deacon's matters before we
separate," said Mr. Job Pratt, who, if he had the name, had not the
patience of him of old, "in order to save trouble and hard feelings. Among
relatives and friends there should be nothing but confidence and
affection, and I am sure I have no other sentiments toward any here. I
suppose"--all Mr. Job Pratt knew, was ever on a supposition--"I suppose I
am the proper person to administer to the deacon's property, though I
don't wish to do it, if there's the least objection."

Every one assented that he was the most proper person, for all knew he was
the individual the surrogate would be the most likely to appoint.

"I have never set down the deacon's property as anything like what common
report makes it," resumed Mr. Job Pratt; "though I do suppose it will
fully reach ten thousand dollars."

"La!" exclaimed a female cousin, and a widow, who had expectations of her
own, "I'd always thought Deacon Pratt worth forty or fifty thousand
dollars! Ten thousand dollars won't make much for each of us, divided up
among so many folks!"

"The division will not be so very great, Mrs. Martin," returned Mr. Job,
"as it will be confined to the next of kin and their representatives.
Unless a will should be found--and, by all I can learn, there is
_none_"--emphasizing the last word with point--"unless a will be found,
the whole estate, real and personal, must be divided into just five
shares; which, accordin' to my calculation, would make about two thousand
dollars a share. No great fortin, to be sure; though a comfortable
addition to small means. The deacon was cluss (Anglice, close); yes, he
was cluss--all the Pratts are a little given to be cluss; but I don't
know that they are any the worse for it. It is well to be curful (careful)
of one's means, which are a trust given to us by Divine Providence."

In this manner did Mr. Job Pratt often quiet his conscience for being as
"curful" of his own as of other person's assets. Divine Providence,
according to his morality, made it as much a duty to transfer the dollar
that was in his neighbour's pocket to his own, as to watch it vigilantly
after the transposition has been effected.

"A body should be curf