ve a good deal, old as I am, if I had a dad to make a baby of me
that way, if 'twas only for a minute."

"Oh, don't be an old fool," said Tom.

"I heerd in the village you'd been let out," said Billy, "an' so I
found Tom an' told him, an' he said I lied, an' so we come home to see.
Did you bring us anythin'?"

"Yes," said the father, his face brightening, as he thrust his hand
into his pocket and took out the fig box. "Here," as he gave a fig to
each of the children and one to his wife, "how do you like that?"

"Good enough," growled Tom, "only I don't care for 'em unless I have a
whole box. I lift one out of a train-boy's basket at the station once
in a while."

"Don't ever do it again," said the father. "If you want 'em any time so
bad you can't do without 'em, let me know, an' I'll find some way to
get 'em for you."

"An' get sent up again for more'n two year?" sneered the boy.

"I don't mean to get 'em that way" said the father. "But I've got
somethin' else for you." Here he took the circus pictures from his
breast, where they had been much flattened during the several
demonstrations of family affection in which they had been involved.
"Here's a picture for each of you."

Billy seemed to approve of the monkey, but Tom scowled and said,--

"What do I care for an elephant's head, when I seen the whole animal at
the show, an' everythin' else besides?"

"S'pose I might as well get supper, though there ain't much to get,"
said the wife. "There's nothin' in the house but corn-meal, so I'll
bile some mush. An'," she continued, with a peculiar look at her
husband, "there ain't anythin' else for breakfast, though Deacon
Quickset's got lots of hens layin' eggs ev'ry day. I've told the boys
about it again an' again, but they're worth less than nothin' at
helpin' things along. The deacon don't keep no dog. Now you've got
home, I hope we'll have somethin'."

"Not if we have to get it that way," said Sam, gently. "No more
stealin'; I'll die first."

"I guess we'll all die, then," moaned Mrs. Kimper. "I didn't s'pose
bein' sent up was goin' to skeer all the spirit out of you."

"It didn't, Nan, but it's been the puttin' of a new kind of spirit into
me. I've been converted, Nan."

"What?" gasped Mrs. Kimper.

"Thunder!" exclaimed Tom, after a hard laugh. "You goin' to be a
shoutin' Methodist? Won't that be bully to tell the fellers in the
village?"

"I'm not goin' to shout, or be anythin' I know of, except an h