arying stages of
infirmity. There was an old iron shop, that stood flush with the
sidewalk, flanking the stableyard. A lantern and a mammoth key were
suspended above the door and hanging upon the side of the shop was
a wooden stair ascending to the chalet The latter had a sheathing of
weather-worn clapboards. It stood on the rear end of the brick building,
communicating with the front rooms above the shop. A little stair of
five steps ascended from the landing to its red door that overlooked an
ample yard of roofing, adorned with potted plants. The main room of the
chalet where we ate our meals and sat and talked, of an evening, had
the look of a ship's cabin. There were stationary seats along the wall
covered with leathern cushions. There were port and starboard lanterns
and a big one of polished brass that overhung the table. A ship's
clock that had a noisy and cheerful tick, was set in the wall. A narrow
passage led to the room in front and the latter had slanting sides.
A big window of little panes, in its further end, let in the light of
William Street Here I found a home for myself, humble but quaint and
cleanly. A thrifty German who, having long followed the sea, had married
and thrown out his anchor for good and all, now dwelt in the chalet with
his wife and two boarders--both newspaper men. The old shopkeeper in
front, once a sailor himself, had put the place in shipshape and leased
it to them.

Mine host bore the name of Opper and was widely known as 'All Right'
Opper, from his habit of cheery approval. Everything and everybody were
'all right' to him so far as I could observe. If he were blessed or
damned he said 'all right. To be sure he took exceptions, on occasions,
but even then the affair ended with his inevitable verdict of 'all
right'. Every suggestion I made as to terms of payment and arrangement
of furniture was promptly stamped with this seal of approval.

I was comfortably settled and hard at work on my article by noon. At
four I went to meet Uncle Eb. Hope was still sick in bed and we came
away in a frame of mind that could hardly have been more miserable. I
tried to induce him to stay a night with me in my new quarters.

'I mus'n't,' he said cheerfully.' 'Fore long I'm comin' down ag'in but
I can't fool 'round no longer now. I'll jes'go n git my new clothes and
put fer the steamboat. Want ye t'go 'n see Hope tomorrow. She's comm up
with Mis Fuller next week. I'm goin' t' find out what's the mat