ce of the city in
his compact figure and easy movements. There was in his physiognomy
something interesting from its peculiar character of innocence and
simplicity. You could see that he had been brought up by a woman, and much
apart from familiar contact with other children; and such intelligence as
was yet developed in him, was not ripened by the jokes and cuffs of his
coevals, but fostered by decorous lecturings from his elders, and good
little boy maxims in good little boy books.

PARSON.--"Come hither, Lenny. You know the benefit of school, I see: it can
teach you nothing better than to be a support to your mother."

LENNY, looking down sheepishly, and with a heightened glow over his
face.--"Please, sir, that may come one of these days."

PARSON--"That's right Lenny. Let me see! why, you must be nearly a man. How
old are you?"

Lenny looks up inquiringly at his mother.

PARSON.--"You ought to know, Lenny; speak for yourself. Hold your tongue,
Mrs. Fairfield."

LENNY, twirling his hat, and in great perplexity.--"Well, and there is
Flop, neighbor Dutton's old sheep-dog. He be very old now."

PARSON.--"I am not asking Flop's age, but your own."

"'Deed, sir, I have heard say as how Flop and I were pups together. That
is, I--I--"

For the Parson is laughing, and so is Mrs. Fairfield; and the haymakers,
who have stood still to listen, are laughing too. And poor Lenny has quite
lost his head, and looks as if he would like to cry.

PARSON, patting the curly locks, encouragingly.--"Never mind; it is not so
badly answered after all. And how old is Flop?"

LENNY.--"Why, he must be fifteen year and more."

PARSON.--"How old, then, are you?"

LENNY, looking up with a beam of intelligence.--"Fifteen year and more!"

Widow sighs and nods her head.

"That's what we call putting two and two together," said the Parson. "Or,
in other words," and here he raised his eyes majestically toward the
haymakers--"in other words--thanks to his love for his book--simple as he
stands here, Lenny Fairfield has shown himself capable of INDUCTIVE
RATIOCINATION."

At those words, delivered _ore rotundo_, the haymakers ceased laughing.
For even in lay matters they held the Parson to be an oracle, and words so
long must have a great deal in them.

Lenny drew up his head proudly.

"You are very fond of Flop, I suppose?"

"'Deed he is," said the widow, "and of all poor dumb creatures."

"Very good. Suppose, my lad, that you had