Here I've a large house,
furnished from top to bottom with every comfort. Often I've wandered
through it, and thought myself a selfish old fellow to be surrounded with
so much luxury, and keep it entirely to myself. God has blessed me with
abundance, and to what better use can it be appropriated than the relief of
my friends? Now, Ellen, you shall superintend the whole of the
establishment, Esther shall nurse her father, Caddy shall stir up the
servants, and I'll look on and find my happiness in seeing you all happy.
Now, what objection can you urge against that arrangement?" concluded he,
triumphantly.

"Why, we shall put you to great inconvenience, and place ourselves under an
obligation we can never repay," answered Mrs. Ellis.

"Don't despair of that--never mind the obligation; try and be as cheerful
as you can; to-morrow we shall see Ellis, and perhaps find him better; let
us at least hope for the best."

Esther looked with grateful admiration at Mr. Walters, as he left the room.
"What a good heart he has, mother," said she, as he closed the door behind
him; "just such a great tender heart as one should expect to find in so
fine a form."

Mrs. Ellis and her daughters were the first who were found next day, at the
office of the doorkeeper of the hospital waiting an opportunity to see
their sick friends.

"You're early, ma'am," said a little bald-headed official, who sat at his
desk fronting the door; "take a chair near the fire--it's dreadful cold
this morning."

"Very cold," replied Esther, taking a seat beside her mother; "how long
will it be before we can go in?"

"Oh, you've good an hour to wait--the doctor hasn't come yet," replied the
door-keeper. "How is my husband?" tremblingly inquired Mrs. Ellis.

"Who is your husband?--you don't know his number, do you? Never know names
here--go by numbers."

"We don't know the number," rejoined Esther; "my father's name is Ellis; he
was brought here two or three nights since--he was beaten by the mob."

"Oh, yes; I know now who you mean--number sixty--bad case that, shocking
bad case--hands chopped--head smashed--leg broke; he'll have to cross over,
I guess--make a die of it, I'm afraid."

Mrs. Ellis shuddered, and turned pale, as the man coolly discussed her
husband's injuries, and their probable fatal termination. Caddy, observing
her agitation, said, "Please, sir, don't talk of it; mother can't bear it."

The man looked at them compassionately for a few