street-fight, or what would have proved a
street-fight, if I had not come upon the scene just in time to call him
to his senses, and to order him into the house instanter," said our
uncle; "and, from what I could learn, he attacked a boy much larger
than himself, on very small provocation,--merely, that the boy disputed
his claim to the name of Livingstone, by which it appears he chooses to
dub himself."

"He does not know his own name," said Milly, apologetically.

"That is no reason that he should call himself by yours," rejoined
uncle Rutherford.

"It is something of the old feeling of feudal times, or that which used
to make our Southern slaves adopt the surnames of their masters, I
think," said Edward. "Jim thinks that 'them as belongs to Livingstones
ought to be called Livingstone.'"

"Captain Yorke proposed to him to take his," said I, "but Jim declined,
on the ground that Yorke was not so nice a name as Livingstone for the
'President of these States.' He has it in his heart, too, to confer
honor upon our family name by the reflected glories of the position to
which he aspires."

"The boy's spirit of gratitude and appreciation, at least, are worthy
of all credit," said aunt Emily.

"And, whatever he may owe to Milly and the family, he has already
repaid the debt with interest," said mother; her thoughts, doubtless,
recurring to Jim's heroic rescue of the youngling of her flock--her
baby Daisy--from a frightful death; to say nothing of his sturdy
fidelity to the welfare of our household and property under
circumstances of great temptation and fear during the last summer.

"I had thought," said uncle Rutherford, slowly, and Milly's face
lighted up; was it coming at last? "I had thought, if you judged well
of it," turning to mother, "of having him go to the public
grammar-school for this year, and there to test his capabilities, not
only in the way of learning, but even more in his power and desire to
control this temper of his. If he gives satisfaction, and proves
himself worthy of it, let him continue at school until he is fitted for
it, when I will give him a scholarship which I own in the School of
Mines. At present it is filled, but will fall vacant about the time
that Jim will be ready to take it. There is another boy on whom I have
my eye, who has the same bent for a calling that Jim has, and whom I
wish to befriend and help; but he, too, has faults which I hope to see
him correct,--faults in some re