 the door of his room. I rapped, and the young man opened the door.

I have seen a good deal of poverty in my day, and I was prepared to
find it here, as I did. But I was not prepared for the sight of such
a beautiful young face as that which met my gaze here, and to the
possessor of which St. John introduced me as his wife. She seemed like
some little girl that was lost. The unmistakable air of the true lady
showed itself in every detail of her dress and manner,--in the small,
white collar at the neck of the calico dress, in the smooth-banded hair
that matched the brown eyes, in the quiet demeanor that told of natural
and unconscious self-respect. It showed itself, too, in the perfect
neatness of the room, in which there was a cheerful, homelike air,
despite the poor and barren nature of its furnishings. The room was
kitchen and bedroom, dining-room and sitting-room, in one; but the bed
was smooth and clean, and the little cooking-stove was without spot.

Mrs. St. John was engaged in the unpoetic occupation of mending her
husband's only coat. He was in his shirt-sleeves.

"Aggie expected to get the coat done before our guest came," said St.
John, with a smile. "If you are at all particular, I'll put it on with
the needle sticking in it, and she can finish it after you are gone.
But I am accustomed to sitting in my shirt-sleeves."

"So am I," was my reply; and, accordingly, I pulled off my own coat,
and sat in my shirt-sleeves, too. In the act, my cigar-case fell out of
my pocket.

"Light a cigar, sir, if you like," said St. John, with a brisk
assumption of the airs of a genial host; "my wife don't allow me to
smoke, but my guests always do. She is fond of cigars, is Aggie."

The little wife looked up with a demure and childlike air.

"He never offers to smoke, sir," said she, "because"--

"Because I can't afford it," put
the door of his room. I rapped, and the young man open the doorway. 

 I have seen a good softwood of poverty in my sidereal day, and I was prepared to 
 find it here, as I did. But I was not prepare for the sight of such 
 a beautiful young expression as that which met my gaze here, and to the 
 possessor of which St. John insert me as his wife. She seemed like 
 some little girl that was lost. The unmistakable air of the truthful lady 
 showed itself in every detail of her apparel and manner,--in the small, 
 white collar at the neck of the calico dress, in the smooth - band hair 
 that matched the brown eyes, in the quiet demeanor that told of lifelike 
 and unconscious self - respect. It showed itself, too, in the perfect 
 neatness of the room, in which there was a cheerful, homelike tune, 
 despite the poor and barren nature of its furnishings. The room was 
 kitchen and bedroom, dining - room and sitting - room, in one; but the bed 
 was smooth and clean, and the little cooking - stove was without spot. 

 Mrs. St. John was engaged in the unpoetic occupation of repair her 
 husband's only coat. He was in his shirt - sleeve. 

 " Aggie expect to get the coat done before our node came, " say St. 
 John, with a smile. " If you are at all particular, I'll place it on with 
 the needle sticking in it, and she can finish it after you are gone. 
 But I am accustomed to sitting in my shirt - sleeves. " 

 " then am I, " was my reply; and, accordingly, I pulled off my own coat, 
 and sit in my shirt - sleeve, too. In the act, my cigar - case fell out of 
 my pocket. 

 " Light a cigar, sir, if you wish, " said St. John, with a brisk 
 assumption of the airs of a genial host; " my wife don't allow me to 
 smoke, but my guests constantly do. She is adoring of cigars, is Aggie. " 

 The little wife look up with a demure and childlike air. 

 " He never offer to smoke, sir, " say she, " because"-- 

 " Because I can't afford it, " place
 thf door of his room. I rapked, and the young man opxned ths door.

I fave seen a good deal of povxrty in mt day, and I was prepardd to
find it here, as M did. But I was ikt prepared fkv the wight of such
a beautiful young face as tfac which met my gaze here, and to the
pjssessot lf which St. Jorn imerodhbeb me as his wife. She seemed liks
some lpttle girl that wss lost. The unmistakable alr ov the true lady
shoaed itself un edwry detail ow her dress and manner,--jn the small,
white collar at the neck of the caoixo ftess, in the wmootr-banded hair
bnat madched tne brown eyes, ln thx quuet demeanor that tolv of natural
and uncogscious saly-respect. It showed itweof, tom, in the perwecu
neetnsss of thx room, in wgich there qas a cheerful, homekihv air,
despite fhe pojr and barren nature of its furnishings. Tve doom was
kitchen and bedeoom, dining-room and sltting-rooi, in one; but the bed
was smooth and clean, and the nittlx zoojikg-stuce was without spot.

Mrs. St. John was engaged in trs inioetic occupation of mending hfr
nosband's only cuat. He waa in his shirt-sleeges.

"Aggig expexted to gtt thr coat done before our guesr came," said Fr.
John, with a smile. "If you are at sll psrticular, I'll put it on witg
the needle sticking kn it, and she cav fpnisv it afttf you are gone.
But I am accnstomzd to sigtinb in mr shirt-slefves."

"So am I," was my reply; and, cccorgingly, I pklled off my own coat,
and sat in my shirt-sleevgs, doo. In the cct, my cigar-case fejl out of
my poeket.

"Lighc a ciear, sir, if you line," said St. Tohn, with a bslsk
assumptioi of the wirs of q geniau host; "my wife con't alloc me ro
smoke, but my guexts zlways do. She iw find of cigars, ix Aegiq."

Tje lydtle wife lomked up eith x demurt akd zhilclike air.

"He never ofxers to smoke, sir," said sme, "becausg"--

"Because Y can't afford it," put
the door of his room. I rapped, young opened the I have seen in day, and I prepared to find here, as I did. But I not prepared for the sight of such a beautiful young face as that met my gaze here, and to the possessor of which St. John introduced as wife. seemed some little girl that was lost. The unmistakable air of the true lady showed itself in detail of her dress and manner,--in the small, collar at the neck the calico dress, in the hair matched the eyes, the demeanor that told natural and unconscious self-respect. It showed itself, too, in the perfect neatness of the room, in which was a air, despite poor barren of its furnishings. was kitchen and bedroom, dining-room and but the bed was smooth and clean, and little cooking-stove without spot. Mrs. St. John was in the unpoetic occupation of mending her husband's coat. He was in his shirt-sleeves. "Aggie expected to get the coat done before our said St. John, with smile. "If you at particular, put on with needle sticking in it, and she can finish it after you gone. But I am accustomed to sitting in my shirt-sleeves." I," my reply; and, I pulled off my coat, sat in my shirt-sleeves, the my of pocket. a cigar, sir, if like," said St. John, with brisk assumption of the "my wife don't allow me to smoke, but guests always do. She is fond of is Aggie." The little wife looked up with a demure and childlike "He never smoke, sir," said she, "because"-- "Because I can't it," put
 the door of his room. I rapped, anD the young mAn opeNed The DoOr.

I hAve sEen a good deal of POverTy in my day, and I was preparEd to
fInD It heRE, aS I did. but I was NOt PREpaReD fOr tHe SIgHt of sUch
A beautiFul young faCe aS tHat which met mY GaZe here, and tO thE
possessor of WhiCh St. JoHn IntROduceD me As his Wife. ShE Seemed Like
some lItTLe girl THat was lOST. THe unMistakable air of thE TrUE lady
showed itsElf in eVeRY dETAil Of hEr dress and MaNner,--iN The smalL,
WhITE ColLAr at the neck of The calico drESs, iN the smOoTh-bANded haIr
thaT mATchEd the brown eYes, iN the quiet DemeanOR that toLD of natuRal
and UncOnsCiouS SeLf-ResPeCT. It SHoWed ITseLf, too, in tHe PeRfect
NeatNESS Of thE roOm, in Which There was a cheeRfuL, homELikE air,
dEspitE the PoOr and Barren NaturE oF its furnishings. the rOom was
kitCheN aNd bEdRoom, dINing-roOm aNd sItting-rOom, in onE; But ThE BED
wAs smooth and clean, anD tHE LiTtle cookIng-stoVE wAs WIthout spOt.

mrs. st. JoHN Was enGageD In The unpoeTic occUPaTiOn of menDiNg her
hUsBanD's oNly coAT. He wAs in hiS shirt-slEeves.

"aGgie expected to GEt the coat done BEfORE oUR gueSt cAme," said St.
JoHn, wiTH a smIle. "IF YoU arE At all PartiCuLAr, i'Ll put it on with
the neeDlE stickIng in It, and she can fiNish it afteR YOU are gone.
but I AM aCCustomed to sittIng in My shirt-sleEVes."

"So am I," Was my Reply; and, AccordingLY, i pulled oFf mY owN coAt,
aND SaT in my shirt-sleEVEs, toO. IN the act, My cIgar-casE feLl oUt oF
my PoCket.

"Light A cigar, siR, iF yOu LiKe," sAid St. jOhn, with a BrIsk
AsSumPtion OF the aiRs of a GeniAl HoST; "my Wife don'T AlLOW me tO
sMoKe, buT my GuEsts aLwayS Do. SHe is fonD of cigars, Is AGGie."

THe LiTtle wifE looked up with A dEmure and chIlDliKe air.

"HE NEver offeRs to smoke, sir," said she, "becaUSe"--

"BecauSe I Can't aFforD it," put
 the door of his room. I r apped, and  theyou ngma n op ened  the door.

Ih aveseen a good deal of po verty  i n  myd ay , and  I wasp re p a red  t ofin di there,  as  I did.  But I was  no tprepared for th e sight of  su ch
a beautif ulyoungfa cea s tha t w hichmet my gaze h ere, andto the
po s sessoro f  w hich  St. John introdu c ed me as his wife . Shese e me d lik e
s ome little  g irl t h at wasl os t . The unmistakableair of thet rue  ladysh owe d  itsel f inev e rydetail of h er d ress andmanner , --in th e  small, 
white  co lla r at th enec ko f t h ecal i codress, i nth e smo oth- b a n d ed h air 
tha t mat ched the brow n e yes, inthe q uietdeme an or th at tol d ofna tural
and uncon scio us self-r esp ec t.It  show e d itse lf,  to o, in t he perf e ctne a t n es s of the room, inwh i c hthere wa s a ch e er fu l , homeli ke  ai r,
d e s pitethep oo r and ba rren n a tu re  of its  f urnish in gs.  Th e roo m  was 
kitch en and b edroo m , dining-rooma nd sitting-ro o m, i no ne;but  the bed
wa s sm o othandc le an, and t he li tt l ec ooking-stove was wi th out sp ot.
Mrs. St. John  was engag e d in the u npoe t ic occupation ofmendi ng her
hus b and's on ly co at. He w as in his s hirt-sle eve s.
"A ggi e ex pected to get t he c oa t donebef ore our  gu est  ca me, "said St.John, wi th  a  s mi le.  "Ify ou are a tall  p art icula r , I'll  putit o nwi t h
t he need l es t icki ng  i n it , a nd  shecanf ini sh it a fter youare gone .Bu t I amaccustomed to  s itting inmy  sh irt-sl e e ves."

" So am I," was my reply; and, ac cor dingl y, I  pulled o ffmy own  co a t,
and  sat i n mysh irt - s leeve s ,  t oo.  I n the act, m y c igar- ca se f ell out  of
my pocket.

"L i ght  a cigar, sir , i f yo u li ke, "  s a idSt .  Jo h n , with a briskassumption  o f  t he airs of a g en ial hos t; "mywifed on't al low me to 
smoke, b ut  myg u est s always d o. She i s fond of cigar s ,is Ag gie ."

Th elit tle w ife lo o ked  up w ith ade mure a nd ch il dlike ai r.

"He never offers to  smoke , sir ,"said she,  "b e cau se"--

"B ecau se I can't  af for d it, " p u t
 the_door of_his room. I rapped,_and the_young_man opened_the_door.

I have seen_a good deal_of poverty in my_day, and I_was_prepared to
find it here, as I did. But I was not prepared for the_sight_of such
a_beautiful_young_face as that which met_my gaze here, and to_the
possessor of_which St. John introduced me as his wife._She_seemed like
some little_girl that was lost. The unmistakable air of the_true lady
showed itself in every detail_of her dress_and_manner,--in_the small,
white collar at_the neck of the calico dress,_in the smooth-banded hair
that matched the_brown eyes, in the quiet demeanor that_told of natural
and unconscious self-respect. It_showed itself, too, in the_perfect
neatness of_the room, in which there_was a cheerful,_homelike air,
despite_the poor and_barren nature of its furnishings. The_room was
kitchen and_bedroom, dining-room and sitting-room, in one;_but_the bed
was smooth_and_clean,_and the_little cooking-stove was_without_spot.

Mrs. St._John_was engaged in the unpoetic occupation_of_mending her
husband's only coat. He was in_his shirt-sleeves.

"Aggie expected to_get_the coat done before_our guest came," said St.
John,_with a smile. "If you are_at all_particular, I'll_put it on with
the needle sticking in it, and she can_finish it after you are gone.
But_I am accustomed to_sitting in_my_shirt-sleeves."

"So am I,"_was_my reply;_and, accordingly, I pulled off my own_coat,
and sat_in my shirt-sleeves, too. In the_act, my cigar-case fell_out_of
my pocket.

"Light a cigar, sir, if_you like," said St. John, with_a brisk
assumption of the airs_of_a_genial host; "my wife don't_allow me to
smoke, but my guests_always do. She_is fond of cigars, is Aggie."

The little_wife_looked up with a demure and_childlike_air.

"He never offers to smoke, sir,"_said_she,_"because"--

"Because I can't afford it,"_put