I was soon at old Nanny's store, with the piece of rope coiled over my arm.

"Well, Jack, what have you got here; a piece of good junk? no, it is not, for it is quite rotten. Why do you bring me such things? What can I do with them ?"

'Why, mother," says I, "it's new rope; not been used hardly; it's the very best of junk."

"Boy, boy! do you pretend to teach me? Well, what do you want for it?"

"I want a shilling," replied I.

"A shilling!" cried she; "where am I to find a shilling? And if I could find one, why should I throw it away upon a thing not worth twopence, and which will only lumber my store till I die? The boy's demented!"

Mother," says I, "it's worth a shilling, and you know it; so give it to me, or I go elsewhere."

"And where will you go to, good-for-nothing that you are? where will you go to ?"

"Oh! the fishermen will give me more."

"The fishermen will give you a couple of stale flatfish, to take home to your mother."

Well, I'll try that," said I, going.

"Not so fast, Jack, not so fast; if I make a penny by you one day, I suppose, to keep your custom, I must lose something by you the next. Now, I'll give you sixpence and how I'm to get my money back I don't know."

No, Nanny," said I, "I must have a shilling."

"A shilling, you little cheat, I can't give it; but what do you want? don't you want a key to your chest, or something of that sort ?"

H

"I've no chest, mother; and therefore don't want a key."

"But you want something out of all the pretty things in my shop; boys always fancy something."

I laughed at the idea of "pretty things" in her shop; for it contained nothing but old iron, empty bottles, dirty rags and vials; so I told her there was nothing that I wanted.

you

"Well," says she, "sit down a little, and look about there's no hurry. you; So Mrs. East has got another boy, worse luck for the parish, with six children already!-Look about you, and take your time.-Did hear of Peter James giving his wife a black eye last night, because she wanted to get him out of the alehouse. I wonder who that letter was from that Susan Davis had from the post-office. I think I could guess;-poor girl! she has looked rather peaking for some weeks.-Don't be in a hurry, Jack; look about; there's plenty of pretty things in my shop.-So Davis the butcher has been pulled up for bad meat; I thought it would come to that, and I'm glad of it.-There's a capital lock and key, Jack, to put to your chest, when you get one; suppose you take that.-What's the Doctor about? They say he is always sitting with the widow.-Does your mother make plenty of money by clear-starching? I know your sister had a spotted muslin frock on last Sunday, and that must have cost something. There's a spade, Jack; very useful to dig on the beach; you may find something-money perhaps,-who knows? Take the spade, Jack, and then you'll owe me sixpence.-So Bill Freeman pawned his wife's best gown last Saturday night. I thought it

would be so. He may say it's because he's caught no fish this bad weather. But I know more than people think. Here's a nice glass bottle, Jack, wouldn't you like to give it to your mother, to put pickles in? it's white glass, you see. Look about, Jack; there's plenty of pretty things, you see. So the Governor's daughter's going to be married; at least I suppose so, for I met her riding with a young gentleman; and now-a-days the quality always make love on horseback.-Well, Jack, have you found anything?"

"No, mother, I havn't; and I must have my shilling or go. Unless, indeed, you're inclined to help me to what I want, and then I'll give you the rope for nothing."

"Give me the rope for nothing!" replied old Nanny. "Sit down, Jack, and let me know what it is you want."

I thought it was of little use to make the application, but I determined to try; so I explained my wishes.

"Humph!" said she, after a minute's thought, "so you want thirty-three shillings to buy clothes-to go. to church in. Your mother dresses your sister in spotted muslin, and leaves you in rags; wait till your father comes home again?" "That may not be for years."

66

Why, Jack, I don't go to church

-

suppose you

-I am too old

- too poor to dress myself to go to church, even if I could go so far, why should you go?

"Well, mother," said I, rising up, "if you will not do it, I'm very sorry; I would have paid you honestly, and have given you good bargains, so good-bye."

290453A

"Not so fast, Jack, sit down, sit down, boy, — look about the shop and see if you can find something that will suit you." Here Nanny communed with herself aloud: "Thirty-three shillings! that's a great deal of money, pay me honestly, and good bargains! His mother called me an old cat the other day; — I think they could be got cheaper, they always cheat boys; she'd be vexed to see him dressed clean at church; - honest boy, I do believe;

a boy that wants to go to church must be a good boy.—Oh, dear me, it is so much money!"

"I'll work day and night to pay you, Nanny."

"And mind, Jack, I'm to have good bargains, and this piece of rope for nothing;—something paid every week."

"If I can earn it, mother, as sure as I sit here."

"Well, the old cat will do more for you, Jack, than your mother would. You shall have the money; but, Jack, I must bargain for the things."

"Thank you, Nanny, thank you!" replied I, jumping off my seat with delight.

"Well, we can do nothing to-night, Jack. Come to me on Monday, and if I don't change my mind

"Change your mind!" said I, sorrowfully.

thought you had promised!"

"I

"Well, so I did-and-and I'll keep my promise, Jack. Come on Monday, and as you can't go to church to-morrow, see if you can't pick up a little money."

I did not neglect her injunctions, and was fortunate enough to be able to bring her sixpence on the Monday morning. Nanny went with me to the clothing shop, haggled and fought until she reduced the articles to

twenty-eight shillings, and then they were ordered to be made and sent to her house. I earned but little money that week, and more than once Nanny appeared to be very unhappy, and repent of her kind offices; but when Sunday came she was very cheerful; she washed me herself very carefully, and then put on my clothes. I cannot express the delight I felt at that moment; when Nanny said to me, as she placed the hat on my head,—

"Well, Jack, I wouldn't have thought that you were such a handsome boy as you are. Why, you may walk with your sister Virginia, and she will have nothing to be ashamed of, pretty as she is. There, now, go and show yourself; and, Jack, don't forget your promise to pay me back soon, and give mo good bargains!"

I repeated my promise, and hastened to the Hospital to find Peter Anderson. He did not know me when I came up to him. I told him how and why I had got the clothes; he patted my head, said I was a good lad, and that he would take me to the chapel at the Hospital, where I could sit with the schoolchildren; he could manage that. Then I met Ben and others, and they were all so surprised. I went to the chapel, and although I could not hear well what was said, for I was a long way off from the parson, and the old pensioners coughed so much, I was very much pleased, although a little tired before it was over. When the service was finished, I was proceeding to my mother's, when I met her and little Virginia coming home from the town church.

"There's a nice mother; "wouldn't

little boy, Virginia," said my you like to walk with him ?"