Jo's Boys

ening, as they sat together enjoying the first fire of the season, while Daisy

ith a mixture of pleasure and anxiety on her motherly face; for she dearly love

mi, smiling as he threw away his paper and went to s

ar it, the

porting, and will be glad to

long time. I want you settled in some good place where you can stay, and in time make money. I

say to a rail

of place, I know, with all sorts of roug

k-keeping in a wholesale leath

ing at a tall desk; and they say, onc

velling agent s

the exposure and bad food as you go from place to pl

a literary man; but the salary

I want to see you in some business where your tastes and talents can be developed and made useful; where you can go on rising, and in time put in your little fortune and be a partner; so that your years of apprenticeship will not be wasted, but fit you

been a sacred task to which she gave all her heart and life, and so far she had done wonderfully well-as her good son and loving daught

place; for I love books, and as I can't make them I'd like to publish them. That needs some literary taste and judgement, it brings you in contact with fine people, and is an education in itself. Whenever I go into that large, handsome room to see Mr Tiber for Aunt Jo, I always want to stay; for it's lined with books and pictures, famous men and women come and go, and Mr Tiber sits at his desk like a sort of king, receiving his subjects; for the greatest authors are humble to him, and wait his Yes or No with anxie

your fortune is made if you go to that well-established an

other fellows, and as I prove myself fit to go up. I'm to begin the first of next month in the book-room, filling orders; and I go round and get orders, and do various other things of the sort. I like it. I am ready to do anyth

eful, John, that at last you want to settle, and have got such an entirely satisfactory place. Most boys begin much earlier; but I don't believe in sending them out to face the world so young, just when body

hiftless or tyrannical ways anywhere. Mr Tiber said: "This is only to teach you the ropes, Brooke; I shall have other work for you by and by." Aunty told him I had done book notices, and had rather a fancy for literature; so though I can't pro

ing for my own family was always sweet, though much harder in many ways. Isn't Aunt Jo pleased about all this?' asked Mrs M

o bribe Rob and Ted to keep her at home tonight till I'd told my news, she was eager to rush down and tell you herself. The castles that dear woman has built for me would fill all Spain

too easy and indulgent, and my boy, with his many good gifts, might fritter his time away in harmless but unsatisfactory

ertain little dream of his own, not ready yet for the telling; then he said,

the bad elements in us. I have fumbled my way into my right place at last, I hope. Let Daisy be happy in her way, since it is a good and womanly one. If Nat comes home all right, I'd s

e is worthy of her I shall let them be happy in their own way, as my parents let me. But Josie will be a trial, I foresee; and much as I

ered his mother's early triumphs and unquenchable intere

m Mother Goose in her cradle. Ah, me! the tastes of the mother come out in her children, and she must atone for them by letting them have the

ause they are not just what we want. I say, let Jo have her way, and do what she can. Here am I to take care of her; and you can't deny you'd enjoy fixing her furbelows, and s

I could only feel that the life would not hurt my girl, and leave her unsatisfied when it was too late to change; for nothing is harder to give up than the excitements of that

liet, no matter how many Romeos spoon under her balcony. Really, ma'am, opposition comes badly from an old lady who is going to wring the hearts of our audience in the heroi

e lordly attitude men like to assume when things go well w

t deny that the sound of applause was as sweet now as when she pl

nute I get on the old mother's dress I forget myself and feel the same thrill at the sound of the bell that I used to feel when we got up plays i

t last rehearsal my face was wet with real tears as you cried over me. It will bring down the house; but do

pe there will never be another war in my time, for I should have to let you

and Alice puts life into the dullest words she speaks. I think the Marquise is just perfect in our pie

l, and I'm proud and fond o

vening. More's the pity,' added Demi, in a low tone, as he sta

l-educated, and yet domestic, a real companion as well as help-m

,' mutte

lly. He hardly knew his own heart yet, and was contented to wait till the sentiment, the fluttering of those folded wings he began to feel, should escape from the chrysalis and be ready to soar away in the sunshine to seek and claim its lovely mate. He had said nothing; but the brown eyes were eloquent, and there was an unconscious underplot to all the little plays he and Alice Heath acted so wel

laying pensively upon his flute after he was in his room for the night, making this melodious friend his confidante, and breathing into it all the tender hopes and fears that filled his heart. Mrs Meg, absorbed in domestic affairs, and Daisy, who cared for no music but Nat's violin, paid no heed to t

ill strolling restlessly about the room, when a book was heard to slam in the study, followed by an audible yawn an

g anything bad about me?' she demande

congratulations with a benignant air which made her feel that too much satisfaction

introduce a song into my part to liven it up a bit. How would this do?' and seating

maidens, oh,

ansfigures the w

at causes my b

f a life all d

ound tables and chairs with the future partner of Tiber & Co. in hot pursuit. 'You monkey, how dare you meddle with my papers?' cr

you right if you leave your rubbish about

you won't like if you d

ished into the study to have out her squabb

hildren! don

rrived and he at once calmed down, seeing th

ic for one of the girls. But I'll trouble you to let my papers alone, or I shall take

begged to know what he had said. By way of heaping coals of fire on her head

ght. If you stand by me, I'll stand by you and never say a word. See here! I've got a n

he knew what was probably in it, he took the wind out of Josie's

r she will go to the concert with us tom

ly handed it over; but she watched Demi as he calmly read the two lines it contained and then threw it into th

mantic, and because Alice and I act lovers sometimes you take it into your silly head that we are really so. Don't waste time hunting mares ne

ut his too inquisitive little sister also. But if he had seen her face as she listened to the soft wailing of his flute he would not have been so s