The Brass Bound Box

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sh in the other. She had the faculty of going to sleep anywhere and any time opportunity offered. She now leaned comfortably against the

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nched and she broug

Montgomery Sturtevant?

-secret chamb-er. Don't you t-t-tell anybody. You fetch my s-s-s-supper up after dark. An' some w-w-

tic in height. Within this "old part" were many curious rooms, one having the peculiarity of seven doors and but one window; a monster fireplace, wherein one could stand and look straight up to the sky through the great stone chimney, and where still hung a rusty gigantic crane, once used for the roasting of meats and boiling of pots; but, most curious of all, a perpendicular shaft leading to a "secret chamber" beneath the sloping roof. To ascend this shaft one climbed upon small triangular steps fitt

ld part" in his stockinged feet, heard the rusty squeak of the ancient spring-fastening, fancie

me exceptions to this rule, but none whatever on Alfaretta's. The lad was at once her delight and her torment; in his wilder moods teasing her relentlessly, but in his more thoughtful ones pitying her for her hard lot in life. Yet, in

istant relatives who regularly sent a small cheque to the Madam, as well as a box of clothing for the grandson; nor did t

rel. Then she would be free to go or stay, work for "real wages" for this mistress, or engage herself to another. But eighteen was a long way off as yet, and though sometimes a wonder as to where she should get the pledged one hund

been eagerly purchased at fancy prices; but Marsden was far out of the line of such persons, an

to her friend that such or such an old "claw-foot" was worth a deal of money, and that it wasn't really ne

ther formal little household ceremony-that winding of the clocks on every Sunday morning. A ceremony that had always been performed by the two reigning heads of the "family" in each succeeding generation. It had been Madam's place to walk with her husban

been promoted to accompany his grandmother on thi

se to go with y-

his mother had come home, bringing him an infant, had placed him in the Madam's arms, had taken to her bed, and had left it only to be carried to the burying-ground on the hill. Of her

ate question. Then she had turned upon him with a face so unlike her own that he

; has died to us. Sp

than of her husband, since both were dead. However, he soon forgot the matter save to obey her wish, though afterward this clock

so petted and indulged should put himself in hiding, and, of al

I? I-I'd be more afraid to go up that stair 'an to walk through the graveyard alone at

ndian meal carefully sifted into the salt, boiling water. When the mixture appeared fairly smooth and Alfy's arm was tired the pot was set upon the hearth and the young cook went to sleep. When the sleep was of sufficient length to cool the porridge Ma'am Puss extracted her own supper in advance of the family's, and nobody was the wiser. But to-day, Alfaretta had forgotten to remove the pot from the stove while she did her "noon dishes" and taken her intermediate nap, with the result that t

HER OWN SUPPER IN AD

No harm done-much. I wonder what he's been up to now! Well, I can't help it. I didn't get him into no scrapes. An' I'll work real hard the rest the afternoon, hemmin'

aintily neat and vigorous for a woman of her years. Never very robust, she still exercised what strength she had in a ceaseless round of sweeping and dusting. All the empty old rooms were as orderly as when there had been many

king her daily rest on her lounge in the sitting-room, and after a time the seamstress's good intentions passed into a maze of dreams. In them she seemed to be eternally climbing steep stairs into a chamber of horrors tenanted by one starving boy; or she was watching Madam cho

the lonely remnant of a once large herd

on that afternoon of best intentions accomplished the magnificent distance of two inches! "Two inches, if it's a stitch. Two inches a day for-How many days will it take to hem-to hem-Huh! I can't bot

what was properly Montgomery's part of the evening's chores, stalling the cow and throwing into her manger the scanty supply of night fodder that could be afforded.

f the boy's going supperless-nor her courage, nor of burned porridge and Madam's lifted eyebrows when it was tasted, which t

oned. Madam's habits were as exact as those of her ancient clocks, and precisely as

hese she placed upon a silver tray and carried to the shining mahogany table where the mistress was already seated. Then she took her own place behin

ontgomery,

reflected the perplexed girl, but not till the question wa

were lifted then.

d. I-I was terr'ble sleepy an' I stopped s

y. Did you tell him th

Mad

se do

she was gone longer than seemed necessary, nor did the waiting grandmother hear the boyish voice she loved, despite its stammering; and s