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mains of her parent shall be removed there also, though perhaps not till morning. If we fasten the door nothing can be apprehended for her safety. No person can have any inducement to molest the relicts of a woman so worthy of respect in life as good Mrs. Moran; and our presence, nor the presence of any mortal, can be longer serviceable to her. Do you approve of this arrangement?'

If

'I cannot devise any better. At all events, such matters require older heads than ours. you will wrap the little girl in warm garments,

that she need not suffer from the keen air, I will carry her in my arms through the deepest drifts.'

Warm garments in that abode of poverty were not abundant; but a tattered lambskin cloak was taken from the body of Mrs. Moran, where it could no longer impart warmth, and in this the passive creature was enveloped to be borne forever from her now desolated home. The young friends had a tedious walk through the snow, with their helpless burden, but they found Mr. Clifford awaiting them with a cheerful fire and other comforts that were seldom afforded in the dwelling which his excesses despoiled. The correctness of his deportment since the night when his raving appetite wrought such misery to

himself and family, had excited hopes of his reformation even in his own bosom. He was observed to walk with hurried step and averted head past the seducing dram-shop; his dissolute companions were avoided, and his daily labors accelerated and prolonged. Ellen was full of faith, and even Mrs. Clifford was reviving upon a faint hope.

Mr. Caldwell, ever watchful to promote the happiness of this family, suffered no interval of Clifford's sobriety to pass, without presenting encouragements to its continuance. His daily wages were promptly and liberally awarded, domestic physical comforts were abundantly supplied to his household, the most friendly and solicitous regard for his welfare was openly and frankly expressed, and the most serious and flattering enticements were set forth to restrain him from sinful deviations. Neither provoked nor discouraged by the frequent failure of his experiments at reforming the unfortunate man, Mr. Caldwell had been never so zealously active in his exertions as at the existing period. There was something so noble and so sincere in his perseverance, that Clifford's heart was touched, and the man, whom in the pique of a repulsed.

demand of appetite, he had denounced a 'miserly rascal,' he was beginning to regard as his faithful and interested friend.

CHAPTER V.

'O ye wha are sae guid yoursel,

Sae pious and sae holy,

Ye've nought to do but mark and tell
Your neebor's faults and folly!'

BURNS.

'I DECLARE, I don't wonder Clifford is discouraged. Who ever heard of sich a thing as their taking home that 'ere Irish brat, poverty-struck as they be? It's all Miss Ellen's doins, I'll warrant. Just as much judgment as she has. wonder they will allow her to have all the management at home. I don't know what the world's a-coming to, if children's to be at the head of affairs.' Aunt Tabby snuffed up her and tossed back her head, looking very like meditating a revolt, as she concluded this spirited ebullition of long pent up indignation against the juvenile tribe.

nose,

Aunt Tabby was a poor relation' of Mr. Caldwell, and made his house her home. She was a spinster of about forty-five, very much given to tattling and fault-finding, bitterly opposed to children and young people, a harsh condemner of gaiety, and in her own manners most

scrupulously prudish. With such distinct characteristics it cannot be supposed that Aunt Tabby and Flora could dwell together in perfect unity. Indeed, Flora never wished any better frolic than to tease Aunt Tabby and provoke her petulance in every possible way. She would always laugh a great deal longer, and say a great many more giddy things in her presence than elsewhere, and the more the one scolded, the louder the other laughed.

'I declare,' (the preface of all Aunt Tabby's positions) I declare,' said she, 'I don't believe Flora ever will be anything but a flirt. There's no stability nor soberness in her. She's a spilt child completely. If she's mine, I'd give her one lesson; but somehow or nuther folks can't see nothing wrong in their own brats. Now Clement's quite different. He shows some respect to age-not that I am old, though,' she added, recollecting herself-but then he don't think himself so much wiser than them that's come to the perfect stature of wisdom, I reckHe'll be considerable of a man if he ever

on.

gets to be one.'

'So shall I, Aunt Tabby, be considerable of a woman if I ever get to be one,' said Flora. 'No, you won't neither. There ant stock

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