d on Broadway and turning a corner toward
Nassau Street. Beaching the latter bye-way, after a brief interval of
sharp walking, he entered a building nearly opposite that in which was
the office of Mr. DIBBLE; and, having ascended numerous flights of
twilight stairs to the lofty floor immediately over the saddened rooms
occupied by a great American Comic Paper, came into a spidery garret
where lurked MONTGOMERY PENDRAGON,

"Hard at it?" he asked, approaching a ricketty table at which sat the
persecuted Southerner, reading a volume of HOYLE'S Games.

"My only friend!" ejaculated the lonely reader, hurriedly covering the
book with an arm. "I am, as you see, studying law here, all alone with
these silent friends."

He waved his thin hand toward a rude shelf on which were several
well-worn City Directories of remote dates, volumes of Patent Office
Reports for the years '57 and '59, a copy of Mr. GREELEY'S Essays on
Political Economy, an edition of the Corporation Manual, the Coast
Survey for 1850, and other inflaming statistical works, which had been
sent to him in his exile by thoughtful friends who had no place to keep
them.

"Cheer up, brother!" exhorted the good Gospeler, "I'll send you some
nice theological volumes to add to your library, which will then be
complete. Be not despondent. All will come right yet."

"I reckon it will, in time," returned the youth, moodily. "I suppose you
know that my sister is determined to come here and stay with me?"

"Yes, MONTGOMERY, I have heard of her noble resolution. May her
conversation prove sustaining to you."

"There will be enough of it, I reckon, to sustain half a dozen people,"
was the despondent answer. "This is a gloomy place for her, Mr. SIMPSON,
situated, as it is, immediately over the offices of a Comic Paper."

"And do you think she would care for cheerful accessories while you are
in sorrow?" asked the Gospeler, reproachfully.

"But it is so mournful--that floor below," persisted the brother,
doubtfully. "If there were only something the least bit more lively down
there--say an Undertaker's."

"A Sister's Love can lessen the most crushing gloom, MONTGOMERY."

A silent pressure of the hand rewarded this encouraging reminder of
sanguine friendship; and, after the depressed law-student had promised
the Reverend OCTAVIUS to walk with him as far as the ferry in a few
moments, the said Reverend departed for a hasty call upon the old lawyer
across the street.