his place by
steady application to business during business hours.

Hitherto, Arthur had never had anything to say to him, beyond what was
necessary in the store, having intuitively shunned him as an unfit
associate. Now, however, he felt that any companion was better than
solitude, for the unoccupied Sabbath hours; and although a sense of
shame filled his breast, that he should ever have given the opportunity
to such a man to approach him thus familiarly, he crushed it with an
effort, and extending his hand, exclaimed, in a hearty tone:

"Glad to see you, Quirk; whither bound?"

"Anywhere that I can get company," returned the other, giving Arthur's
hand a close grasp. "This is the only day, you know, that a clerk has to
himself, and I always make it a point to have a deuce of a time to begin
the week with."

And the fellow burst into a loud laugh.

Arthur withdrew his hand hastily, and an expression of disgust swept
over his fine features. The quick eye of the other did not fail to
detect it, and, eager to retain the vantage he had gained, he said:

"You musn't mind my easy expressions, Pratt; they come to me somehow
like second nature, and I can't help them; just let 'em pass; and tell
me what you'd like to visit to-day, and what you'd like to see, and I'll
show it to you; for there's no sight in this city that I ain't as used
to as measuring tape."

"I've never been accustomed to go sight-seeing on Sunday," said Arthur,
in a hesitating tone.

"That was because you were never accustomed to working every week-day
before."

"No, it was because I was strictly taught to 'Remember the Sabbath-day,
and keep it holy.'"

"Fiddlesticks! all that'll do in the North, where folks put on their
long faces every Sunday, and go to church, rain or shine, and don't cook
any dinners, and don't read anything but pious books, but such things
ain't expected here of anybody. Why, this is always a holiday here--the
military companies are always drilled on Sunday, the best races are
reserved for Sunday, the best plays at the theatre are on Sunday nights,
and so are the best balls. Ha! ha! to talk of keeping this day holy
here."

"You shock me!" said Arthur, with a shudder.

"Just what every young prig from the North is sure to say at first, but
they get to be one of the 'fast ones' at last. I was quite sober myself
when I first came here. I was from the land of steady habits, ye
see--the only son of my mother, and she was a w