nd
encased in glass there was a floral wreath made of hair of different
shades and one of white, waxen-looking flowers, with a vaguely mortuary
suggestion in their arrangement. There was a basket of wax fruit under a
shade on the centre table, a silver ice-water pitcher on a salver, and
two photograph albums whose binding had become loosened by much handling.
There was also a book with a red and gold cover, bearing in ornate
letters the title "Life of General Robert Lee."

"The rooms are not lawge," the lady said, "but they are furnished with
the things I brought from my fawther's house in Virginia. My fawther was
Judge Burford, of the Burford family of England. There's a Lord Burford
in England, we always heard. It is a very old family."

She looked as if she found a vague comfort in the statement, and Tom did
not begrudge it to her. She looked very worn and anxious, and he felt it
almost possible that during the last few months she might not always have
had quite enough to eat.

"I never thawt in the days when I was Judge Burford's dawtah of
Burfordsville," she explained, "that I should come to Washington to take
boarders. There was a time when it was thawt in Virginia that Judge
Burford might reach the White House if he would allow himself to be
nominated. It's a great change of circumstances. Did you want board with
the rooms?"

"Well----" began Tom.

She interrupted him in some little hurry.

"I'm afraid it wouldn't be convenient for me to board anyone," she said;
"I've not been accustomed to providing for boarders, and I'm not
conveniently situated. If--if you preferred to economize----"

"We do," said Tom. "We have come to look up a claim, and people on that
business are pretty safe to have to economize, I've been told!"

"Ah, a claim!" she ejaculated, with combined interest and reverence.
"Indeed, you are quite right about its being necessary to economize.
Might I enqu'ah if it is a large one?"

"I believe it is," Tom answered; "and it's not likely to be put through
in a month, and we have not money enough to keep us in luxury for much
more. Probably we shall be able to make it last longer if we take rooms
and buy our own food."

"I'm sure you would, suh," she answered, with a little eager flush on her
cheek. "When people provide for themselves, they can sometimes do
without--things." She added the last word hurriedly and gave a little
cough which sounded nervous.

It was finally agreed that they s