."

Mr. Allison did not reply for some minutes. He was undecided as to what
was best.

"Forty dollars," said he to himself, "is a pretty heavy discount. I
am almost tempted to refuse his offer and trust to Hall's renewing the
note. But suppose he won't--then I'm done for. I think, upon the whole,
I had better accept it. I'll put it at one hundred and twenty-five, my
good friend," said he, addressing the customer.

"No, sir; one hundred is all I shall give."

"Well, I suppose you must have it, then; but indeed you have got a
bargain."

"It is too bad," muttered Allison to himself, as he left the bank after
having paid his note. "There is just forty dollars thrown away. And why?
Simply because those who are blessed with the means of discharging their
debts promptly, neglect to do so."

"How did you make out to-day, George?" asked his wife, as they sat at
the tea-table that same evening.

"I met my note, and that was all."

"Did you give your men anything?"

"Not a cent. I had but one dollar left after paying that. I was sorry
for them, but I could not help them. I am afraid Robinson's family will
suffer, for there has been sickness in his house almost constantly for
the last twelvemonth. His wife, he told me the other day, had not been
out; of her bed for six weeks. Poor fellow! He looked quite dejected
when I told him I had nothing for him."

At this moment; the door-bell rang and a minute or two afterwards, a
young girl entered the room in which Mr. and Mrs. Allison were sitting.
Before introducing her to our readers, we will conduct them to the
interior of an obscure dwelling, situated near the outskirts of the
city. The room is small, and scantily furnished, and answers at once
for parlour, dining-room, and kitchen. Its occupants, Mrs. Perry and her
daughter, have been, since the earliest dawn of day, intently occupied
with their needles, barely allowing themselves time to partake of their
frugal meal.

"Half-past three o'clock!" ejaculated the daughter, her eyes glancing,
as she spoke, at the clock on the mantelpiece. "I am afraid we shall not
get this work done in time for me to take it home before dark, mother."

"We must try hard, Laura, for you know we have not a cent in the house,
and I told Mrs. Carr to come over to-night, and I would pay her what I
owe her for washing. Poor thing! I would not like to disappoint her, for
I know she needs it."

Nothing more was said for near twenty minutes, when