d put his hand on Grannie's
shoulder.

"You aint likely to have a rise in your wages soon, are you, Dave?"

"Oh, yes, I am! arter a bit," he answered. "Mr. Groves is real pleased
with me. He says I am a steady lad, and he often sets me to cast up
accounts for him, and do little odds and ends of jobs. He says he has
always railed against the School Board, but sometimes, when he sees how
tidy I can write, and how well I can read and spell, he's inclined to
change his mind."

"And what rise will he give?" said Grannie, whose mind was entirely
fixed on the money part of the question.

"Well, maybe a shilling more a week, when the first year is out."

"And that 'll be----"

"Next March, Grannie; not so long coming round."

"Yes," she replied, "yes." In spite of herself, her voice had a sad
note in it. "Well, you see, Dave, you can't keep yourself on half a
crown a week."

"I wish I could," he answered, looking dispirited, "but I thought you
were content. Is there anything that worries you, old lady?"

"No, that there aint, my brave boy. You stick to your work and please
your master; you're safe to get on."

"I wish I could support myself," said David. "I wish I knew shorthand;
that's the thing. A lad who knows shorthand, and can write and spell
as well as I can, can earn his ten shillings a week easy."

"Ten shillings a week," said Grannie. "Lor' save us, what a power of
money!"

"It's true," said David; "there's a lad who was at school with me--his
name was Phil Martin--he managed to pick up shorthand, and he's earning
ten shillings a week now. He's a bit younger than I am, too. He won't
be fifteen for two months yet."

"Shorthand?" said Grannie, in her reflective voice; "that's writing,
aint it?"

"Why, to be sure, Grannie; only a different sort of writing."

"Still, you call it writing, don't you?"

"To be sure I do."

"Then, for the Lord's sake, don't have anythink to do with it, David.
Ef there is a mischievous, awful thing in the world, it's handwriting.
I only do it twice a year, and it has finished me, my lad--it has
finished me out and out. No, don't talk of it--keep your half a crown
a week, and don't be tempted with no handwriting, short or long."

David looked puzzled and distressed; Grannie's words did not amuse him
in the least--they were spoken with great passion, with a rising color
in the little old cheeks, and a flash of almost fever in the bright
eyes. Grannie had alwa