among the needy. I studied
the theories of tenement houses and hygiene, and became a leading spirit
in several charitable organizations.

I renewed also my old habit of reading, and no longer confined myself to
the philosophic and dry subjects pursued under Mr. Fleisch. But I was
conscious that the zest which I felt in renewing a wider range of study
was due to the fact of my having acquired from his instruction a degree
of industry and a power to appreciate that I had not previously
possessed. At the suggestion of Mr. Chelm, whom I allured to chat with
me regarding outside subjects when my business was finished, I read with
regularity the leading newspapers and magazines. A familiarity with the
former he declared to be indispensable to a knowledge of current
affairs, and also that much of the freshest and most valuable thought of
the day was first made public through the medium of periodicals. This
practice received likewise the approval of Aunt Helen, who assured me
that she always felt lost for the day if she had not looked at the
Deaths and Marriages.

One of my first steps had been to ask Aunt Helen to come and live with
me; to which she finally consented, though the consequent necessity of
disestablishing her cosey little parlor, upon the embellishment of which
she had spent the overflow of her income for years, cost her many a
pang. But she was a far-seeing woman, and had I dare say, while
accepting my offer, a delightful vision of helping me to live up to the
duties of my position. I can only say that she soon began to impress the
importance of this upon me by hints more or less palpable; and it was
not long before she was to all intents and purposes the real
house-keeper. It was still, to be sure, I that ordered the dinners and
engaged the servants, but even in these minor details I was alive to her
suggestions; while in the matter of the general direction of what went
on, her wishes were supreme. At first I was too sad to be other than
indifferent; and later it was a relief to me to have taken off my
shoulders the bother of many things which I felt instinctively ought to
be done. I could trust Aunt Helen's taste; and so she had my tacit
permission to follow out her own inclinations in the way of change and
improvements. Under her supervision the house was almost entirely
refurnished and adorned with the most exquisite specimens of upholstery
and bric-a-brac obtainable. So too, as time went on, she increased