e heard of the place. A small country town, is it not?"

Paul answered in the affirmative.

"How did you happen to leave Wrenville, and come to New York?"

Paul blushed, and hesitated a moment.

"I ran away," he said at length, determined to keep nothing back.

"Ran away! Not from home, I hope."

"I had no home," said Paul, soberly. "I should never have left there, if
my father had not died. Then I was thrown upon the world. I was sent
to the Poorhouse. I did not want to go, for I thought I could support
myself."

"That is a very honorable feeling. I suppose you did not fare very well
at the Poorhouse."

In reply, Paul detailed some of the grievances to which he had been
subjected. Mrs. Danforth listened with sympathizing attention.

"You were entirely justified in running away," she said, as he
concluded. "I can hardly imagine so great a lack of humanity as these
people showed. You are now, I hope, pleasantly situated?"

"Yes," said Paul, "Mr. and Mrs. Cameron treat me with as great kindness
as if I were their own child."

"Cameron! Is not that the name of the sexton of our church?" said Mrs.
Danforth, meditatively.

"It is with him that I have a pleasant home."

"Indeed, I am glad to hear it. You have been attending school, I
suppose."

"Yes, it is not more than two months since I left off school."

"And now I suppose you are thinking of entering upon some business."

"Yes; I have been trying to obtain a place in some merchant's
counting-room."

"You think, then, that you would like the career of a merchant?"

"There is nothing that would suit me better."

"You have not succeeded in obtaining a place yet, I suppose?"

"No. They are very difficult to get, and I have no influential friends
to assist me."

"I have heard Mr. Danforth say that he experienced equal difficulty when
he came to New York, a poor boy."

Paul looked surprised.

"I see that you are surprised," said Mrs. Danforth, smiling. "You think,
perhaps, judging from what you see, that my husband was always rich. But
he was the son of a poor farmer, and was obliged to make his own way in
the world. By the blessing of God, he has been prospered in business and
become rich. But he often speaks of his early discouragements and small
beginnings. I am sorry he is not here this evening. By the way, he left
word for you to call at his counting-room to-morrow, at eleven o'clock.
I will give you his address."

She handed Paul a card cont