th was spread on the little deal table. On this table were
placed tea-things, a loaf of bread, and some watercresses. A cat was
purring on the hearth, and a kettle was boiling on the fire.

Near the window, in a large arm-chair, sat an old woman, with a Bible on
her knees. She appeared happy and contented, and her countenance
expressed cheerfulness and good temper. After reading for some time with
great attention, she paused to look from the window into the lane, as if
expecting to see some one. She listened as if for a footstep; but all
was silent. She read again for about ten minutes longer, and then
closing the Sacred Volume, rose, and, having laid the Book carefully on
a shelf, opened the door, and went out into the garden, whence she could
see farther into the lane, and remained for a considerable time leaning
over the little wicket gate, in anxious expectation.

"What can be the reason that Ned is so late?" she said, half aloud, to
herself. "He always hastens home to his poor old grandmother as soon as
he has done work. What can make him an hour later than usual? I hope
nothing has happened to him. But, hush!" she continued, after a few
minutes' pause, "surely I hear him coming now."

She was not mistaken, for in a minute or two Ned appeared, running quite
fast up the lane, and in a few moments more he was standing by her side,
panting and breathless.

"Dear grandmother," he exclaimed, as soon as he had recovered breath
enough to speak, "I have a great deal of good news to tell you. Farmer
Tomkyns says he will employ me all through the winter, and pay me the
same wages that he does now. This is one piece of good news. And the
other is, that Mr. Stockwell, the greengrocer, will buy all my apricots,
and give me a good price for them. I am to take them to him next
market-day. I had to wait more than half-an-hour before I could speak to
him, and that made me so late. O how beautiful they are!" continued he,
gazing with admiration at the tree. "O grandmother, how happy I am!"

His grandmother smiled, and said she was glad to hear this good news.
"And now come in and have your tea, child," she added; "for I am sure
you must be hungry."

"O grandmother," said Ned, as they sat at tea, "now that Mr. Stockwell
will buy the fruit, you will be able to have a cloak to keep you warm
this winter. It often used to grieve me, last year, to see you obliged
to go to church such bitter cold weather, with only that thin old shawl