h I will. Jist ask what you want to know, and I'll tell
it."

"Who was she, Ben? I've asked my mother often, but she always answered,
that the child, while a mere infant, was seen one day wandering on the
banks of the river, quite alone. At night, she came up to the house, and
was found asleep on the door-step--from that day to this, she has never
been inquired after, but dropped into the family naturally as a
pet-bird. I loved her the better for having no friends--for belonging
entirely to us."

Ben drew the back of one hand across his eyes and dropped into his
lounging attitude again.

"But, yet, she had one friend, Mister Ralph."

"And, who was that?"

"Ben Benson--as carried her up to that ere identical door-step, and laid
her down like the babes in the woods--a knowing in his heart all the
time, that Mrs. Harrington would take her in the minute she sot her eyes
on her purty face."

"You know who she was, then?"

"I ought to," answered Ben, "for she was my own sister's child."

"Your sister's child!"

"You wouldn't a belaved it; for the mother of that gal was like a water
lily, fresh from the pond, when I run away from hum and went to sea."

"Well," said Ralph, breathless.

"The old man died a little while after I ran off, and so the poor little
thing was left alone, to fight her way through the world. She had more
larning than ever could be driv into my brain, and went into a rich
man's family to larn his children their letters. There was a young
feller in that house, as was likewise given to larning, a sickly, pale
chap, just a going into consumption. This chap loved the orphan gal, and
as her hard-hearted brother had deserted the helm, he stepped in and
took the craft amost without a summons."

"They got married somewhere down in York, and in less 'en three months
arter, the poor, young feller died--neither on 'em had plucked up
courage enough to tell the proud, old father, and the young man was took
off so suddenly at last, that he hadn't no chance."

"Lizzy was obliged to speak out arter this, but the certificate was
amongst his things, and the old folks pretended that it never could be
found. She didn't know where to find the minister as married 'em, and
so her husband's own father turned her out of doors. When I came ashore
two years arter, no one could tell me where she had gone; but a few
months arter I cast anchor in this ere land-craft, my poor sister came
here one night, leading a toddli