f yours, Mrs. Prency,--with that young lady that seems to me to be too
good to talk to any young man that lives in this town. He is very fond
of her, though; nobody can help seein' that."

"I suppose he is," said Mrs. Prency, with an embarrassed manner. "Young
men have very quick perceptions and correct tastes in matters of that
kind, you know."

"Yes, ma'am," said the cobbler, "and they don't differ much from young
women. Seems to me your daughter, ma'am, seems to think a good deal of
him, too. Well, I don't wonder at it, for he's the finest lookin' young
feller anywhere about here; an' if they go to thinkin' more and more of
each other as they go on, you would like him to be a good deal better
man than he is."

The judge's wife dropped her eyes and seemed in doubt for an instant as
to whether to be angry or only amused. Finally she looked up frankly
and said,

"Mr. Kimper, you're a parent and so am I. I see you have been putting
yourself in my place. It is quite natural that you should do so, and it
is very creditable to you that you have done it in the way you have.
You are quite right in your surmise; but may I ask why you have spoken
to me about it in this way?"

"That's just what I was comin' to, ma'am," said the cobbler. "I've got
a daughter, too. I suppose you think she ain't fit to be mentioned in
the same day with that glorious gal of yours."

"Oh, Mr. Kimper!" murmured the lady.

"Well if you don't, I don't see how you can help doin' it; that's all.
Your daughter is a lady. She shows in her everythin' that there is in
her father and mother, an' everybody knows that they're the finest
people hereabouts. My child is the daughter of a thief an' a brawler
an' a loafer, an' she's a servant in a common hotel, which is about as
low down, I s'pose, as any gal can get in this town that don't go to
the bad entirely. Mrs. Prency, that gal has broke my heart. I don't
have no influence over her at all. You want me to help you out about
your daughter. I am goin' to do it just as far as heaven will give me
the strength to do it. Now I want to throw myself right at your feet
an' beg you, for the love of God, to try to do somethin' for _my_
child."

"Why, Mr. Kimper, certainly," said the judge's wife. "I am very glad
you spoke to me about her. But, really, I have tried to do a great deal
for her. While you were away I used to send clothing to your wife for
her, so that the child might be able always to make a proper