u have so much better a house than other
men of your station ever have?"

"Well, Hannah, my dear, it is partly accident and partly design in the
judge. You see, this house used to be the mansion of the planters
theirselves, until the present master, when he was first married, built
the great house back in the woods, and then, 'stead of pulling this one
down, he just 'pointed it to be the dwelling of the overseer; for it is
the pleasure of the judge to make all his people as comfortable as it is
possible for them to be," answered Reuben. As he spoke, Phillis placed
the last dish upon the table, and they all took their seats and
commenced breakfast.

As soon as the meal was over, Ishmael said:

"Now, Uncle Reuben, if you will give me those farm books you were
wanting me to arrange, I will make a commencement."

"No, you won't, Ishmael, my lad. You have worked yourself nearly to
death this winter and spring, and now, please the Lord, you shall do no
more work for a month. When I picked you up for dead that day, I
promised the Almighty Father to be a father to you; so, Ishmael, you
must regard me as such, when I tell you that you are to let the books
alone for a whole month longer, until your health is restored. So just
get your hat and come with us; I am going to show your aunt over the
place."

Ishmael smiled and obeyed. And all three went out together. And oh! with
how much pride Reuben displayed the treasures of her little place to
his long-loved Hannah. He showed her her cows and pigs and sheep; and
her turkeys and geese and hens; and her beehives and garden and orchard.

"And this isn't all, either, Hannah, my dear! We can have as much as we
want for family use, of all the rare fruits and vegetables from the
greenhouses and hotbeds up at Tanglewood; and, besides that, we have the
freedom of the fisheries and the oyster beds, too; so you see, my dear,
you will live like any queen! Thank the Lord!" said Reuben, reverently
raising his hat.

"And oh, Reuben, to think that you should have saved all this happiness
for me, poor, faded, unworthy me!" sighed his wife.

"Why, law, Hannah, who else should I have saved it for but my own dear
old sweetheart? I never so much as thought of another."

"With all these comforts about you, you might have married some blooming
young girl."

"Lord, dear woman, I ha'n't much larnin', nor much religion, more's the
pity; but I hope I have conscience enough to keep me from doing a