THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH. 289 



My experience of old Pennsylvania houses in autumn 

 is not very extensive, but I have met them here, and 

 know^ certainly that they abound." 



"I have never passed a winter," said the Doctor, 

 " without hearing their music in our parsonage, and I 

 have often heard it in my various preaching tours 

 while domiciled in country hotels and houses." 



"Hark!" cried the Mistress, springing to her feet. 

 The suddenness of the movement and the sharpness 

 of the exclamation startled us all into silence. Every 

 eye was turned wonderingly upon the Mistress, who 

 stood erect in the ruddy glow of the hickory-wood fire, 

 pointing with one arm toward the upper corner of the 

 chimney. 



'"'' Crick-crr-rv-ick I — rr-r-rick /" 



The silence was broken by a shrill, creaking note 

 issuing apparently from a pot of artificial flowers that 

 stood on one side of the broad stone mantle-piece. 



It was the " Cricket on the Hearth !" 



A merry laugh and a hearty round of applause from 

 clapping hands greeted the advent of the little musi- 

 cian whose timely note had now settled the question 

 which the Schoolma'am had raised. 



Old Dan looked up from his low perch, and rolled his 

 eyes and rocked his body in ecstasy. " Dar it be, dar 

 it be !" he exclaimed. " Dar's good luck shore to de noo 

 family in de ole house. De sperits uv de ole folks lies 

 come back, en dar's a blessin in it ! Hi, yi ! Ho, ho, 

 ho !" 



Dan's speech awoke a fresh burst of merriment, in 



