Our Gentleman Boarder 



lies. No, I tell ye, Miss Mary," she went 

 on, quite earnestly, " I don't think I could 

 go through with it again to-day, not if it 

 was to fetch marketing for all the gentle- 

 men boarders in the world." 



'' Well, well," said Mary, "go along and 

 prepare those lettuces ; but I wish you 

 could get more accustomed to the streets, 

 Sukie, dear ; it would be better for your 

 health and comfort." 



To which Sukie, gathering up her baskets 

 and bags preparatory to departing, mur- 

 mured, '' O, if it's for health and comfort, 

 give me four good walls, say I ;" and really, 

 considering that she never had any com- 

 plaint from one year's end to another, her 

 remark was not without weight. 



Then Mary and Mother began picking 

 over the cherries for tea, and Mother gave 

 me four for myself, joined two and two by 

 their stalks, which I hung over my ears by 

 way of decoration. They discussed the 

 expected guest until I burned with curiosity 

 to see him. 



" Old Mr. Trevanion tells your Father 

 that the young gentleman is very melan- 

 choly at times," said Mother, thoughtfully. 



I plucked Mary's sleeve. " What's melan- 

 choly ? " I asked under my breath. 



"Low spirited," she replied, "like you 



