Little Tommy was the only child of a somewhat late marriage, Captain Pell having followed the sea round and round the world until it gave him a competence, before he thought of settling himself. Being by that time a little rheumatic and weather-beaten, he provided in the first place the snuggest of all possible dwellings, with holes in the closet shelves to stick spoons and glasses in, and all the settees ingeniously contrived to serve for lockers, so as to have everything convenient.' When all was fitted out and abundantly stored, the captain bethought him that a mate was necessary to keep things right; and he soon fixed upon a person for that responsible situation. This was Mrs. Beulah Beers, the comely widow of a nautical friend, who had some years before died in his berth, like one of Hood's heroes. This lady had no family, and she stepped from a very similar home quite naturally into Captain Pell's, bringing with her so many additions to his outfit for the voyage of life, that the most fastidious worshipper of worldly conveniences would have owned that nothing could be added to render the worthy couple more completely unfit to live anywhere else.

After these hints, one need not say that both Captain and Mrs. Pell were rather particular people, but the timely advent of little Tommy upon the stage prevented them from turning into absolute tee-totums, since he now occupied a large share of the attention which had formerly been concentrated upon a double-self.

But here trouble had arisen-and so unexpectedly; and all through Mrs. Pell's headlong determination to go ever so far to visit a nephew who had just married a rich wife!

What good will her riches do you?' said Captain Pell, who was vexed almost beyond the amenities.

you? She will not give you any of them.'

What good will they do

'I don't want any, thank fortune,' said Mrs. Pell; but Putnam