126 BRAGGADOCIO.

“You know, Mixon, (I believe that is your
name,) that I am a stranger and an English
boy.”

“My name is Tom. I did not know any-
thing about you.”

Tom, as he said this, cast a glance at the
stranger’s mourning clothes, and guessed that
he was anorphan. He himself was motherless.
Kind feeling prompted him to give a cordial
welcome to the melancholy stranger, and
without thinking of any disparity in their
condition, he frankly extended his hard hand,
saying :

“Mr. what-may-I-call-you, you are heartily
welcome to our country.”

“Call me Howard, or Framingham,” he
replied, twitching off his black glove, and
returning with his soft white hand, Tom’s
cordial shake.

“Do you know, Tom, you and your sister are
the first things in this country that I have
really liked ?”

“YT am sorry for that,” a Tom. ‘ There
are lots of other things that better deserve
your liking than I do. Bessie is a smart lit-