294 BRAGGADOCIO.

The house was unoccupied. With a feeling
of sadness he turned away, and walked to the
mills. There he inquired for Mr. Thomas
Mixon. He was shown into a neat, carpeted
office, where sat Thomas Mixon at a mahogany
desk, busily employed in writing.

Halloa, Tom! How are you?”

The well-known voice startled the writer ;
he grasped Howard by the hand, and almost
dislocated the young gentleman’s shoulder
with the heartiness of the shaking he gave
him.

A long conversation followed, in which Tom
informed Howard that he was now chemist and
general superintendent at the mills, receiving
from Mr. Monroe a salary of fifteen hundred
dollars a year, with the prospect of being
taken into partnership in the course of a few
years. Honest Mixon still remained at the
mills as overseer of the dyeing department.
They now occupied a neat house in the village,
and had faithful Molly for their servant and
housekeeper. :

Howard next went to visit the Rev. Mr.
Starr and his wife, at the Rectory. He waited