192 Turnaside Cottage.

had this fresh interest to keep them from fretting
after Tommy ; and after many promises exacted by
them, that I would come in and see them soon again
and have a good talk, I hastened on to my master,
who indeed was so anxious to hear how I had sped
that I met him on the road a little way out of the
town. He augured well from my account ; and in
fact, after three days of suspense, I received the
appointment to the mastership of the school,
together with a request that I would begin as early
as possible upon my new duties.

My story is nearly finished ; but before we part,
gentle reader, I should like to introduce you to my
present home. For the dream of my boyhood is
fulfilled, and I am a village schoolmaster. The
schoolhouse stands on high ground a little way out
of the village, and our pretty cottage is close beside
it. Isay our cottage, for my dear master is still
the sunshine of my home. When first I was ap-
pointed, I dared not propose to him to come to me,
knowing his almost cat-like clinging to old haunts
and old associations, and we had a few tedious days
when each was waiting for the other to speak ; but
we each discovered the other’s wishes at the same
moment, and I had from that time no drawback to
the pleasure with which I prepared for my new post.
Shortly after we were settled here, I received a