Jom learns a new Lesson. 14%

Pe re ee

shut. He was just going to knock as usual,
and say, “It’s me, Benjamin!” when he re-
membered Benjamin was not there. So he
knocked, and said instead, “It’s me, Matty |”
and ina minute she opened the door. Her
eyes were quite red with crying, and when
she saw him she began to cry again.

“Don't,” said Tom—‘ don’t. I’ve come to
comfort you.”

He walked into the kitchen; the fire was
blazing, and the canary-bird singing, and the
black cat sleeping by the fender. Only the
arm-chair stood empty, and old Benjamin was
gone. Tom did not drag out the little
wooden chair, but went close to Matty, who
had stopped crying, and was wiping her eyes
with her apron.

“You shouldn't cry,” he said; “he wanted
to go. He’s been waiting a long time for his
call. He told me so himself, Matty.”

“He was very fond of you, Master Tom,”
said she.

“TI wanted him to stay longer, just like

)

you, said Tom. “TI didn’t want him to go