LOUIS DUVAL.

poor, could easily have been seen. There was but
little furniture in the room, and that was old: the
broken walls were patched with coarse paper; while,
cold and gloomy as was the weather-and April
weather, even in Paris, is often very cold and gloomy
-not a spark of fire was visible on the hearth. But,
in spite of these signs of poverty, there were signs
also of respectability in that garret. It was clean,
and so was the old woman, both in person and clothing;
so also was the boy. The dress of Margaret, espe-
cially, showed that she had seen better days. As to
that of Louis, it had not much, excepting its clean-
liness, to distinguish him from the children of other
poor families with which Paris abounded, and with
which all large cities abound. He had on a coarse
loose frock, and was barefoot. A pair of wooden
shoes, or sabots, as they are called in France, stood in
one corner of the garret, and from their small size, it
was evident they belonged to the boy, but probably
he had put them off to avoid making a noise in walk-
ing, or it may be to ease his feet, which were chilled
and swollen.
 Louis was seated on the ground, leaning against
his grandmother's knee, and looking up wistfully at
her wrinkled face. It was long past noon, and they
had not dined.
 Will my father come back soon, do you think,
grandmother ?" asked Louis, breaking a long silence.
 "I do not know, my poor boy," replied Margaret.
 If he should have succeeded in getting work, he will
 not be long, I think. It will be such good news."
 "And if he should not, grandmother," said the
boy, softly.
 Then he will not return till past nightfall, and,"
-Margaret stopped herself in what she was going