36 J. COLE.

everything of value, is in his pantry, and he
is a very young boy to trust. One of the
women servants should take charge of the
plate-chest, I think. Where does this para-
gon sleep?”

“Down-stairs,” I said, ‘next to the kitchen,
at the back of the house; and you should
see how carefully every night he looks to
the plate-basket, counts everything, and then
asks Mrs. Wilson to see it is right, locks
it up, and gives her the key to take care of.
No one can either open or carry away an
iron safe easily, and there is nothing else
worth taking; besides, I know Joe is honest,
I feel it.”

“Well, I hope so, dear,’ was my husband’s
reply, but I could see he was not quite com-
fortable about it.

At dinner that day Joe had an accident;
he was dreadfully nervous, as usual, and when
waiting, he forgot to attend to my guests
first, but always came to me. The pazrlor-
maid, a new one, and not a great favorite
with Joe, made matters worse by correcting
him in an audible voice; and once, when