twilight stairs to the lofty floor immediately over the saddened rooms
occupied by a great American Comic Paper, came into a spidery garret
where lurked MONTGOMERY PENDRAGON,

"Hard at it?" he asked, approaching a ricketty table at which sat the
persecuted Southerner, reading a volume of HOYLE'S Games.

"My only friend!" ejaculated the lonely reader, hurriedly covering the
book with an arm. "I am, as you see, studying law here, all alone with
these silent friends."

He waved his thin hand toward a rude shelf on which were several
well-worn City Directories of remote dates, volumes of Patent Office
Reports for the years '57 and '59, a copy of Mr. GREELEY'S Essays on
Political Economy, an edition of the Corporation Manual, the Coast
Survey for 1850, and other inflaming statistical works, which had been
sent to him in his exile by thoughtful friends who had no place to keep
them.

"Cheer up, brother!" exhorted the good Gospeler, "I'll send you some
nice theological volumes to add to your library, which will then be
complete. Be not despondent. All will come right yet."

"I reckon it will, in time," returned the youth, moodily. "I suppose you
know that my sister is determined to come here and stay with me?"

"Yes, MONTGOMERY, I have heard of her noble resolution. May her
conversation prove sustaining to you."

"There will be enough of it, I reckon, to sustain half a dozen people,"