"'S this all the furniture you've got?"

Mrs. Carr colored, and looked appealingly at Mercy; but Mercy laughed,
and replied as she would have answered her own grandfather,--

"Oh, no, not all we have! We have five more rooms furnished. It is all we
have for this room, however. These rooms are all larger than our rooms
were at home, and so the things look scanty. But I shall get more by
degrees."

"Hm! hm! Want any thing out o' my lumber-room? Have it's well's not.
Things no good to anybody."

"Oh, no, thank you, Mr. Wheeler. We have all we need. I could not think of
taking any thing more from you. We are under great obligation to you now
for the clock," said Mercy; and Mrs. Carr bewilderedly ejaculated, "Oh,
no, sir,--no, sir! There isn't any call for you to give us any thin'."

While they were speaking, the old man was rapidly going out of the house;
with quick, short steps like a child, and tapping his cane on the floor at
every step. In the doorway he halted a moment, and, without looking back,
said, "Well, well, let me know, if you do want any thing. Have it's well's
not," and he was gone.

"Oh, Mercy! he's crazy, sure's you're alive. You'll get took up for hevin'
this clock. Whatever made you take it, child?" exclaimed Mrs. Carr,
walking round and round the clock, and dusting it here and there with a
corner of her apron.