cleaned floor, and leaving the prints of his muddy boots thereon.

The fact must here be candidly stated, that Charlie was not a tidy boy. He
despised mats, and seldom or never wiped his feet on entering the house; he
was happiest when he could don his most dilapidated unmentionables, as he
could then sit down where he pleased without the fear of his mother before
his eyes, and enter upon a game of marbles with his mind perfectly free
from all harassing cares growing out of any possible accident to the
aforesaid garments, so that he might give that attention to the game that
its importance demanded.

He was a bright-faced pretty boy, clever at his lessons, and a favourite
both with tutors and scholars. He had withal a thorough boy's fondness for
play, and was also characterised by all the thoughtlessness consequent
thereon. He possessed a lively, affectionate disposition, and was generally
at peace with all the world, his sister Caddy excepted.

Caroline had recovered her breath, and her mind being soothed by the
judgment that had been pronounced on Master Charlie, she began to bustle
about to prepare tea.

The shining copper tea-kettle was brought from the stove where it had been
seething and singing for the last half-hour; then the tea-pot of china
received its customary quantity of tea, which was set upon the stove to
brew, and carefully placed behind the stove pipe that no accidental touch
of the elbow might bring it to destruction. Plates, knives, and teacups
came rattling forth from the closet; the butter was brought from the place
where it had been placed to keep it cool, and a corn-cake was soon smoking
on the table, and sending up its seducing odour into the room over-head to
which Charlie had been recently banished, causing to that unfortunate young