grandeur of beneficence in his mien.

Lucina nodded meekly.

Jerome drew out a great handful of strange articles from his pocket,
and they might, from his manner of handling them, have been gold
pieces and jewels. There were old buttons, a bit of chalk, and a stub
of slate-pencil. There were a horse-chestnut and some grains of
parched sweet-corn and a dried apple-core. There were other things
which age and long bondage in the pocket had brought to such passes
that one could scarcely determine their identities. From all this
Jerome selected one undoubted treasure--a great jagged cut of
sassafras root. It had been nicely scraped, too, and looked white and
clean.

"Here," said Jerome.

"Don't you want it?" asked Lucina, shyly.

"No--had a great piece twice as big as that yesterday. Know where
there's lots more in the cedar swamp. Here, take it."

"Thank you," said Lucina, and took it, and fumbled nervously after
her little pocket.

"Why don't you eat it?" asked Jerome, and Lucina took an obedient
little nibble.

"Ain't that good and strong?"