of being a hired girl, for I was as good a one as I knew how.
It was Mrs. Lossing that first lent me books; and Harry Lossing,
who is head of the firm now, got Ebenezer into the works.
Ebenezer is shipping-clerk with a good salary and stock
in the concern; and Ralph is there, learning the trade.
I went to the business-college and learned book-keeping,
and afterward I learned typewriting and shorthand.
I have been working for the firm for fourteen years.
We have educated the girls. Milly is married, and Kitty goes
to the boarding-school, here."

"Then you haven't been married yourself?"

"What time did I have to think of being married?
I had the family on my mind, and looking after them."

"That was more fortunate for your family than it was for my sex,"
said Nelson, gallantly. He accompanied the compliment by a glance
of admiration, extinguished in an eye-flash, for the white radiance
that had bathed the deck suddenly vanished.

"Now you will see a lovely sight," said the woman, deigning no reply
to his tribute; "listen! That is the signal."

The air was shaken with the boom of cannon. Once, twice, thrice.
Directly the boat-whistles took up the roar, making a hideous din.
The fleet had moved. Spouting rockets and Roman candles, which painted
above it a kaleidoscopic archway of fire, welcomed by answering javelins
of light and red and orange and blue and green flares from the shore;
the fleet bombarded the bridge, escorted Neptune in his car,