journey; and the farmer's wife as earnestly remonstrated against any
attempt at having the injured man disturbed until it could be
perfectly safe to do so. Both tendered the hospitalities of their
humble home with so much sincerity, that Mr. Bolton felt that he
could accept of them with perfect freedom.

It was a whole month ere the old gentleman was in a condition to
bear the journey to town; and not once in the whole of that time had
Mr. and Mrs. Gray seemed weary of his presence, nor once relaxed in
their efforts to make him comfortable. As Mr. Bolton was about
leaving, he tendered the farmer, with many expressions of gratitude
for the kindness he had received, a hundred-dollar bill, as some
small compensation for the trouble and expense he had occasioned him
and his family. But Mr. Gray declined the offer, saying, as he did
so:

"I have only done what common humanity required, Mr. Bolton; and
were I to receive money, all the pleasure I now experience would be
gone."

It was in vain that Mr. Bolton urged the farmer's acceptance of some
remuneration. Mr. Gray was firm in declining to the last. All that
could be done was to send Mrs. Gray a handsome present from the
city; but this did not entirely relieve the mind of Mr. Bolton from
the sense of obligation under which the disinterested kindness of
the farmer had laid him; and thoughts of this tended to soften his
feelings, and to awaken, in a small measure, the human sympathies
which had so long slumbered in his bosom.

Several months passed before Mr. Bolton was able to go out, and then