dinner one day, exclaiming, in great glee: 'I've found old Joe! A
messenger came with a letter to me, and when I looked up to give my
answer, there stood a tall, grizzled fellow, as straight as a
ramrod, grinning from ear to ear, with his hand to his temple,
saluting me in regular style. "Don't you remember Joe Collins,
Colonel? Awful glad to see you, sir," said he. And then it all came
back, and we had a good talk, and I found out that the poor old boy
was down on his luck, and almost friendless, but as proud and
independent as ever, and bound to take care of himself while he had
a leg to stand on. I've got his address, and mean to keep an eye on
him, for he looks feeble and can't make much, I'm sure.'

"We were all very glad, and Joe came to see us, and Papa sent him on
endless errands, and helped him in that way till he went to New
York. Then, in the fun and flurry of the holidays, we forgot all
about Joe, till Papa came home and missed him from his post. I said
I'd go and find him; so Harry and I rummaged about till we did find
him, in a little house at the North End, laid up with rheumatic
fever in a stuffy back room, with no one to look after him but the
washerwoman with whom he boarded.

"I was SO sorry we had forgotten him! but HE never complained, only
said, with his cheerful grin,' I kinder mistrusted the Colonel was
away, but I wasn't goin' to pester him.' He tried to be jolly,
though in dreadful pain; called Harry 'Major,' and was so grateful
for all we brought him, though he didn't want oranges and tea, and
made us shout when I said, like a goose, thinking that was the
proper thing to do, 'Shall I bathe your brow, you are so feverish?'

"'No, thanky, miss, it was swabbed pretty stiddy to the horsepittle,