"I don't exactly know, Budge, but if they do, the little boy-
angels have plenty of other little boy-angels to play with, so
they can't very well be lonesome."

"Well, I don't b'leeve they could make ME happy, when I wanted to
see my papa an' mamma. When I haven't got anybody to play with,
then I want papa an' mamma SO bad--so bad as if I would die if I
didn't see 'em right away."

I was shaving, and only half-done, but I hastily wiped off my
face, dropped into a rocking-chair, took the forlorn little boy
into my arms, and kissed him, caressed him, sympathized with him,
and devoted myself entirely to the task and pleasure of comforting
him. His sober little face gradually assumed a happier appearance;
his lips parted in such lines as no old master ever put upon angel
lips; his eyes from being dim and hopeless, grew warm and lustrous
and melting. At last he said:--

"Uncle Harry, I'm EVER so happy now. An' can't Mike go around with
me and the goat all the time you're away riding? An' bring us home
some candy, an' marbles--oh, yes--an' a new dog."

Anxious as I was to hurry off to meet my engagement, I was rather
disgusted as I unseated Budge and returned to my razor. So long as
he was lonesome and I was his only hope, words couldn't express
his devotion, but the moment he had, through my efforts, regained
his spirits, his only use for me was to ask further favors. Yet in
trying the poor boy, judicially, the evidence was more dangerous
to humanity in general than to Budge; it threw a great deal of