_Home_--yes, it was home; for they had much to redeem the miseries
of want within those bare cabin walls, for gentle hearts and kindly
smiles were there. There
"The mother sang at the twilight fall,
To the babe half slumbering on her knee."
There his brother and sisters played; there his associations, his
hopes, his wishes, were all centered. When he arrived at farmer
Watkins's, and was sent into the large carpeted kitchen, everything
was so unlike this home, that his fortitude almost gave way, and it
was as much as he could do, as he told his mother afterwards, "to
keep from bursting right out." Mrs. Watkins looked very cross, nor
did she notice him, except to order him to stand out of the way of
the red-armed girl who was preparing supper and placing it on a
table in the ample apartment. Johnny looked with amazement at the
great dishes of meat, and plates of hot biscuit, but the odour of
the steaming coffee, and the heat, were almost too much for him, as
he had eaten nothing since morning, for he was too sorry to leave
home to care about dinner. The girl, noticing that his pale face
grew paler, laughingly drew her mistress's attention to "master's
new boy."
"Go out and bring in some wood for the stove," said Mrs. Watkins,
sharply; "the air will do you good."
Johnny went out, and, in a few minutes, felt revived.
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