"Well, I'm sure he must be!" cried Willie with enthusiasm, "for he is very kind to me, and also to many poor folk that come about him regularly. I'm gettin' to know their faces now, and when to expect 'em. He always takes 'em into his back room--all sorts, old men and old women an' children, most of 'em seedy enough, but some of 'em well off to _look_ at. What he says to 'em I don't know, but they usually come out very grave, an go away thankin' him, and sayin' they won't forget his advice. If the advice is to come back soon they certainly _don't_ forget it! And he's a great philosopher, too, mother, for he often talks to me about my int'lec's. He said jist t'other day, `Willie,' said he, `get into a habit o' usin' yer brains, my boy. The Almighty put us into this world well-made machines, intended to be used in all our parts. Now, you'll find thousands of people who use their muscles and neglect their brains, and thousands of others who use their brains and neglect their muscles. Both are wrong, boy; we're machines, lad-- wonderful machines--and the machines won't work well if they're not used _all_ over.' Don't that sound grand, mother?" Willie might have received an answer if he had waited for one, but he was too impatient, and went rattling on. "And who d'ye think, mother, came to see old Tippet the other day, but little Cattley, the clown's boy. You remember my tellin' you about little Cattley and the auction, don't you?" "Yes, Willie." "Well, he came, and just as he was goin' away I ran out an' asked him how the fairy was. `She's very ill,' he said, shakin' his head, and lookin' so mournful that I had not the heart to ask more. But I'm goin' to see them, mother." "That's right, my boy," said Mrs Willders, with a pleased look; "I like to hear you talk of going to see people in distress. `Blessed are they that consider the poor,' Willie." "Oh, as to that, you know, I don't know that they _are_ poor. Only I feel sort o' sorry for 'em, somehow, and I'm awful anxious to see a real live fairy, even though she _is_ ill." "When are you going?" inquired Mrs Willders. "To-morrow night, on my way home." "Did you look in at Frank's lodging in passing to-night?" "Yes, I did, and found that he was in the station on duty again. It wasn't a bad sprain, you see, an' it'll teach him not to go jumpin' out of a first-floor window again." "He couldn't help it," said the widow. "You know his escape by the stair had been cut off, and there was no other way left." "No other way!" cried Willie; "why didn't he _drop_? He's so proud of his strength, is Blazes, that he jumped off-hand a' purpose to show it! Ha! he'd be the better of some o' my caution. Now, mother, I'm off to bed." "Get the Bible, then," said Mrs Willders.