Ishmael Worth. Having finished these, he thanked the bookseller and left the shop, saying to himself: "I won't keep that about me much longer to be a constant temptation and cross." He first went and bought a quarter of a pound of tea, a pound of sugar, and a bag of meal from Nutt's general shop for Hannah; and leaving them there until he should have got through his work, he went around the village and wafered up his twelve posters at various conspicuous points on fences, walls, pumps, trees, etc. Then he called for his provisions, and set out on his long walk home. CHAPTER XXIV. CLAUDIA TO THE RESCUE. Let me not now ungenerously condemn My few good deeds on impulse--half unwise And scarce approved by reason's colder eyes; I will not blame, nor weakly blush for them; The feelings and the actions then stood right; And if regret, for half a moment sighs That worldly wisdom in its keener sight Had ordered matters so and so, my heart, Still, in its fervor loves a warmer part Than Prudence wots of; while my faithful mind, Heart's consort, also praises her for this; And on our conscience little load I find If sometimes we have helped another's bliss, At some small cost of selfish loss behind. --_M.F. Tupper_. As Ishmael left the village by the eastern arm of the road a gay sleighing party dashed into it from the western one. Horses prancing, bells ringing, veils flying, and voices chattering, they drew up before Hamlin's shop. The party consisted of Mr. Middleton, his wife, and his niece. Mr. Middleton gave the reins to his wife and got out and went into the shop to make a few purchases. When his parcels had been made up and paid for, he turned to leave the shop; but then, as if suddenly recollecting something, he looked back and inquired: "By the way, Hamlin, have those Histories come yet?" "No, sir; but I shall write for them again by this evening's mail; I cannot think what has delayed them. However, sir, there is one copy that I can let you have, if that will be of any service." "Certainly, certainly; it is better than nothing; let me look at it," said Mr. Middleton, coming back from the counter and taking the book from Hamlin's hands. In turning over the leaves he came to the presentation page, on which he recognized his own handwriting in the lines: "Presented to Ishmael Worth, as a reward of merit, by his friend James Middleton." "Why, this is the very copy I gave to that poor little fellow on the hill, last August! How did you come by it again?" asked Mr. Middleton, in astonishment. "He brought it here to sell about an hour ago, sir, and as it was a perfectly fresh copy, and I knew you were in a hurry for some of them, I bought it of him," replied the dealer. "But why should the lad have sold his book?"