He had led a rough and happy life, but he had never been so happy as at this time. The few clothes he possessed were kept in order by 'Melia Jane, who washed and mended for him, and who, upon Sundays, made him so resplendent that he was almost ashamed to be seen. A smile or a friendly nod or greeting was always ready for him from the Lethbridges and their friends, with whom Tom was quite an institution, and Aunt Leth grew into the habit of consulting him and asking his advice when anything inside or outside of the house was required to be done. Sweetest of all was Phoebe's greeting upon her visits to her aunt. "Well, Tom, how are you?" "Getting along splendidly, miss." Simple words, but pearls of price, nevertheless, to Tom, who went about his work more blithely the whole day afterward. Of girls in her own station in life 'Melia Jane might have been jealous had Tom championed them, but she entirely approved of his devotion to Fanny and his worship of Phoebe. "She's a angel, Tom," said 'Melia Jane. "She is, 'Melia Jane," responded Tom; "and I'd lay down my life for her." He was not neglected either in the way of education. Ambitious as he was to become a public official, Mr. Lethbridge knew how important it was that he should be able to read and write fairly. He provided Tom with copy-books, and made the young man go through a regular course of pot-hooks and hangers; and Aunt Leth gave him reading lessons three times a week; so that he made capital progress, and was "gitting quite a scholard," according to 'Melia Jane. This young lady attended to his education in other ways. She was great in superstitions, which were to her a kind of religion; and instead of pious exordiums in frames to remind her of her duty, she had scraps of card-board hanging in sacred corners in her bedroom and kitchen, upon which were written extracts from fortune-telling and dream books, which, if they did not form for her the whole duty of woman, went a long way towards it. She had an apt pupil in Tom, whom she inoculated with her precautions to woo good fortune and avert disaster. As to cutting your nails, now. From her bedroom 'Melia Jane brought into the kitchen the written magic formula, which Tom soon learnt by heart: "Cut your nails on Monday, cut them for wealth. Cut them on Tuesday, cut them for health. Cut them on Wednesday, cut them for news. Cut them on Thursday, a new pair of shoes. Cut them on Friday, cut them for sorrow. Cut them on Saturday, see sweetheart to-morrow. Cut them on Sunday, cut them for evil: The whole of the week you'll be ruled by the ----" What could be simpler and more direct? And in the matter of nails, Tom abided by it. "Wot day in the week was you born?" asked 'Melia Jane. "Blessed if I know," answered Tom. "'Ow could you be so careless," said 'Melia Jane, severely, "as not to get to know? Then we could settle it?" "Settle what, 'Melia Jane?" "Why, don't you know?" she replied.