"Lucy Pico, sir!" and then great shouting. Then was it that Mr. Starr told the story which the reader has read in scene one,--of the perils which may come when a man has not a penny. He did not speak hastily, nor cast reproach on Clara for her care of the button. Over that part of the story he threw a cautious veil. But to boys and girls he pointed a terrible lesson of the value of one penny. "How dangerous, papa, to drop it into a box for the heathen!" But little Tom found this talk tiresome, and asked leave to slip away, teasing Clifford as he went about some postage-stamps Clifford had promised him. "Go bring the parcel I left on the hall table, and your papa will give you some Spanish stamps." So the boy brought the mail. "What in the world is this?" cried Mr. Starr, as he cut open the great envelope; and more and more amazed he was as he ran down the lines:-- "`Much Esteemed and Respected Senor, Don JOHN STARR, Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece: "`SENOR,--It is with true yet inexpressible satisfaction that I write this private note, that I may be the first of your friends in Madrid to say to you that the order for your creation as a Knight Companion of the much esteemed and truly venerable Order of the Golden Fleece passed the seals of the Chancellerie yesterday. His Majesty is pleased to say that your views on the pacification of Porto Rico coincide precisely with his own; that the hands of the government will be strengthened as with the force of giants when he communicates them to the very excellent and much honored governor of the island, and that, as a mark of his confidence, he has the pleasure of sending to you the cordon of the order, and of asking your acceptance.' "My dear Lady Dulcinea del Toboso, that is what came to you when that Cradock man threw a cent into the mud for me." "But, papa, what are the other letters?" "Oh, yes, what are they? Here is English; it's from Wendell. H'm--h'm--h'm. Shortpassage. Worcestershire-- h'm--Wedgewood--h'm--Staffordshire--h'm. Why, Clara, George, listen: "`I suppose you will not be surprised when I say that your suggestion made on the deck of the `Samaria,' as to oxalate of strontium, was received with surprise by Herr Fernow and Herr Klee. But such is the respect in which suggestions from America are now held, that they ordered a trial at once in the Royal kilns, the result of which are memoranda A and B, enclosed. They are so much delighted with these results that they have formed a syndicate with the Winkels, of Potsdam, and the Schonhoffs, of Berlin, to undertake the manufacture in Germany; and I am instructed to ask you whether you will accept a round sum, say 150,000 marks, for the German patent, or join them, say as a partner, with twenty per cent of stock in their adventure.' "I think so," said Mr. Starr. "That is what the bright penny comes to at compound interest. Let us try Birnebaum's letter." "`GOTTFRIEED BIRNEBAUM to JOHN STARR: