VII.

Usually, when Little Jakey stopped his sweet talk, it was like the running down of a music-box, but not always as easy to set him going again.  Besides, at the close of the last chapter he seemed to think his story ended, and put up his face for a kiss, as much as to say, Now please love me a little, and not tease me any more.  So I yielded to his mood, and petted him awhile; wound his curls around my finger, and talked with him about everything likely to amuse him, until coming to a little pause in the conversation, I said,—­

“How long did you stay with those thee and thou friends, Jakey?  How long did the good man keep you with him in his house?”

“O, big long time I stay dare,” he said, “and von time I come mit Mary in ze school vare ce go, and all ze Sundays ze lady and ze good man say dot I come mit zem all to ze Meeting.  I love Mary; ce give me ze flowers, and I sleept mit her in ze bed; and all ze time I go mit her in ze garden, and ce tell me ze vords and ze flowers vot I not know.

“Much times ven ze peoples come dare vot say zee and zou, ze good man lif me in hees arms, and he tell me dot I talk mit zem, and much zey kiss me.  Von time von man give me in my pocket ze big moneys, and zen Mary ce come mit me to ze store, and ce sell zem, and ce buy me ze coat mit ze but-tens, vot I vear in ze Meeting.  And ven I go to ze Meeting, Mary ce tie ze ribbon roun my hat, and ce bruss me, and ce vash me, and ce make my curls come roun her fing-er, like my moder; and ce valk mit me to ze Meeting, and all ze time I sit mit her dare.

“Von day, ven ze good man say dot he bring me here in ze Institution, vare I read ze letters mit my fing-er, Mary say dot ce vill come mit me, and Georgy say dot he come; and Franky say dot he come; and Franky’s fader say dot he may, and zey all come in ze carriage, and ze lady come.  Ven zey go avay I not go mit zem, I stay here.  Von time Mary have come here, and ce kiss me much times, and ce bring me ze flowers, and ce bring me ze cakes; and ven ce go avay ce cry, and ce say dot ce vill come von oder time, and ce vill bring Franky mit her.  But ce have not come; von day ce vill come.

“Vill Gott know vare I bees, and vill he fine me here, ven he come?  My moder say dot he vill come, and I know he vill.”

VIII.

Two days after these sweet words, to my surprise, I found Little Jakey pillowed in an arm-chair.

“Bless me!” I exclaimed, “what has happened to this dear treasure?  Are you sick, Little Jakey?”