With anxious trembling hearts, did Mrs. Mayberry and her son wait for the afternoon of the succeeding day.  On the success of Mr. Easy’s application rested all their hopes.  Neither she nor Hiram eat over a few mouthfuls at dinner-time.  The latter hurried away, and returned to the store, there to wait with trembling eagerness, until his employer should return from dinner, and he again be free to go and see Mr. Easy.

To Mrs. Mayberry, the afternoon passed slowly.

She had forgotten to tell her son to return home immediately, if the application should be successful.  He did not come back, and she had, consequently to remain in a state of anxious suspense, until dark.  He came in at the usual hour.  His dejected countenance told of disappointment.

“Did you see Mr. Easy?” Mrs. Mayberry asked, in a low, troubled voice.

“Yes.  But he hadn’t been to the Gazette office.  He said he had been very busy.  But that he would see about it soon.”

Nothing more was said.  The mother and son, after sitting silent and pensive during the evening, retired early to bed.  On the next day, urged on by his anxious desire to get the situation of which he had heard, Hiram again called at the counting-room of Mr. Easy, his heart trembling with hope and fear.  There were two or three men present.  Mr. Easy cast upon him rather an impatient look as he entered.  His appearance had evidently annoyed the merchant.  Had he consulted his feelings, he would have retired at once.  But there was too much at stake.  Gliding to a corner of the room, he stood, with his hat in his hand, and a look of anxiety upon his face, until Mr. Easy was disengaged.  At length, the gentleman with whom he was occupied, went away, and Mr. Easy turned toward the boy.  Hiram looked up earnestly in his face.

“I have really been so much occupied, my lad,” the merchant said, in a kind of apologetic tone, “as to have entirely forgotten my promise to you.  But I will see about it.  Come in again, to-morrow.”

Hiram made no answer, but turned with a sigh toward the door.  The keen disappointment expressed in the boy’s, face, and the touching quietness of his manner, reached the feelings of Mr. Easy.  He was not a hard-hearted man, but selfishly indifferent to others.  He could feel deeply enough if he would permit himself to do so.  But of this latter feeling he was not often guilty.

“Stop a minute,” he said.  And then stood in a musing attitude for a moment or two.  “As you seem so anxious about this matter,” he added “if will wait here a little while, I will step down to see Mr. G—­at once.”

The boy’s face brightened instantly.  Mr. Easy saw the effect of what he said, and it made the task he was about entering upon reluctantly, an easy one.  The boy waited for nearly a quarter of an hour, so eager to know the result, that he could not compose himself to sit down.  The sound of Mr. Easy’s step at the door, at length made his heart bound.  The merchant entered.  Hiram looked into his face.  One glance was sufficient to dash every dearly-cherished hope to the ground.