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"Please, give Matt a penny!"

The penny was ready for him; but the moment he received it, he handed it over to the little girl.

"Does he mean to give it to you, Becca?" asked the lady.

"Oh, no, ma'am," said the child, "he means me to go and buy apples with it. I always do when our folks give him money. He knows how many apples you can buy for a penny; and if I was to hide one, he would find it out directly."

But the boy was not at all willing that his messenger should wait to give all these explanations; and he now pulled her frock impatiently, saying, -- "Becca, go -- Becca, fetch apples."

The little girl shook back her long hair from her eyes, and laying her knitting on the sand, ran to a neighboring cottage, from which she shortly returned, bringing five small apples, which she gave to Matt; and he laid them on his knees, and, after looking at them, appeared satisfied, and began to eat.

"And now," said the lady, "I shall give you a penny also, Becca, because I like to see you so kind to your poor neighbor."

The happy child received the penny, and again ran away to the shop, returning shortly with three apples in her hands.

"Why, what is the reason of this?" said the donor.

"It's a very dear apple year," said the little creature, "and they can't afford more than three."

"But they sent Matt five apples."

The child then explained that Matt always expected to have five apples for a penny; that if apples were only three a penny he would cry, for he would know it was less than usual; but if they were seven a penny he would give back two; so they always give him five all the year round, and they said it made very little difference. She continued, --

"Matt knows all about money, ma'am; he knows a deal more than you think. Sometimes they let him have a pennyworth of apples at the shop when he has no penny; but then as soon as he gets a penny he always remembers, and takes it; he knows he must pay. I taught him that, ma'am; and I taught him to say, 'Please,' and 'Thank you.' She then shook him by the sleeve, and said,--

"Matt, good Matt, tell the lady what they do to folks that wont pay."

"Put 'em in prison," said Matt, readily.

"What does he know about a prison, my child?" said the lady, amused by his sageness. "You are only telling him to repeat words that he does not know the meaning of."

"Oh, no, ma'am," answered the child, shrewdly; "there is a prison at ------, and he sees that very oft. He knows about bad men being put in there."

The boy nodded assent very energetically, and began to show, by gestures and imperfect sentences, how he had seen two men led in there at a great door; and, holding out his hands, explained that their hands were tied together. At the same time he expressed evident satisfaction in their punishment, saying, --

"Bad men -- bad men -- shut 'em up; they eat other folks' dinner."

"Oh, yes," said the child, "his grandfather took him several times to see the prison, because he used to go into the cottages when folks were at sea and take things to eat that wasn't his; and when his grandfather was out a-fishing, and they set his dinner by, Matt used to get it whenever he had a chance; but he's a good boy now."

Matt had by this time finished his apples; and his friend had been watching him to see how much strength he possessed. His movements were weak and uncertain; and sometimes he dropped the apple, but he always picked it up again, though not without difficulty; and she felt sure that with patience something might be taught him.

She would not attempt to begin her lesson till he had done eating; but as soon as this business was over, she brought out her straws and began to plait them before him, holding one of his hands in hers, and making him crease the straw with his soft white fingers.

At first he was patient and even amused, but he soon got weary; and the unusual movements for his fingers tired them; he pulled Becca by the pinafore, and patting her hand, cried out, --

"Becca learn; Becca make haste and learn -- Matt stop now."

"If Beeca learns," said the teacher, "then Becca shall have a penny; but if Matt learns, then Matt shall have a penny."

This argument, used frequently, induced the boy to go on a little longer; as much longer, indeed, as his instructress thought, desirable; and though he never once turned the straw the right way, she was not discouraged, because his attention had evidently been excited, and she knew that the process of teaching would be tedious.

When the lesson was over, she gave him the promised penny and praised him, leaving him in a very good humor and importunate with her to come again.

Three more lessons were given, and no progress was made. The fourth almost discouraged her. It seemed that he dropped the straws from his listless fingers with no more understanding than at first of the places they were meant to occupy. It was a whole week before anything beyond a little more attention had been gained; but this once done, Matt suddenly began to improve; and at his ninth lesson he began to plait very tolerably.