Part 7 (1/2)

”And you're going from me now to see Emerson? I don't know,” he added reflectively, ”whether you will see him at his best Still, you may

And even if you do not, to have seen him, even as you may see him, is better, in a way, than not to have seen him at all”

Edward did not knohat Phillips Brooks meant But he was, sadly, to find out the next day

A boy was pretty sure of a welco froood boy,” she said, ”to come all the way to Concord to see us,” quite for all the world as if she were the one favored ”Now take your coat off, and coht in by the fire Do tell me all about your visit”

Before that cozy fire they chatted It was pleasant to the boy to sit there with that sweet-faced woman with those kindly eyes! After a while she said: ”Now I shall put on my coat and hat, and we shall walk over to Emerson's house I am almost afraid to promise that you will see him He sees scarcely any one now He is feeble, and--” She did not finish the sentence ”But we'll walk over there, at any rate”

She spoke , and it was easy to see that his condition was now the one thought of her life

Presently they reached Emerson's house, and Miss Emerson welcomed them at the door After a brief chat Miss Alcott told of the boy's hope

Miss Emerson shook her head

”Father sees no one now,” she said, ”and I fear it ht not be a pleasure if you did see him”

Then Edward told her what Phillips Brooks had said

”Well,” she said, ”I'll see”

She had scarcely left the roo to the boy: ”You shall see Mr Emerson if it is at all possible”

In a few minutes Miss Alcott returned, her eyes moistened, and sih two rooms, and at the threshold of the third, Miss Emerson stood, also with moistened eyes

”Father,” she said simply, and there, at his desk, sat Emerson--the man whose words had already won Edward Bok's boyish interest, and as destined to impress himself upon his life hter's spoken word, Enity, extended his hand, and as the boy's hand rested in his, looked hiht of welcome came from those sad yet tender eyes The boy closed upon the hand in his with a loving pressure, and for a single moment the eyelids rose, a different look caht, perceptible response of the hand But that was all!

Quietly he motioned the boy to a chair beside the desk Edward sat down and was about to say so himself, Emerson walked away to theand stood there softly whistling and looking out as if there were no one in the room Edward's eyes had followed E a suppressed sob, and as he looked around he saw that it came from Miss Emerson Slowly she walked out of the rooer to hersilence He was nonplussed

Edward looked toward E in that , and wondered what it allthe roo to the boy as he passed, and seated hi the presence of the two persons in the room

Suddenly the boy heard Miss Alcott say: ”Have you read this new book by Ruskin yet?”

Slowly the great ht lifted his eyes from his desk, turned toward the speaker, rose with stately courtesy froreat deliberation: ”Did you speak to me, madam?”

The boy was dumfounded! Louisa Alcott, his Louisa! And he did not know her! Suddenly the whole sad truth flashed upon the boy Tears sprang into Miss Alcott's eyes, and she walked to the other side of the room The boy did not knohat to say or do, so he sat silent With a deliberate movement Emerson resu at the side of the desk He felt he should say soht, perhaps, Mr Eht be able to favor me with a letter from Carlyle”

At the mention of the name Carlyle his eyes lifted, and he asked: ”Carlyle, did you say, sir, Carlyle?”