“I’m just thinking I’m such a homely old thing, and New York is such a grand place, I’ve heard them say.  I do hope he won’t be ashamed of his mother.”

“No danger,” was the hearty answer; “he’ll think you are the most beautiful woman he has seen in ten years.”

There is no way to describe the happy look which shone in the faded blue eyes at this answer; and she laughed a softly, pleased laugh as she said: 

“Maybe he’ll be like the man I read about the other day.  Some mean, old scamp told him how homely his mother was; and he said, says he, ’Yes, she’s a homely woman, sure enough; but oh she’s such a beautiful mother!’ What ever will I do when I get in New York,” she added quickly, seized with a sudden anxiety.  “Just as like as not, now, he never got a bit of my letter, and won’t be there to get me!”

“Do you know where your son lives?”

“Oh, yes, I’ve got it on a piece of paper, the street and the number; but bless your heart, I shouldn’t know whether to go up, or down, or across.”

Just the shadow of a smile flitted over her friend’s face as the thought of the poor old lady, trying to make her way through the city came to him.  Then he hastened to reassure her.

“Then we are all right, whether he meets you or not; we can take a carriage and drive there.  I will see you safe at home before I leave you.”

This crowning act of kindness brought the tears.

“I don’t know why you are so good to me,” she said simply, “unless you are the friend I prayed for to help me through this journey.  If you are, it’s all right; God will see that you are paid for it.”

And before Ester had done wondering over the singular quaintness of this last remark there was a sudden triumphant shriek from the engine, and a tremendous din, made up of a confusion of more sounds than she had ever heard in her life before; then all was hurry and bustle around her, and she suddenly awakened to the fact that as soon as they had crossed the ferry she would actually be in New York.  Even then she bethought herself to take a curious parting look at the oddly matched couple who were carefully making their way through the crowd, and wonder if she would ever see them again.

The next hour was made up of bewilderment to Ester.  She had a confused remembrance afterward of floating across a silver river in a palace; of reaching a place where everybody screamed instead of talked, and where all the bells were ringing for fire, or something else.  She looked eagerly about for her uncle, and saw at least fifty men who resembled him, as she saw him last, about ten years ago.  She fumbled nervously for his address in her pocket-book, and gave Mr. Newton a recipe for making mince pies instead; finally she found herself tumbled in among cushions and driving right into carriages and carts and people, who all got themselves mysteriously out of the way; down streets