LED ASTRAY.

"NO, sir," he replied severely, "I am proud to state that I have never seen even the outside of the Howard Athenaeum ! " This in a loud tone of voice, much to the surprise of the rest of the people in the car.

"Let's give him a chance," whispered Jack to me ; then aloud, "Did you say, Mr. Sap, that you were not familiar with the way to the Globe?"

"I have only been there once," said he. "Then I saw Booth; but I had a guide, so I don't remember the way very well. You see," -growing confidential, to the great amusement of Jack, who can't ever keep his face straight, -"you see, they 've got an idea at home that I'm studying too hard, and when they saw in the paper (my grandmother takes the Weekly Transcript) that Janauschek was acting here, they thought it would be a good plan for me to go. So Uncle John and Aunt Hannah both -"

"Then, as you don't know the way, you 'II go with us ? " interrupted the graceless Jack.

"I shall be most happy," said Sap, as he relapsed into his "Sophocles."

What thoughts were Jack's I do not know. I was filled with wonder and pity for the ignorance of the poor man ; and I confess I had visions of taking him to the top of Bunker Hill Monument that dark night, or over to South Boston. But as the car stopped, I was waked from my revery by Jack's whispering, -

"Run to the Athenaeum, and get front seats. Then wait for us in the hall."

"But he 'II never come," said I.

"We 'II see." And I went.

I don't know where they went, but after I had waited five minutes, they appeared, -Sap earnestly engaged in defending Virgil from charges of plagiarism made by Jack. So much wrapped up was he in his argument that he did not notice that I paid for him, and that Jack suppressed the programme which the boy at the door would have given him.

Our seats were in the front row, at which he seemed taken a little aback; but he was soon put at his ease by our making him give the story of the Medea at length. He had studied it up, he said, in order to get the full benefit of the play. What a relaxation it would have been to him! But other things were in store.

He was a little disturbed at the cheerfulness of the overture. "Is it not a little strange," said he, "that a tragedy should be thus introduced?"

"A tragedy?" said Jack; "it is n't a tragedy at all, only nigger minstrels. They never have tragedies here." And he gave him the programme.

Sap turned as red as a beet. "How could you?" said he to Jack, as he rose to pass me.

"Stop!" said I, "are you ashamed, Mr. Sap, to be seen here?"

"That I am."

"Then why turn round and walk up the aisle in full view of the audience ? If you want to remain unnoticed, you must sit still with your face forward."

He was struck by this absurd speech, and sat down. Was he convinced, or did a slight uriosity -?

And there he sat through it. It was like seeing a child at a pantomime, to watch him. He would laugh at the comic songs, and, ye Gods! he cried at the sentimental ones.

At the end of the first part he made a faint movement towards going out.

"Don't," said Jack; "they 'II think you 've gone out to take something."

He shuddered. "But if I don't come back?"

"Sometimes men take too much to come back," said I. And he was glued to his seat after that.

This was all he said during the whole performance, but I never saw anybody enjoy anything as he did that.

After it was over, he insisted on waiting till the gas was turned down before he went out. As we passed through the vestibule, he turned to me, and said, -

"But what is there wrong in it?"

And I said I did not know.

M. B.