"Is Col. Vincent at home?" asked Frank, at the door of a handsome house.
"Yes, Mr. Courtney," replied the colored servant, pleasantly, for Frank was a favorite among all classes in the neighborhood. "Come right in, sir. De colonel am smoking a cigar on de back piazza."
Frank followed the servant through the hall which intersected the house, and stepped out on the back piazza.
A stout, elderly gentleman was taking his ease in a large rustic rocking chair.
"Good-evening, Col. Vincent," our hero said.
"Good-evening, Frank, my boy," said the colonel, heartily. "Glad to see you. Haven't you gone back to school?"
"Yes, sir; but I came home to spend Sunday. It doesn't seem much like home now," he added, as his lip quivered.
"You have suffered a great loss, my dear boy," said the colonel, feelingly.
"The greatest, sir. My mother was all I had."
"I suppose Mr. Manning will keep up the establishment?"