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home of my forefathers: I have an uncle there-a poor scornfully. "There is at least one way of releasing

but a good man-he has written for me to come to him, and the little property that he possesses shall eventually become mine.

'A ship is floating in the harbor now,

A wind is hov'ring o'er the mountain's brow

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The halcyons brood around the foamless isles;
The treacherous ocean has forsworn its wiles;
The merry mariners are bold and free,

Say, my heart's idol, wilt thou sail with me?' "Answer me, adored Lucile: weigh all thy present advantages against the vigilant affection which will suffer no sorrow, that love may avert, to fall on thy gentle heart; which will view thee as the shrined divinity of my home-an angel presiding over my household gods-and then choose thy destiny. I have health, energy, and hope; why then shall I not be enabled to win for thee a home in that far land to which I hasten, which if less splendid than thy native one, will be thrice blessed by the undying love which will brighten our lowly lot. Meet me to-morrow evening. I shall be in the pavilion when the moon is rising. Come to me with thy heart full of love, and thy soul nerved to endure the separation from thy early home-the severing of thy early ties for one which shall replace them all. Forgive my seeming presumption-I doubt thee not, because my heart has taught me the faith of thine. Adieu.

S. G." "And how have I deserved this trust ?" murmured the unhappy girl, clasping her hands over her pallid brow." I, who even now am expecting each moment the entrance of him to whom a few more days will give a husband's claim to my love. I have been weak; wavering where I should have been most firm. I will make one more appeal, and if 'tis fruitless, I can but lie down and die; for let me turn whither I will, there is no hope for me. On one hand the curse of a father hangs suspended over my head; and on the other, the madness of suffering Sidney to believe me false as weak."

She arose and paced the room wildly. In a few moments Victor entered. He looked at her an instant in surprise. "Well, my fair cousin, I am happy to see that you are at last wearied with your listless demeanor, and have concluded not to look as if hope was forever banished from your heart. Why, what has thus excited you, my beautiful?" he inquired, playfully touching her cheek, on which a spot of deep crimson glowed. She drew back haughtily-then suddenly throwing herself before him she exclaimed:

me from this detestable bondage: by withdrawing yourself from this place, you can free me from the mar riage, and your own presence at the same time."

"You are flattering, my pretty coz; but in truth you ask too much, when you expect me to withdraw myself from your presence or to offend my uncle by declining an alliance on which his heart is set; but, truth to tell, not half so much as my own. Grey can. not love you better than I, and the balance will be much in your favor by remaining under your father's roof. Excuse me, Lucile, but your pale cheek, and chilling reserve, since I have been taught to look on you as my affianced bride, have wearied me; and if I appear harsh or unfeeling, it is because I use the language of plain common sense; yet there is not the less of deep and true affection in my heart for you. I have too high a regard for your happiness, to permit you to wed Grey. If I do not marry you myself, your father will be of fended, and cast me off. You will eventually elope with this painter, and leave me to wear the willow.” "You speak lightly, sir-as if happiness were a jest, and affection transferable at will."

"If I do speak lightly, Lucile," said he earnestly, “God knows I feel deeply. Do you suppose that your evident shrinking has not cut me to the heart? or that I have watched your struggles of feeling without bitter ness? No-I should have been more or less than man could I have done so. Address your appeal to your father-if his consent can be won, I will resign you at once to my more fortunate rival, though in so doing I destroy my own hopes of happiness. At this moment I more deeply envy Sidney Grey, in his poverty and friendlessness, than I ever dreamed I should envy any man. Take back your letter, Lucile-I do not wish to read it-my course is decided. Yet I pray you do not think me intentionally unkind." He threw the letter on her lap, and hastily left the room.

"Oh, Heaven! what will become of me?" she ex claimed. "Is there no avenue of escape for me? Cruel! cruel Victor! to exact the fulfilment of the bond! Oh, God! be thou my friend, for hope has deserted me.”

"Lady, you have a friend, if you have the courage to embrace his proposal," said a low voice at her side. She turned and beheld the priest.

"What is it?" inquired she, scarcely conscious of what she was uttering.

"To fly from tyranny, and reward the noble heart which would shed the last drop of blood that gives life to it for your sake. The letter was not dropped by "Victor, behold me a suppliant at your feet: If you accident. I promised that it should reach you, and you would not see me die here-if you have one spark of have it. Can you hesitate when you love him, and he generosity or human feeling in your heart, be not cal-woos you to become his bride? Another week will lous to my appeal. Read this letter-it reached me by accident, for the wily priest dropped it, without intending it, when he came to me with a message from my father. I am your plighted bride; but you well know that I was terrified into becoming so, by the violence of my father. Oh, Victor! save me from becoming a loveless wife, or an accursed child."

leave you no power to choose between the evil of hopeless love, or a heartless marriage."

"And my father?"

"Leave him to his own devices," returned the priest, with a scornful laugh. "If you are the light of his lifethe joy of his eyes-he will recall you; if not, why let him live on in the solitude to which his stubborn pride will doom him, while you bring joy to the heart that is devoted to you. Say but the word, lady, and before your bridal day all things shall be in readiness for your flight. Read that letter once more, and then make your

Victor appeared affected, as he raised her from the floor, and placed her on a seat. "Dear Lucile, why make such an appeal to me? You know full well that I have no power to turn your father from his purpose." "Do not make so pitiful an evasion," said Lucile, decision."

"It needs it not-my decision is already made," said All the pride of his haughty nature centered in his Lucile, with a calmness that surprised herself. "Any daughter. She was the Peri of his house-the inheridestiny, however dark, were preferable to a separation tor of her mother's matchless beauty; the heiress of his from him. Repeat my words to him, and say that to- vast wealth, his unsullied name. He might have said morrow evening will find me at the pavilion, without in the tender and exquisite words of the poet : fail, ready to forsake all and follow him in exile or "Her's was the voice that soothed my home; death." She was my world, my life, my light; The care, the charm that blessed my eyes, That filled the day, and filled the night.

The priest bowed low and left her. "The die is cast," she murmured. “A few more hours and my poor old father will be desolate. Yet he has driven me to it. Had he continued the same to me that he once was, I could never have abandoned him-not even for Sidney, truly as I love him."

Her once indulgent parent had indeed changed. Latterly she almost feared to go into his presence: he received her with frowns, and his lips seldom unclosed but to utter some sarcasm against her faded looks, or express bitter contempt for her absent lover. The kindlier feelings of his nature appeared to be embittered against all around him, and her consent to wed her cousin had been wrung from her in a moment of frantic passion, when the curse of an offended parent was trembling on his lip. The consent had no sooner been given, than her father insisted on the marriage taking place, so soon as preparations could be made to celebrate it on the magnificent scale he desired. Already was the mansion crowded with their " troops of friends," who had gathered around them for the joyful occasion, and many were the comments made on the depression and languor of the fair bride. The younger portion of the guests looked on the superb trousseau of their companion, and marvelled that the possessor of so much splendor, and the betrothed of the handsome Victor, should wear so joyless an expression. They little dreamed that a thrill of silent agony shot through that wearied heart, at every fresh proof of her father's ostentation, in thus decking the victim of his pride, while he refused to her even a few short weeks in which to reconcile herself to the new destiny that awaited her.

Victor would willingly have delayed the marriage until his cousin became less repugnant to it; but the imperious father had so long reigned over his household with despotic sway, that any hint of a proposal of the kind elicited such a storm of passion, that, fearing to offend him, and thus forfeit not only his cousin, but all hope of future assistance from him, he became the passive instrument of the irascible old man.

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Her image mirrored back my heart;
My life's best days were on her brow,
One constant light of happiness."

Yet with all this love for his child, he saw her fading before his eyes, without entertaining a thought of sacrificing the cherished aim of his life. Conscious that he was inflicting misery where he desired to bestow happiness, he became morose and embittered toward every one. He had not sufficient self-command to repress his harshness, yet when he saw the tears his daughter vainly endeavored to conceal, he would have relented, had not his unbending nature impelled him to persevere in what he had once undertaken.

"Men have died, and worms have ate them, but not for love," muttered he; " aye, and women too-their hearts are made of sterner stuff than to break for a trifle. She will fret a little now, but soon the rose will come to her cheek, and those soft eyes will look with renewed joy on this beautiful world. She shall never miss the love I have denied her: my care shall be so unwearied, and Victor will be so devoted. Ah, no! she cannot long grieve for what is unattainable." And thus he silenced the "still small voice" that was whispering to him of a broken heart, and an early grave.

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The bridal evening came. It was as glorious a night as ever a bright moon shone on. The mansion flashed with a thousand lights, and the mingled sounds of music, and words of welcome, were borne forth on the still air of night, as group after group arrived at the door, and received the hearty greeting of their host.

Lucile was in her dressing-room, surrounded by a bevy of dark-eyed houris, who were to act as bridemaids to her.

Victor was the only child of a younger brother, who had dissipated his slender patrimony long before his death, and from infancy he had been dependent on his uncle. General Montressor had spared no expense in giving him a fitting education; and while the two children were yet in their cradles, their future destiny had been decided in his own mind. His own observations had taught him that those who are reared together seldom become attached with other than the love of kin dred, and to guard against this he had suffered his nephew to be educated in his native land, while his daughter grew in loveliness beneath his own roof. On the death of both his parents, within a few hours of each other, Sidney Grey had been adopted into his family, and it never occurred to the old soldier that the two bright creatures who played around him in infancy, should ever dream of being more to each other than | island could produce." brother and sister.

"Well, Lucile," said one, "I believe your own taste is purest after all. Those simple orange flowers wreathed in your raven hair, are more beautiful than jewels; and that robe of embroidered muslin is certainly more elegant than this of lace and satin; but then you are so beautiful that you need not the 'foreign aid of ornament.' What will your father say to your simple toilette, when his wish was to see you not only the fairest, but the most sumptuously attired bride, that our

"He will not have much thought to bestow on my

dress, and a few hours hence, I fear, it will matter little to him what I may wear or how appear. A few more brief moments and my destiny will be decided," she murmured in a low tone. "Oh, God! in mercy soften my father's heart in my favor."

Half an hour later a gay burst of music swept through the wide halls the folding doors were thrown open to admit the bridal party, and to the surprise of every one the bridegroom alone appeared, with a face of the hue of death, and hastily advancing to General Montressor whispered something in his ear. He sank on a seat overpowered by his emotions; but instantly starting up, left the room and proceeded with hasty strides to the chamber of his daughter. At the door he met the terrified Agnes.

"Speak-tell me the truth, on peril of your life," said he, catching the girl by the arm. "Where is my daughter? your young mistress? Guide me to her this instant."

"'Deed, sir-master-I doesn't know. She sent me out and axed the ladies to leave her alone a few moments | "until Mas' Victor came;" said the trembling negro. “'Deed, I doesn't know where she went to."

"Liar," said the excited father; bending his white lips to the ear of the girl, he continued, "I know you are in her confidence-tell me where I can find her, and freedom is your's-aye, freedom-think of it-think of it. Refuse, and by the Eternal I will kill you where you stand."

The eyes of Agnes rolled in wild terror, and for an instant she seemed undecided, but her master tightened his grasp on her arm, and said in a low hissing tone, "Decide-freedom, or--you know the alternative."

She pointed to the garden. Dashing her from him, with hasty steps, he threaded his way through the tortuous pathway leading to the pavilion, preceded by Victor, who had no sooner heard the words of the girl than he rushed forward with the speed of a maniac.

"Thank Heaven, I am armed," muttered he; "and 'twill be hard, but I wrest her from him. To lose her now-to be the scoff of witlings and fools, were worse than death. Mine she must be at any expense." And grinding his teeth with rage, he sped on with renewed activity.

The pavilion was not yet vacated by those who should have been far away. The moonlight was streaming through the windows on two figures, and a third one stood without. A white-robed girl supported by the wreathing clasp of her lover, as if about to move forward, and a stout heavy built man, who stood as sentinel at the door, appeared accoutred for the road. Tapping on the steps with his whip, he said-

"You had best hurry, sénor-the carriage is waiting at the end of the avenue."

moment it were easier far to yield a world than the love of that noble heart.

"I do, fondly, faithfully, implicitly." She turned her farewell glance on the home she had left, gleaming through the trees like a fairy palace. A strain of music came on the wind. "Hark! 'tis the triumphal march with which the bridal party were to enter the saloon, and I am here. We must hasten hence or be discovered," and with a long, struggling sigh, she turned from her home!

They had proceeded but few steps from the door, when with one wild bound, Victor sprang in the midst of the group, and dashing the servant aside, endeavored to wrench Lucile from the grasp of her lover, while he presented a pistol to his breast.

"Yield her or die!" said he, as Sidney struck the weapon up with one hand, and with the other defended Lucile from his violence.

"Never-so help me Heaven. Back, foolish boy, and seek not to stain your soul with the crime of murder."

Victor ground his teeth with fury, and drew a second pistol from his breast-

"Hold," exclaimed Lucile, " 'tis too late to claim me now. I am his in the sight of Heaven, as in the fervor of my own love."

"'Tis not too late to sever the bond,” said Victor, firing as she spoke. The arm that supported her relaxed its hold, and Sidney staggered back against a tree.

‘Oh, God--oh, God! what have I done to bring on me such extremity of wretchedness," shrieked the unhappy Lucile. "Back-back-touch me not thou demon of my fate. Till you came, I was happy-and hear me now swear before the God of my fathers, that if Sidney is the victim to your insane fury, I pour on you the curse of a stricken heart. Leave me, before madness comes and darkens the soul you have lain desolate." The roused soul that flashed from her dilated eyes, and lightened over her whole countenance, awed her cousin into silence.

"Lucile, dearest Lucile! calm your agony," said Sidney, recovering from the shock he had received, “I am not wounded. Your dear image has been my guardian angel to save me from the weapon of yon madman. Look," and he drew from his bosom a miniature which had been shattered. The gold setting had been a shield against the bullet of her kinsman, which but for it, had stretched him lifeless at her feet.

"Oh, God! I thank thee! any wretchedness I can bear but his loss," murmured Lucile, raising her clasped hands to Heaven, and bursting into a violent passion of

tears.

For some moments General Montressor had stood a mute witness of the scene. He now broke silence, and

"Let us be going, dearest," said Sidney. "Your in a voice which had lost none of its sternness said-absence must soon be discovered."

"Tears well become you, and if they sprang from the "Ah, let me take one more look at my forsaken right source, I might yet have some hope of recalling home. Before I leave it, perhaps forever, suffer me to you to the sphere you have wilfully abandoned. Speak, waft back one more blessing to my old father-aban- degenerate daughter of my house--choose your fate-doned in his latter days by his only child. Ah, Sid-'tis the last moment of hope-abandon him to whom ney, were not my love as strong as death, as deeply you cling-return to your home, and all shall be forseated as the foundations of my very being, I could not given. Follow his fortunes, and I will never see you leave him thus." more-the pall of forgetfulness shall shroud your very being from my knowledge. Speak--decide."

“Put your trust in me, Lucile,” murmured Sidney, in tones of such thrilling tenderness, that she felt at that

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Oh, father! is there no hope? You will not cast me

off utterly-I am his wedded wife-forgive--forgive those among whom I have dwelt for so many years." me, father." In silence Victor obeyed-and stilling the mighty emotions that were wringing his heart, by the exercise of a pride, which by indulgence had become the master passion of his soul, he proceeded to the house.

"Never-but on one condition. Those ties may be broken. Suffer them to become as though they were not, and I can clasp you to my breast once more as my daughter-but as his wife, never."

Lucile raised her bowed head, and her fair cheek glowed with emotion, as she placed her hand in that of Sidney, and said

"Then is my fate decided. I should be unworthy the name of woman--unworthy of the love which he bears me, could I forsake my husband. No, father: though you are loved deeply, dearly, my choice is made. I go forth to the world, to struggle, perchance, with difficulties of which I have not dreamed, but they will be sweetened by love, and may you not be haunted by remorse for the course you have pursued toward the child of her who lies in her silent grave. Adieu."

"Hear me a moment, before we part," said Grey. "General Montressor, you have treated me in this matter, as though I possessed not the feelings of a man, yet I forgive and I pity you; for you love your daughter better than your life, though your pride refuses to yield to her entreaties. If you can live without her, let your heart be at rest on her account. Her happiness shall be my first care, and though you have spurned my alliance, you know that you may confide her to my love with implicit faith.”

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"My friends," said he in a husky tone, "you behold in me a forsaken father. My daughter has chosen to follow the fortunes of Sidney Grey. Henceforth I have no child. My nephew shall be unto me as a son, but the name of Lucile shall from this hour be an interdicted word. Let those who love me, or value my friendship, aid me in forgetting that I have a child. Our revels must not be interrupted by this untoward occurrence. Let us have music."

And the sounds of revelry came from those walls, which, if nature had been allowed free course, would have echoed back the wailings of anguish for the loss of their youthful heiress. A hollow and unreal pageant was throwing its mockery over the aching heart, and burning brain, as if the sounds of mirth could bring the reality, or the spirit of melody could breathe into the soul its divine essence, and bid the warring passions cease-the sorrowful heart be joyful.

The priest, that dark and strange man, was standing under the shadow of the trees, and a mocking smile was on his pale lips as he stopped and listened to the mingled sounds which floated on the evening air. "Aye-laugh--dance-ring out your joyous meaThey turned away, and a turn in the walk soon hid sures, but each note falls on his heart as a knell. Old them from view. dotard! to be played on thus, and by me-me, his

"Stop, we part not thus," shouted Victor, maddened dependent, his spiritual director-ha! ha! ha! I can by the triumph of his rival.

"Forbear," said his uncle, in a stern tone, at the same time laying a nervous grasp on the arm of his nephew. "Rather thank Heaven that you have not a human life to answer for. Let them go: a pair of love-sick fools--the dream will soon be over, and then you will be amply avenged."

"No-a few appeals and you will forgive them-receive them again, and all will be forgotten," said Victor. "By my faith, no,” replied the old man with bitterness. "What I, who have so worshipped her, to be thus deceived, and forgive? Never was a father so devoted to a child. At night my last thought was of her; my last murmured word a blessing on that heart which has become estranged from me. When I awoke, it was with the glad thought that I should see her bright face smiling on me. I have followed her lithe and lovely figure with my eyes dimmed with the tears of affection and pride. She knew that she was the life of my life-the pulse of my heart-yet she has forsaken me. Can I forgive such base ingratitude? Never--never!"

Utterly overcome by his emotions, he sat down on the marble steps which led into the pavilion, and wept. A few words spoken at that moment in favor of his child, might have restored her to his arms as dearly cherished as ever, but the priest suddenly appeared.

"The company are still in silent wonder at your protracted absence," said he, and lowering his voice he muttered something in the ear of his patron, which appeared to chafe his spirit anew. He arose, and after a brief struggle, regained his composure.

"Retire to your own room, Victor. That lowering brow is unfit for a scene of festivity. For me, my duty to myself calls on me to sustain my character before

laugh to think how completely this man, who lords it o'er his hundreds of slaves-who bows not his head to any man-is under my dominion and if he knew whom he thus humbles himself before, Holy Mother! would there not be a reckoning between us! And I-what have I bound myself to his side for? Chained, Prometheus-like, with the vulture of the past preying on my soul. Heart of mine thou knowest I 'bide my time,' and 'twill come ere long. I urged him to the unnatural course he has pursued toward his daughter. I played on the feelings of Victor, and used him as my tool. I performed the solemn rite which weds his child to poverty, and will bring him with sorrow and remorse to his grave, for he shall not relent. I will yet shew him who has done this, and why I have pursued him with relentless hate. Perseverance-perseverance--ha! ha! ha! what can it not accomplish? And now I go to view yon hollow pageant-to see the childless father throw over him the mantle of pride, which he fancies conceals the contortions of agony that convulse his soul; but he cannot deceive me." And assuming his usual meek and quiet demeanor, he glided among the guests.

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their new home, was ready to sail. In the meantime | coldness of death, but earth's flowers, springing from Lucile had written several times to her father, but her the dust to which we have returned, are types of that letters were returned unopened. Her efforts to see other life to which we are taught to look with that love him were also unavailing. and faith which casteth out fear. I remember your mother; and you are strikingly like her. I can see her pale, subdued countenance before me now, as she sat at her sewing, with those long, slender fingers plying her needle with unwearied industry. I remember her death, and the prayer of my own gentle parent that you might be henceforth considered as the child of her adoption." "And I well recollect all her kindness to my orphan boyhood. My mother was not born to the station in which you first knew her. She was the daughter of a Virginia planter, and, while her father lived, enjoyed every advantage which competence could command. At his death she was left destitute. Security debts to a large amount attested at once his own good nature and the villainy of those in whose honor he had conIfided. Her father resided near the Virginia University, and at the time of his death she was betrothed to one of the students. He possessed a small independence, and no sooner heard of my mother's unexpected change of circumstances, than he insisted on being united to her at once. He had no near relatives to control his wishes, and she became his bride.

General Montressor had liberated the girl who had been reared with his daughter, with the secret hope that the affection of Agnes for her young mistress would induce her to follow her fortunes. In this he was not mistaken. Agnes was the daughter of Lucile's nurse, and the affection and fidelity of the colored slaves, toward those whom they have watched over in infancy, is frequently as remarkable as that shown by the Highlanders to their foster children. The first thought of the old woman, when her daughter proclaimed her freedom to her, was, that she could now accompany her beloved child in her exile from her native land.

"Now 'member," said she, "if you is free from master, you is still de bounden slave of Miss Lucile. b'longed to her mother 'fore she was ever married, and if it wern't for dat will leavin' de property to master as long as he lives, she would'nt be turned out of her father's house now, wid nothin' to bless herself wid; so if you wants me to die easy in my bed, you'll go wid her, wait on her, do ebery thing dat I'd do if I was free to go wi' her too. Does you hear me, Aggy, child?"

"Yes, mammy, and I is gwine to do so too. Miss Lucile's always been kind to me, and I is'nt gwine to forget it now, when her own father turns his back on her." That night Agnes joined her young mistress.

The wardrobe of Lucile was forwarded from her father's, and on opening her jewel box, she found in it gold pieces to the amount of several hundred dollars. A slip of paper was fastened to it on which her father had written "Make the most of this, for 'tis all you will ever receive from me."

That evening they embarked, and Lucile stood on the deck of the ship until the last tint of daylight faded from the sky, straining her vision toward the dim line on the horizon's edge, which showed where that isle of beauty lay; and when she could no longer see the land of her birth, she sat down and wept such tears as are only wrung from a young heart mourning over its first deep grief.

"He left the University immediately, and proceeded to his native place to prosecute the study of medicine. I will lightly pass over what followed, for it is too painful for a son to dwell on. In he became entangled with a set of dissipated young men, and, forgetful of the new tie which bound him, he gave himself up to the reckless enjoyment of the passing moment. "The consequences were utter ruin, a broken constitution, and to my mother an almost broken heart. He left

and went to a distant village, but could get no employment, and for several years they endured the extreme of poverty. Many times, to lose the sense of his degradation and suffering, he would return to the first cause of his misfortunes, and for days would lie in utter oblivion of all around him.

"He had one brother, many years his senior, who resided in Philadelphia, and but for his occasional assistance rendered to my mother in the shape of small sums of money, sent as he could spare them, they must have perished in spite of my mother's industry. She many times denied herself the rest which exhausted nature almost demanded, that she might continue a few more hours at her needle. At length my uncle

Grey sat beside her, and sought to draw her from the contemplation of the past, to view that future which was opening before them; and as she listened to the tones of that beloved voice, they brought comfort to her soul, and gradually her tears became less passion-wrote that all his hopes of reformation on the part of ate-soon they had ceased to flow.

"I have never told you the history of my parents," said he, as they leaned together over the side of the ship, and looked into the clear depths below, in which the Heavens, with each bright and glorious star, were mirrored.

"No-I have never heard you speak of your relatives, except as children, when we went hand in hand to deck the graves of our mothers with flowers: and do you remember, Sidney, how I cried because the marble tablet over my mother's grave prevented me from placing the flowers on the earth which covered her, as you did on the more humble resting place of your mother? That incident has made a lasting impression on me: I would not be buried under one of those cold, dismal looking stones, if my own wishes could prevent it. No-let the sun shine on my grave, the dews moisten it, and the green grass wave above my last resting place. Marble well represents the repose, the

my father had been abandoned; but he would still offer him an employment which would make no call on the intellect, that had been obscured, almost destroyed by his course of life. A wealthy planter, residing in one of the West India Islands, had commissioned him to procure an overseer, and he offered the situation to my father.

"The prospect of employment, which would bring him a comfortable support for his wife and child, restored him in some measure to his former self-respect. From that hour he drank no more; but the remem brance of what he was, and what he had once fair prospects of becoming, embittered every moment of his life. He was ever kind to my mother; but for hours have I seen him walk the floor of our humble abode, and tears would stand in his eyes as he looked on her and called her his suffering angel. He related to me what I have now told you, and made every effort to impress on my young mind a horror of everything

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