to the reader, had
five children. Edith, the oldest daughter, was twenty-two years of age
at the time of her father's death; and Henry, the oldest son, just
twenty. Next to Henry was Miriam, eighteen years old. The ages of the
two youngest children, Ellen and Edward, were ten and eight.

Mr. Darlington, while living, was a lawyer of distinguished ability,
and his talents and reputation at the Philadelphia bar enabled him to
accumulate a handsome fortune. Upon this he had lived for some years in
a style of great elegance. About a year before his death, he had been
induced to enter into some speculation that promised great results; but
he found, when too late to retreat, that he had been greatly deceived.
Heavy losses soon followed. In a struggle to recover himself, he became
still further involved; and, ere the expiration of a twelvemonth, saw
every thing falling from under him. The trouble brought on by this was
the real cause of his death, which was sudden, and resulted from
inflammation and congestion of the brain.

Henry Darlington, the oldest son, was a young man of promising talents.
He remained at college until a few months before his father's death,
when he returned home and commenced the study of law, in which he felt
ambitious to distinguish himself.

Edith, the oldest daughter, possessed a fine mind, which had been well
educated. She had some false views of life, natural to her position;
but, apart from this, was a girl of sound sense and great force of
character. Thus far in life she had not encountered circumstances of a
nature calculated to develop what was in her. The time for that,
however, was approaching. Miriam, her sister, was a quiet, gentle,
retiring, almost timid girl. She went into company with reluctance, and
then always shrunk as far from observation as it was possible to get;
but, like most quiet, retiring persons, there were deep places in her
mind and heart. She thought and felt more than was supposed. All who
knew Miriam loved her. Of the younger children we need not here speak.

Mrs. Darlington knew comparatively nothing of the world beyond her own
social circle. She was, perhaps, as little calculated for doing what
she proposed to do as a woman could well be. She had no habits of
economy, and had never in her life been called upon to make
calculations of expense in household matters. There was a tendency to
generosity rather than selfishness in her character, and she rarely
thought evi