ed by those things which help
to develop a fine and refined character.

"'But they don't, Lottie; they don't indeed,' answered my dear dying
mother. 'Riches bring a snare--they debase the character, they don't
ennoble it.'

"'Mother,' I said, 'I see plainly that you are well acquainted with this
subject. You will tell me, mother, what you know?'

"'Yes,' replied my mother; 'it won't do you the least good; but as I
have said so much to you I may as well tell the rest.'

"Then, Angus, my mother told me the following story; it is not very
long.

"She was an orphan and a governess when my father found her and married
her--she was my father's second wife. She was much younger than he--he
had grown-up sons--two grown-up sons at the time of his marriage; and
they were very deeply offended at his thinking of a second marriage. So
indignant were they that my father and they came to quite an open
quarrel, and mother said that during the five years that my father lived
she never saw either of her stepsons until just at the close. She was
very happy as my father's wife; he loved her dearly, and as he had
plenty of money she wanted for nothing. My father was an old man, as I
have said, and he was tired of fuss, and also of much society; so though
they were so rich mother lived rather a lonely life--in a large and
beautiful place in Hertfordshire. She said the place was called the
Hermitage, and was one of the largest and best in the neighborhood. At
last my father fell ill, very ill, and the doctors said he must die.
Then for the first time there came hastening back to the Hermitage the
two elder sons--their names were John and Jasper--the eldest John, my
mother said, was very handsome, and very kind and courteous to her. He
was a married man, and he told mother that he had a little daughter much
about my age, who was also called Charlotte. My father and his two sons
seemed quite reconciled in these last days, and they spent most of their
time with him. On the evening, however, before he died, he had mother
and me with him alone. I sat on the bed, a little baby child of two, and
my father held mother's hand. He told mother how much he loved her, and
he spoke a very little about money matters.

"'John will make it all right for you, Daisy,' he said. 'John knows all
about my wishes with regard to you and little Charlotte. I should like
this little Charlotte and his to be friends; they are both called after
my own mother, the be