he occupied on board.
Perry Dornwood, either from remorse, or the consciousness that he had
ruined himself and his future prospects, had ended the life which had
been so unproductive to himself and his little family.

It was some time before Dory recovered in a measure from the shock which
the reading of this article gave him. He wept bitterly, and reproached
himself because he had not been with his mother in the midst of her
terrible affliction; but he consoled himself with the reflection that he
had been at work for her.

He fastened his boat to a wharf on his arrival, and hastened to his
home. He saw that the Sylph was at the next wharf, and, whatever Captain
Gildrock had failed to do for his mother in the past, he was with her in
her hour of affliction.

He threw himself into his mother's arms when he reached the house, and
wept as he had never wept before. His mother mingled her tears and sobs
with her son's. But violent grief usually vents itself, and relief
comes. When the people gathered at the funeral, both Mrs. Dornwood and
her son were calm. The minister spoke words of hope and comfort to them,
and they followed the dead to his grave. Captain Gildrock supported his
sister, and certainly no one could have been kinder or more considerate.

They went back to the desolate home. Little was said of the departed
husband and father; but all that was said was of his good deeds, and his
failings were not mentioned. The day wore away. The door of one state of
existence seemed to close with that sad day, and with the next morning
the family felt that they had entered upon a new era in their career.
Captain Gildrock slept on board of the Sylph, because there was no room
for him in the poor abode of his sister.

"When your uncle told me that you ran away from him, I was afraid
something terrible had happened to you, Dory," said his mother, after
breakfast. "Why did you avoid him?"

"Because I never liked him. While you have almost suffered for the want
of food, clothes, and a decent house, he has never done a thing for you.
You told me he had never been to see you since you were married. I
always looked upon him as a hog," replied Dory with spirit.

"Your uncle Royal and your father could never agree. When I was married,
my father and my brother were both opposed to it. They did not believe
your father was able to take care of a family. They were right, though I
will not speak ill of him who is gone. Your father fo