e, too, the hearty
invocation of that good woman, Mrs. Elderkin, joined with his in the
Celestial Presence; and if the kindly letter of the Squire did not rank
with the prayers, we may believe, without hardihood, that the recording
angel took note of it, and gave credit on the account current of human
charities.

XXXVIII.

Mr. Brindlock had, may-be, exaggerated somewhat the story of Reuben's
extravagances, but he was anxious that a word of caution should be
dropped in his ear from some other lips than his own. The allowance from
the Doctor, notwithstanding all the economies of Miss Eliza's frugal
administration, would have been, indeed, somewhat narrow, and could by
no means have kept Reuben upon his feet in the ambitious city-career
upon which he had entered. But Mr. Brindlock had taken a great fancy to
the lad, and, besides the stipend granted for his duties about the
counting-room, had given him certain shares in a few private ventures
which had resulted very prosperously,--so prosperously, indeed, that the
prudent merchant had determined to hold the full knowledge of the
success in reserve. The prospects of Reuben, however, he being the
favorite nephew of a well-established merchant, were regarded by the
most indifferent observers as extremely flattering; and Mr. Bowrigg was
not disposed to look unfavorably upon the young man's occasional
attentions to the dashing Sophie.

But the Brindlocks, though winking at a great deal which the Doctor
would have counted grievous sin, still were uneasy at the lad's growing
dissoluteness of habit. Would the prayers of the good people of Ashfield
help him?

It was some time in the month of September, of the same autumn in which
poor Adele lay sick at the parsonage, that Reuben came in one night, at
twelve or thereabout, to his home at the Brindlocks', (living at this
time in the neighborhood of Washington Square,) with his head cruelly
battered, and altogether in a very piteous plight. Mrs. Brindlock,
terribly frightened,--in her woman's way,--was for summoning the Doctor
at once; but Reuben pleaded against it; he had been in a row, that was
all, and had caught a big knock or two. The truth was, he had been upon
one of his frolics with his old boon companions; and it so happened that
one had spoken sneeringly of the parson's son, in a way which to the
fiery young fellow seemed to cast ridicule upon the old gentleman. And
thereupon Reuben, though somewhat maudlin with wine,