adually gave up his ordinary work
about the village--that is, the keeping in repair such cottages as
belonged to him--and remained much within doors. This change of habits
and want of exercise told fatally on three score and ten, and probably
hastened his death, which took place two years after his son's. He died
without a will, but left very considerable property. It was supposed he
died intestate, either because he grudged the expense of making a will,
or because he could not endure the thought of parting from the gold
which had had the worship and service of his life. Richard, on his
return, repaired the old farm-house, and restored it to something like
comfort. He proved liberal, but not (as is frequently the case in such
instances) lavish. The only piece of extravagance of which he was ever
accused--and it was the village stone-mason who blamed him for
that--being the procuring an elegant marble monument from Italy, the
work of a first-rate sculptor, to place over the grave of his beloved
brother. The figures on it were--an admirable likeness of Ernest, taken
from the somnambulist's picture, and two angelic beings in the act of
presenting the risen spirit with the palms and crown of victory gained
over sorrow, suffering, and death. The inscription on the tomb had an
awful and touching meaning to those who knew the story of the brother's
life; and we know not how we can better conclude our sketches of the
insane folly of gold-worship, than by finishing them with those solemn
words--"Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven."

MY NOVEL; OR, VARIETIES IN ENGLISH LIFE.[13]

CHAPTER VII.

Leonard had been about six weeks with his uncle, and those weeks were
well spent. Mr. Richard had taken him to his counting-house, and
initiated him into the business and the mysteries of double entry; and,
in return, for the young man's readiness and zeal in matters which the
acute trader instinctively felt were not exactly to his tastes, Richard
engaged the best master the town afforded to read with his nephew in the
evening. This gentleman was the head-usher of a large school--who had
his hours to himself after eight o'clock--and was pleased to vary the
dull routine of enforced lessons by instructions to a pupil who took
delightedly--even to the Latin grammar. Leonard made rapid strides, and
learned more in those six weeks than many a cleverish boy does in twice
as many months. These hours which Leonard devoted to st