ess true to you all. My Mary and you
will be as sisters."

His niece could bear no more kindness. She had been far more bitterly
disappointed than she had confessed even to her uncle; and yet the
very bitterness of the disappointment had been the first thing that
had driven her father's dying wail from her ears--that cry repeated
so often and so bitterly in the brief moments left after his
accident--"My children! My children!" He had not sufficient faith
to commit them to God's mercy; he knew he had not been a faithful
steward; and he could not bring himself from the depths of his
spiritual blindness to call upon the Fountain that is never dried up
to those who would humbly and earnestly partake of its living waters.

It was all a scene as of another world to the young, beautiful,
petted, and feted girl; it had made her forget the disappointment
of her love, at least for a time. While her brothers dared the
thunder-cloud that burst above their heads, her mother and sisters
wept beneath its influence. Mary had looked forth, and if she did
not hope, she thought, and tried to pray; now, she fell weeping upon
her uncle's shoulder; when she could speak, she said, "Forgive me;
in a little time I shall be able to conquer this; at present, I am
overwhelmed; I feel as if knowledge and sorrow came together; I seem
to have read more of human nature within the last three days than in
all my past life."

"It all depends, Mary, upon the person you meet," said Mr. Adams, "as
upon the book you read; if you choose a foolish book or a bad book,
you can expect nothing but vice or foolishness; if you choose a
foolish companion, surely you cannot expect kindness or strength." The
kind-hearted man repeated to her all he had before said. "I cannot,"
he added, "be guilty of injustice to my children; but I can merge all
my own luxuries into the one of being a father to the fatherless."

But to all the plans of Charles Adams, objections were raised by his
eldest nephew and his mother; the youth could not brook the control
of a simple straight-minded country man, whose only claim to be
considered a gentleman, in his opinion, arose from his connexion
with "his family." He was also indignant with his maternal uncle for
his broken promise, and these feelings were strengthened by his
mother's folly. Two opportunities for disposing of the house and its
magnificent furniture were missed; and when Mrs. Adams complained to
her nearest and most influ