ay nestling against him, he could not help thinking of the time when
he was a child, and when the New Years were happy ones. Ellen loved no
place so well as her father's arms. When they were folded tightly
around her, she had nothing more to desire; so she lay very still and
silent, while the thoughts of her father wandered away from the loving
child on his bosom to his own unsatisfied state of mind.

"For years," he said within himself, "I have been in earnest pursuit
of the means of happiness, yet happiness itself seems every year to be
still farther in the distance. There is something wrong. I cannot be
in the true path. My days are busy and restless, my nights burdened
with schemes that rarely do more than cheat my glowing fancy. What is
the meaning of this?"

And Mr. Edgar fell into a deep reverie, from which he was aroused by
the voice of his wife, as she laid her hand upon his shoulder.

"A happy New Year, and many joyful returns!" she said, in loving
tones, as she pressed her lips to his forehead.

He did not answer. The tenderly spoken good wishes of his wife fell
very gratefully, like refreshing dew, upon his heart; but he was
distinctly conscious of not being happy.

So far as worldly condition was concerned, Mr. Edgar had no cause of
mental depression. His business was prosperous under a careful
management, and every year he saw himself better off by a few thousand
dollars. Always, however, it must be told, the number fell short of
his expectations.

"There is something wrong." Mr. Edgar's thoughts were all running in
one direction. A startling truth seemed suddenly to be revealed to
him, and he felt inclined to look at it in all possible aspects. "Why
am I not happy?" That was urging the question home; but the answer was
not given.

After breakfast, Mr. Edgar left home and went to his store. As he
passed along the street, he saw at a window the face of a most lovely
child. Her beauty, that had in it something of heavenly innocence,
impressed him so deeply that he turned to gain a second look, and in
doing so his eyes saw on the door of the dwelling the name of Abraham
James. There was an instant revulsion of feeling; and for the first
time that morning Mr. Edgar remembered one of the causes of his
uncomfortable state of mind. Abraham James was an unfortunate debtor
who had failed to meet his obligations, among which were two notes of
five hundred dollars each, given to Mr. Edgar. These had been plac