aying,
'Emily, my dying prayer is that you will be a guardian angel to my boy!'
God forgive me," ejaculated the tearful blind girl, "if I have been
faithless in the trust!

"He of whom I am telling you was then about eighteen. He had lately
become a clerk in my father's employ against his will, for he desired a
collegiate education; but my father was determined, and at his mother's
and my persuasion he was induced to submit. My step-mother's death knit
the tie between her son and myself more closely than ever. He continued
an inmate of our house, and we passed a deal of time in the enjoyment of
each other's society; for my father was much from home, and when there,
retired to his library, leaving us to entertain each other. I was then a
school-girl, fond of books, and an excellent student. How often, when
you have spoken of the help Willie was in your studies, have I been
reminded of the time when I received similar encouragement and aid from
my youthful friend, who was ever ready to exert hand and brain in my
behalf! But we were not invariably happy. Often did my father's face
wear a frown which I dreaded to see; while the disturbed and
occasionally angry countenance of his step-son denoted that some storm
had occurred, probably at the counting-house, of which I had no
knowledge, except from its after effects. My office of mediator, too,
was suspended from the fact that the censure arose concerning some
supposed mismanagement of business matters by the young and
inexperienced clerk. Matters went on thus for six months, when it became
evident that my father had either been influenced by insinuations from
some foreign quarter, or had himself conceived a new idea. He is honest
and straightforward in his purposes, whatever they may be, and incapable
of carrying out any species of artifice. We saw that he was resolved to
put a check upon the freedom of intercourse which had subsisted between
the two youthful inmates of the house, to forward which purpose he
introduced in the position of housekeeper Mrs. Ellis, who has continued
with us ever since. The almost constant presence of this stranger, and
the interference of my father with his step-son's familiar intimacy with
me, indicated his intention to destroy the closeness of our friendship.

"It is true, I lent myself unhesitatingly to a species of petty
deception to elude the vigilance which would have kept us apart. My
father, however, saw more of our man[oe]uvring than w