ite and worn
In less than a week. Then after,
At times, he'd grow queer and wild;
And only one thing saved him--
His love for his only child.
He worshipped her like an idol;
He loved her, folks said too well;
And God sent the end as a judgment,--
But how that may be who can tell?

I don't know how it all happened--
I heard the story you see,
In bits and scraps,--just here and there;
But, sir, 'atween you and me,
In putting them all together,
I think I've a good idea
As how the Master got swindled,
And things at the "Chase" went queer.
He'd a notion to leave Miss Vi'let
Rich, I fancy, you know;
For now and ag'in I noticed
He'd take in his head to go
Away for a time--to London,--
And I, who knew him so well,
Could see as he came home worried.
Aye, sir! I could read--could tell
As things had gone wrong with Master.
I was right: 'twas that tale so old!
He'd lost in that great big gamble,
In that cursed greed for gold.

And then the worst came to the worst, sir.
"The old Chase must go from us, Vi'!"
Her father told her one morning,
"My child! oh, my child! I would die
Ten thousand deaths rather than tell you
What price our freedom would cost."
And then, in a voice hoarse and broken,
He told her how all had been lost.
They say, sir, the girl answered proudly,
"I know, father, what you would say:
The man who has swindled you, duped you,
Will return you your own if you pay
His price--my hand. Don't speak, father!
You know what I'm saying is true;
And, father, I know Paul Delaunay,
Yes, better, far better, than you.
Go, tell him I'll wed him to-morrow,
On this one condition--list here,--
That