ving in a regiment of hussars. Their sisters, however,
constantly assured Tony that George, Henry, and Mark would be so fond of
him, especially Mark, who was the soldier, and who would be charmed to
meet with one so fond of all his own pursuits.

It was with sincere pride Mrs. Butler saw her son in such favor at the
great house,--that princely place to which the company came from remote
parts of the kingdom, and to mix with which the neighboring gentry were
only admitted sparingly and at rare intervals; for Sir Arthur's wealth
was to society a sort of crushing power, a kind of social Nasmyth
hammer, that smashed and ground down whatever came beneath it. No small
distinction was it, therefore, for the widow's son to be there; not
merely admitted and on sufferance, but encouraged, liked, and made much
of. Sir Arthur had known Tony's father in India, long long years ago;
indeed, it was when Sir Arthur was a very small civil servant, and
Captain Butler was a gorgeous aide-de-camp on the Governor-General's
staff; and strange it was, the respect with which the brilliant soldier
then inspired him had survived through all the changes and advancements
of a successful life, and the likeness the youth bore to his father
assisted to strengthen this sentiment. He would have noticed the widow,
too, if she had been disposed to accept his attentions; but she refused
all invitations to leave her home, and save at the little meeting-house
on a Sunday, where her friend Dr. Stewart held forth, was never seen
beyond the paling of her garden.

What career Tony was to follow, what he was to do, was an oft-debated
question between her and Dr. Stewart, her worthy adviser in spirituals;
and though it was the ever-recurring subject as they sat of an evening
in the porch, the solution seemed just as remote as ever,--Mrs. Butler
averring that there was nothing that with a little practice he could n't
do, and the minister sighingly protesting that the world was very full
just now, and there was just barely enough for those who were in it.

"What does he incline to himself, madam?" asked the worthy man, as he
saw that his speech had rather a discouraging effect.

"He'd like to follow his father's career, and be a soldier."

"Oh, dear!" sighed out the minister; "a man must be rich enough to do
without a livelihood that takes to that one. What would you say to the
sea?"

"He's too old for the navy. Tony will be twenty in August."

The minister w