pride
in this thing, Mrs. Linden had promised William, that, on the very day
that the legislature granted the petition, she should transfer to him
the whole amount of her property, with the exception of about twenty
thousand dollars. Subsequently, Charles learned that the name of his
brother had been changed; that the marriage had taken place; and that
his mother had relinquished all her property, with a small reservation,
into the hands of her son. All this took place within three years after
his marriage.

The next intelligence was of an attempt being made to force Florence,
his sister, into a marriage most repugnant to her feelings. This
aroused his indignation afresh. He wrote to her strongly, and conjured
her by every high and holy consideration not to permit the sacrifice to
take place. Florence possessed too much of the same spirit that he did
to yield tamely in a matter like this. His frequent letters
strengthened her to resist all the attempts of her mother and brother
to induce her to yield to their mercenary wishes. Finding that she was
firm, a system of persecution, in the hope of forcing her to an assent,
was commenced against her. As soon as Charles learned this, he went
immediately to P--, and saw Florence at the home of a mutual friend. He
had little difficulty in persuading her to return home with him.
Neither her mother nor William showed her any real affection, and they
were both plotting against her happiness for life. On the other hand,
there had always been between her and Charles a deep attachment. She
not only loved him, but confided in him. She had never seen his wife;
but Charles had written so much about her, and Ellen's letters had
pictured a mind so gentle, so good, that Florence loved her only less
than she loved her brother. And there was another there to love, of
whom she had heard much--a fair-haired girl named Florence. Is it a
subject of wonder that she fled from her mother, to find a paradise in
comparison to what she had left, in the home of Charles and his
pure-hearted companion? We think not.

The meeting between her and Ellen was one in which both their hearts
overflowed--in which affections mingled--in which two loving spirits
became united in bonds that nothing could break.

We turn, now, to the disappointed Mrs. Linden. Knowing that to inform
her mother of the step she had resolved to take would do no good, but
only cause her to endure a storm of passion, Florence left home