osed your union
with Alida before our misfortunes should be promulgated. Your parents
are old, a little will serve the residue of their days. With your
acquirements you may make your way in life. I shall now have no property
to give you; but I would still wish you to ensure to yourself that which
you prize far above, and without which, both honours and emoluments
would be unimportant and worthless."

At this moment a loud rap at the door interrupted the discourse, and
three men were ushered in, which proved to be the sheriff and his
attendants, sent by the more inexorable creditors of Theodore's father
and company, to levy on the property of the former, which orders they
faithfully executed by seizing the lands, tenements, and furniture. We
will not stop the reader to moralize on this disastrous event--the
feelings of the family can better be conceived than described.

Hurled, in a moment, from the lofty summit of affluence to the low vale
of indigence, Christian philosophy after a while came to the aid of the
parents, but who can realize the feelings of the son? Thus suddenly cut
short, not only of his prospects of future independence, but even
present support, what would be the event of his suit to Alida, and
stipulated marriage? Was it not probable that her father would now
cancel the contract? Could she consent to become his in his present
penurious situation? and could he himself be willing to make her
miserable?

In this agitated frame of mind he received a letter from a friend in the
neighbourhood of Alida, requesting him to come immediately to his house,
whither he repaired the following day.

This person had ever been the unchanging friend of Theodore; he had
heard of the misfortunes of his family, and he deeply sympathized in his
distress. He had lately married and settled near the residence of
Alida's father. His name was Raymond. When Theodore arrived at the house
of his friend, he was received with the same disinterested ardour he had
ever been before, in the day of his most unbounded prosperity. After
being seated, Raymond told him the occasion of his sending for him was
to propose the adoption of certain measures which he doubted not might
be considered highly beneficial, as it respected his future peace and
happiness. "Your family misfortunes," continued he, "have reached the
ear of Alida's father. I know old people, generally speaking, too well
to believe he will now consent to receive you as his so