mity, as these gentlemen and
others have done before."

She pointed to the old portraits of Custises on the wall. If any of them
looked dissatisfied, he met a countenance haughty as his own.

"Vesta," her father called, "you know you do not love this man?"

Looking back a minute at the longing in his face, which now wore the
solicitude of personal affection, she melted under it.

"No, father," she said, with a burst of tears. "I love you."

She threw her arms around him and kissed him long and fondly, both
weeping together. He went into a fit of grief that admitted of no
conversation till it was partly spent, and at last lay with his gray
hairs folded to her heaving bosom, where the compensation of his love
made her sacrifice more precious.

"I feel that I am doing right, father," she said tenderly "Till now I
have had my doubts. No other young heart is wronged by my taking this
step; I have never been engaged, and it now seems providential, as I
could not then have gone to your assistance without injuring myself and
another; and your debts are too great for any but this man to settle
them. Your life has been one long sacrifice for me, and not a cloud has
darkened above me till this day, giving me the first shower of sorrow,
which I trust will refresh my soul, and make its humility grow. Oh,
father, it would rejoice me so much if you could respond to my sacrifice
with a better life!"

"God help me, I will!" he sobbed.

"That is very comforting to me. I will not enumerate your omissions,
dear father, but if this important step in my life does not arrest some
sad tendencies I see in you, the disappointment may break me down.
Intemperance in you--a judge, a gentleman, a husband, and a father--is a
deformity worse than Mr. Milburn's honest, unfashionable hat. Do you not
feel happier that my husband is not to be a drunkard?"

"He has not that vice, thank God!" admitted the Judge.

"Be his better example, father, for I hope to see you influence him to
be kind to me, and the sight of you walking downward in his view will
degrade me more than bearing his name or sharing his eccentricities. Oh,
if you love me, let not your dear soul slide out of the knowledge of
God!"

"Pray for me, dear child! My feet are slippery and my knees are weak."

"Begin from this moment to lean on Heaven," said Vesta. "It is better
than this world's consideration. Oh, what would strengthen me now but
God's approval, though I go into a cap