ll be a lady
after all.' Poor thing--but she died young." Richard's voice grew husky.

The parson kindly pressed the arm on which he leaned, and said, after a
pause,--

"Nothing refines us like education, sir. I believe your sister Nora had
received much instruction, and had the talents to profit by it: it is
the same with your nephew."

"I'll see him," said Richard, stamping his foot firmly on the ground,
"and if I like him, I'll be as good as a father to him. Look you,
Mr.--what's your name, sir?"

"Dale."

"Mr. Dale, look you, I'm a single man. Perhaps I may marry some day;
perhaps I sha' n't. I'm not going to throw myself away. If I can get
a lady of quality, why--but that's neither here nor there; meanwhile I
should be glad of a nephew whom I need not be ashamed of. You see, sir,
I am a new man, the builder of my own fortunes; and though I have picked
up a little education--I don't well know how,--as I scramble on still,
now I come back to the old country, I'm well aware that I 'm not
exactly a match for those d---d aristocrats; don't show so well in a
drawing-room as I could wish. I could be a parliament man if I liked,
but I might make a goose of myself; so, all things considered, if I can
get a sort of junior partner to do the polite work, and show off
the goods, I think the house of Avenel & Co. might become a pretty
considerable honour to the Britishers. You understand me, sir?"

"Oh, very well," answered Mr. Dale, smiling, though rather gravely.

"Now," continued the New Man, "I'm not ashamed to have risen in life by
my own merits; and I don't disguise what I've been. And, when I'm in my
own grand house, I'm fond of saying, 'I landed at New York with L10 in
my purse, and here I am!' But it would not do to have the old folks with
me. People take you with all your faults if you're rich; but they won't
swallow your family into the bargain. So if I don't have at my house
my own father and mother, whom I love dearly, and should like to see
sitting at table, with my servants behind their chairs, I could still
less have sister Jane. I recollect her very well, but she can't have got
genteeler as she's grown older. Therefore I beg you'll not set her on
coming after me! it would not do by any manner of means. Don't say a
word about me to her. But send the boy down here to his grandfather, and
I'll see him quietly, you understand."

"Yes, but it will be hard to separate her from the boy."

"Stuff! all boys ar