swered, "it would but seem that I yielded to a
superstitious dread. It will all be right to-morrow."

Seeing the boat drawing near, the fond husband bade his wife an
affectionate farewell, and hurried to the wharf. She saw him safely on
board, and watched the steamer till out of sight.

In life she never saw that husband more. The boat in which he returned
was the ill-fated "Empire," which was sunk near Newburgh, and he was
among those who perished. The corpse of Colonel Pratt was not
discovered until two days had elapsed, and immediate burial was
necessary upon the arrival of the body at that dear home whence he had
so lately departed. This blow was so severe to his wife, that for
several weeks her reason deserted her, in an attack of long-continued
illness. She recovered, only to learn, that extensive speculations,
whose prospect of certain success had induced Colonel Pratt to invest
very nearly the whole of his fortune, had proved an utter failure, and
that she and her children were destitute.

Here was something which called forth all her energies, and for her
children's sake she nerved herself to action. Their beautiful home, the
scene of so much happiness, passed into strangers' hands. Horses and
carriage, and even Mrs. Pratt's jewelry, all went in the general ruin.
Naught was reserved save enough to purchase a diminutive cottage not
many miles from the scene of her former prosperity, and thither she
departed, taking with her Arthur and Gulian, who had never before tasted
the bitter dregs of poverty or sorrow.

As usual, in such cases, the many _friends_ who had so gladly shared her
wealth, now apparently forgot her existence, and she was left to battle
with the heavy change alone. It was impossible for them all to live
together now, and the mother felt that if Arthur left her, Gillian, too,
must go to learn the ways of that world, of the hollowness and falseness
of which he as yet knew nothing.

About this time, a Southern paper fell into their hands, containing an
advertisement, by a merchant in New-Orleans, for two young clerks, to
fill vacancies recently made in his number of assistants. After due
consideration, it was determined that they might fill those places, and
the merchant was accordingly written to. An answer was immediately
returned, desiring that they should come on as soon as possible, stating
that it was not his custom to engage Northern clerks, but that it was a
season of the year when it wa