t England for America, they persuaded her to accompany them.
In process of time she was married to a wealthy merchant, and removed to
Western Canada. Their union was a very happy one, and for some years,
they lived in the enjoyment of worldly prosperity and happiness. But it
often happens that sad and unlooked-for reverses succeed a season of
long continued prosperity; and it was so in this case. I am not aware
that Mr. Harris's failure in business was brought about through any
imprudence on his part; but was owing to severe and unexpected losses.
He had entered into various speculations, which bid fair to prove
profitable, but which proved a complete failure, and one stroke of ill
fortune followed another in rapid succession, till the day of utter ruin
came. He gave up every thing; even his house and furniture was
sacrificed to meet the clamorous demands of his hard-hearted creditors;
and his family was thus suddenly reduced from a state of ease and
affluence to absolute poverty. Mr. Harris possessed a very proud spirit,
and his nature was sensitive, and he could not endure the humiliation of
remaining where they had formerly been so happy. He knew the world
sufficiently well to be aware that they would now meet with coldness and
neglect even from those who had formerly been proud of their notice,
and shrank from the trial, and with the small amount he had been able to
secure out of the general wreck, he removed to the city of Toronto, some
three hundred miles from their former home. They had but little money
remaining when they reached the city, and Mr. Harris felt the necessity
of at once seeking some employment, for a stranger destitute of money in
a large city is in no enviable position. For some time he was
unsuccessful in every application he made for employment, and he was
glad at length to accept the situation of copyist in a Lawyer's Office,
till something better might offer. His salary barely sufficed for their
support, yet they were thankful even for that. His constitution had
never been robust, and the anxiety of mind under which he labored told
severely upon his health. He exerted himself to the utmost, but his
health failed rapidly; he was soon obliged to give up work, and in a
little more than a year from the time of their removal to Toronto, he
died, leaving his wife and daughter friendless and destitute. Their
situation was extremely sad, when thus left alone; they had made no
acquaintances during the ye