ten, Willie
and George, the one just entered at a classical school, and the other
almost ready for college, although only fifteen. Mrs. Burton would have
enough to maintain her, no doubt, and so the matter was charitably
settled and quietly laid aside for a discussion of the last opera night
by the ladies, or a sudden rise in stocks by the gentlemen, upon whose
feeling, sensitive minds it had obtruded itself.

Such a conversation was passing that very morning, as Mrs. Burton sat
listening to a hurried account of the pressing liabilities that would
sweep away even her own marriage portion when, for the first time in a
shielded, prosperous life, care and business anxiety came upon her. It
is not strange that she was completely bewildered by the new aspect of
affairs. She had thought her domestic loss too great a sorrow to bear up
under, and now all this crushing weight added to it! What was to be
done? Her brother-in-law had but one thing to propose. Lucy would
probably marry soon, and Mrs. Burton would no doubt find a comfortable
home with her, and be of great assistance to the young wife in managing
her domestic concerns The children would be distributed among Mr.
Burton's relatives. He himself would take George into his
counting-house. He was old enough to be of some service.

Mrs. Burton was a devoted mother. With all her thoughtlessness, she was
both fond and proud of her children, and to have them taken from her was
to bereave her of every earthly happiness. And George, with his quick
mind and high ambition, to be tied down in a counting-room, when he had
talent for anything in the profession he already looked forward to, the
law! Willie, proud, spirited, affectionate Willie, and her beautiful
Grace, dependents upon the bounty of relatives! She could not bear the
thought.

But she was not alone in this. Lucy had been summoned to join the
deliberation, and astonished her uncle not a little by the firmness with
which she said--

"That never will do, sir!"

"Well, my dear, perhaps you can propose a more feasible plan. Does Mr.
Allan intend to 'marry the whole family?'"

The ill-concealed irony and coarseness of this remark brought a flush to
the young girl's face, and a fire to her eyes that made her more like
her haughty relative than ever, as she answered--

"I have not consulted with Mr. Allan; for I did not know there was any
need of consultation. No doubt he still thinks as I did an hour ago,
that--my fat