been an attentive listener for the last five minutes, "well
out of it."

Without heeding his cousin's nonsense, Anthony answered his uncle with
great simplicity, "Dear uncle, what can I say to him?"

"Faith, my dear boy, that's more than I can tell you; just anything, the
best you can. Tell him that you wish to see him, that you are grown
nearly into a man; that you wish him to name what profession he wishes
you to pursue, as you are about to go to college. But mark me, Tony say
not one word about love, filial affection, and so forth; he'll not
believe you. The more you attempt to court or conciliate such spirits as
his--spirits, did I say? the man's all earth, hard unyielding clay--the
more they suspect you of sinister motives. The honest bluntness of
indignant truth is more likely to succeed."

"I believe you, uncle, and without exercising any great mental
ingenuity, my letter, I fear, will be a sad hypocritical affair."

"Doubtless," said Godfrey, roaring with laughter, "I wish, Tony, we
could change fathers."

A reproachful look from Algernon, and a flash from the calm dark eyes of
Anthony, checked the immoral levity of his cousin, who, stepping briskly
up to the table, continued--

"Give me a pen, and I will give you a few hints on the subject."

"This is too serious a business for mirth, Godfrey," said Anthony,
gravely. "I did not love him once--I was a child. He was harsh and cold,
and I was ignorant of the sacred nature of those ties that bound us
together. Time has wrought a great change in me; perhaps it may have
done the same in him. I am anxious to feel for him a deeper interest--to
pity his unfortunate malady, and cherish in my heart the duty and
affection of a son."

"Ah! Tony, Tony, you begin to know the value of the shiners, to tremble
lest old skinflint Pike should cut you out of daddy's will. But come,
let me write the dutiful letter that is to reinstate you in the miser's
good graces. Shall it be in verse or prose? What, silent yet? Well then,
here goes." And with an air of mock gravity he took up a pen, and
commenced reading every line aloud as he went on--

"Dear stingy dad, I long to share
The keeping of your hoarded treasure;
You, I know, have lots to spare,
And I, your hopeful son and heir,
Would spend it with the greatest pleasure.

Oh, thou most devoted father
Fill your chest--hide well the key
Countless wealth for me you gather,
And I se