art and hand.
Under other circumstances, Matilda would undoubtedly have spurned him
with contempt; but having heard that her recreant lover was about
taking to himself a bride, she felt a desire, as she expressed it,
"to let him know she could marry too." Accordingly, John was
accepted, on condition that he changed the name of Nichols, which
Miss Richards particularly disliked, to that of Livingstone. This
was easily done, and the next letter which went to Oakland carried
the news of John's marriage with the proud Matilda.

A few months later and Mr. Richards died, leaving his entire property
to his daughter and her husband. John was now richer far than even
in his wildest dreams he had ever hoped to be, and yet like many
others, he found that riches alone could not insure happiness. And,
indeed, to be happy with Matilda Richards, seemed impossible. Proud,
avaricious, and overbearing, she continually taunted her husband with
his entire dependence upon her, carefully watching him, lest any of
her hoarded wealth should find its way to the scanty purse of his
parents, of whom she always spoke with contempt.

Never but once had they asked for aid, and that to help them rear the
little 'Lena. Influenced by his wife, John replied sneeringly,
scouting the idea of Helena's marriage, denouncing her as his sister,
and saying of her child, that the poor-house stood ready for such as
she! This letter 'Lena had accidentally found among her
grandfather's papers, and though its contents gave her no definite
impression concerning her mother, it inspired her with a dislike for
her uncle, whose coming she greatly dreaded, for it was confidently
expected that she, together with her grandmother, would return with
him to Kentucky.

"You'll be better off there than here," said her grandfather one day,
when speaking of the subject. "Your Uncle John is rich, and you'll
grow up a fine lady."

"I don't want to be a lady--I won't be a lady," said 'Lena
passionately. "I don't like Uncle John. He called my mother a bad
woman and me a little brat! I hate him!" and the beautiful brown
eyes glittering with tears flashed forth their anger quite as
eloquently as language could express it.

The next moment 'Lena was bending over her grandfather, asking to be
forgiven for the hasty words which she knew had caused him pain.
"I'll try to like him," said she, as the palsied hand stroked her
disordered curls in token of forgiveness, "I'll tr