y Wilton; and
he declared that he never would marry any body but Sally Wilton. His
mother lost all patience--she said he would make a beggar of himself for
life--that the Wiltons were an idle race, and that none of the name had
ever come to any good.

"A great deal more she said, but it seemed to me the more she talked,
the firmer Richard was in his own mind.

"You may be sure ma'am I did not close my eyes that night; my love had
been blasted, and my pride cast down. It was long before I could think
of any one but myself, or compose my mind to any good thoughts; but
when I began to see things in a right light, it seemed to me a pity we
should all be miserable together; and I began to contrive some way to
make Richard happy. He had just served his time with a shoemaker, but he
had no capital to enable him to set up for himself. I knew Sally Wilton
was a gay thoughtless thing; but so were most girls, and I believed that
when she was married, she would do her duty; to me it seemed, that
duty would be all pleasure with such a husband as Richard. I had some
struggles with my own heart, but before the morning light dawned, I had
made up my mind what to do. When I met Richard and his mother in the
morning, I was far the happiest of the three. She was angry, he was
sullen and downcast; but I had that feeling which I need not describe
to you ma'am, who have so often the power and the will to make others
happy. Immediately after our morning meal, I went and presented my draft
to Mr. Leslie's agent, and received my hundred pounds. Half the sum I
returned to him to invest for me, the other half I placed in the hands
of the shoemaker, with whom Richard had served his time, and with whom
he was a great favorite, and I requested him to lay it out in tools and
stock for Richard. The purchase was made--a little shop hired, and every
thing in readiness; and then I told Richard in the presence of his
mother what I had done. At first he said he never could accept so much
from me; but I told him, (and I smothered my feelings, and smiled when
I said it,) that in spite of his mother's fancies, it was as a sister I
loved him, and as a sister and older than himself too, I had a right to
provide for him. He was far more grateful and happy than I expected. His
mother gave her consent to his marriage, though grudgingly, for she was
a set woman, and she had no faith in Sally Wilton. They were married.
Richard was industrious, and we hoped would be