strongly to this match, not only
on account of the bride's poverty, but for another and a very serious
reason, which events soon proved to be but too well founded.

Lavinia had suffered long and severely, as a child, from a bad spinal
malady. Constant attention, and such medical assistance as her father
could afford to employ, had, it was said, successfully combated the
disorder; and the girl grew up, prettier than any of her sisters, and
apparently almost as strong as the healthiest of them. Old Mr. Blyth,
however, on hearing that his son was now just as determined to become
a married man as he had formerly been to become a painter, thought it
advisable to make certain inquiries about the young lady's constitution;
and addressed them, with characteristic caution, to the family doctor,
at a private interview.

The result of this conference was far from being satisfactory. The
doctor was suspiciously careful not to commit himself: he said that he
hoped the spine was no longer in danger of being affected; but that he
could not conscientiously express himself as feeling quite sure about
it. Having repeated these discouraging words to his son, old Mr. Blyth
delicately and considerately, but very plainly, asked Valentine whether,
after what he had heard, he still honestly thought that he would
be consulting his own happiness, or the lady's happiness either, by
marrying her at all? or, at least, by marrying her at a time when the
doctor could not venture to say that the poor girl might not be even yet
in danger of becoming an invalid for life?

Valentine, as usual, persisted at first in looking exclusively at the
bright side of the question, and made light of the doctor's authority
accordingly.

"Lavvie and I love each other dearly," he said with a little trembling
in his voice, but with perfect firmness of manner. "I hope in God that
what you seem to fear will never happen; but even if it should, I shall
never repent having married her, for I know that I am just as ready to
be her nurse as to be her husband. I am willing to take her in sickness
and in health, as the Prayer-Book says. In my home she would have such
constant attention paid to her wants and comforts as she could not have
at her father's, with his large family and his poverty, poor fellow! And
this is reason enough, I think, for my marrying her, even if the worst
should take place. But I always have hoped for the best, as you know,
father: and I mean to go o