ssons of patient submission
and trustfulness from those brothers and sisters who are poets'
children.

And yet what no darkness of adversity could rob them of the first gleam
of what, to worldly minds at least, would seem better fortune, had
already despoiled them. Like the traveller in the fable, who had grasped
his cloak the faster through the storm, but who threw it away when the
hot, rays scorched him, they could brave the hurricane, but not face the
sunshine.

The little wooden clock behind the door struck nine, and Dalton started
up suddenly.

"What did it strike, girls?" asked he, quickly.

"Nine, papa," replied Kate, in a low voice.

"At what hour was he to come for the answer?"

"At ten," said she, still lower.

"Well, you 'd better write it at once," said he, with a peevishness very
different from his ordinary manner. "They've remained here already four
days isn't it four days she says? to give us time to make up our minds;
we cannot detain them any longer."

"Lady Hester has shown every consideration for our difficulty," said
Kate. "We cannot be too grateful for her kindness."

"Tell her so," said he, bitterly. "I suppose women know when to believe
each other."

"And what reply am I to make, sir?" said she, calmly, as having put
aside her work, she took her place at the writing-table.

"Faith, I don't care," said he, doggedly. "Nor is it much matter
what opinion I give. I am nobody now; I have no right to decide upon
anything."

"The right and duty are both yours, papa."

"Duty! So I'm to be taught my duty as well as the rest!" said he,
passionately. "Don't you think there are some others might remember that
they have duties also?"

"Would that I could fulfil mine as my heart dictates them!" said Ellen;
and her lip trembled as she spoke the words.

"Faith! I scarce know what 's my duty, with all the drilling and
dictating I get," muttered he, sulkily. "But this I know, there 's no
will left me I dare not budge this side or that without leave."

"Dearest papa, be just to yourself, if not to me."

"Isn't it truth I'm saying?" continued he, his anger rising with every
word he spoke. "One day, I'm forbid to ask my friends home with me
to dinner. Another, I 'm told I ought n't to go dine with them. I 'm
tutored and lectured at every hand's turn. Never a thought crosses me,
but it 's sure to be wrong. You din into my ears, how happy it is to be
poor when one 's contented."

"The lesson was