May God pardon me in whatever way I may have erred!" "The error was more hers than thine," answered the father with a sigh; "and mine too, inasmuch as I checked her not early, as I perchance might have done.

She would have wed thee with some needy and perhaps evil-living gallant, who would have taken thee for thy fortune.

Thou hast done far better to choose such an honest, godly youth as Reuben.

He will make thee an excellent husband." "Ah, will he not!" said Gertrude, her face alight with tender love.
"Poor mother did not understand what she was doing in striving to banish him from the house.

But methinks, in the land of spirits all these things are seen aright; and that if it is permitted to the dead to know aught of what passes in the land they have left behind, she will be rejoicing with us today." "Heaven send it may be so! My poor wife," and the father heaved a great sigh of mixed feelings, "it is well she has not lived to see this end to her schemings to be rich.