Be a good wife to thy husband, my girl.

And John, never be thou harsh to her, nor too hard upon her little failings.

She is but young--but young." He sighed again.

It was plain to see he was thinking of another than Ursula.
As we walked down the street he spoke to me only once or twice, and then of things which startled me by their strangeness--things which had happened a long time ago; sayings and doings of mine in my childhood, which I had not the least idea he had either known of or remembered.
When we got in-doors I asked if I should come and sit with him till his bed-time.
"No--no; thee looks tired, and I have a business letter to write.
Better go to thy bed as usual." I bade him good-night, and was going, when he called me back.
"How old art thee, Phineas--twenty-four or five ?" "Twenty-five, father." "Eh! so much ?" He put his hand on my shoulder, and looked down on me kindly, even tenderly.

"Thee art but weakly still, but thee must pick up, and live to be as old a man as thy father.