Year: 1864

'Weston,' said Mr. Dayton to one of his
clerks, as they were alone in the spacious
counting-room, which was attached to the
large store of which Mr.. D. was proprietor,
'give me leave to say that l do not think
your dress sufficiently genteel to appear as
a clerk in a fashionable store A deep
blush suffused the face of the young man,
and in spite of his endeavors to repress it, a
tear glistened in his full, black eyes


Did l not know that your salary was suf-
fcient to procure more genteel habiliments,
l would increase it, My salary is amply
large, sir replied Weston, with a mortified
air, but with that proud independence Of
feeling of which even poverty had not been
able to divest him.


'Oblige me then, by changing your appar-
ell, and presenting different appearance in
the future You are watched in the store.
Weston turned and left his employer, who
muttered to himself as he took up his pa
per, 'hoW | do detest these parslnlonious
fellows Mr. Dayton was man Of i'm
mense wealth. He was widower and had
but one cbild daughter, who was the pride
of his declining years She was good as an
angel and as beautiful as she was good. She
was simple in her tastes and appearance.
Such was Laura Dayton when Weston May
first became an inmate of her fathers house,
and what wonder was it that be soon learned
to love her with a deep and ardent affection.
Though their tongues never gave utterance
to what their hearts felt yet the language Of
their eyes was too plain to be mistaken.
Weston was the very soul of honor, and al
though he perceived with pleasure that he
was not distasteful to her, still he felt that
he must conquer the passion which glowed
in bis heart.


4 must not win her heart he said to him
self; Il am pennlless, and her father would
never consent to our union Thus lie rea-
soned and thus he manfully endeavored to
subdue, what he considered an ill-fated pas
sion. Laura had many suitors, and some
who were worthy of her, but she refused all
their overtures with decisive yet gentle firm
ness.


Her father wondered at her conduct, but
would not strive to alter her inclinations.
He was in the decline of life, and wished to
see her happily settled ere be departed this
world. 1t was not long before he surmised
that young Weston was the cause of her in.
difference to others. The pleasure which
she took in hearing him praised, the blush
which mantled her face when their eyes
met, served to convince the old gentleman
that they took more than common interest
in each other He forebore to make any re-
marks upon the subject and was not so dis
pleased at the thought as Weston had I'M
agined he would be.


Weston May had now been three years in
his employ Mr. Dayton knew nothing Of
his family; but his strict integrity, good
morals, and pleasing manners conspired to
make him esteem him highly. He placed
unbounded confidence in him. and was very
proud of him. He wished him to dress as
we'll as others, and had often wondered at
the scantiness of bis wardrobe; for although
Weston dressed with the most scrupulous
regard to neatness, his clothes were almost
threadbare, which Mr.. Dayton thought pro-
ceeded from niggardly disposition, and,
accordingly he addressed him upon the sub
ject as before related. Soon after this con-
versation Mr.. Dayton left home on business.