Year: 1875

rummaging over some old papers he has ta-
ken from his secretary drawer, with his ia
vorite pointer stretched on the rug at his feet.


Mr.. Chester, at the age of eighty-four, was
a well-preserved, blocking old gentleman,
strictly handsomer and more commanding in
appearance than the portrait Of himself, ia
ken score of years before, which hung over
the mantelpiece, and which was pronounced
most excellent likeness by all who had known
him at the time. For age had added both
softness and dignity to his somewhat stern
features, and the naughty pride that had once
sat enthroned on his brow, and sparkled with
all too vivid lustre in his keen dark eyes,
had given place to gentler and more gra'
cious expression.


Sorrow had in truth done much to smooth
of the rugged points of the old mans charac-
ter, and bring the mider emotions of his heart
into play. One by one, the faces that in for
mer days gathered around his board, had fa-
ded from his sight the echo of glad voices
died away out of his home, leaving the vast
halls silent and empty, and the once cheerful
hearth desolate aud drear Memories of the
past Aocked increasingly around him. Old as
sociations seemed to grow stronger as time
wore on, until at last he lived chiefly in those
by.gone days, caring little for his present in
terests or surroundings. Checkered memo
ries they we're, in which sunshine and shade
were strangely blended; for if he had tasted
of the Joy of life, he had also tasted much of
its bitterness.


Mr. Chester had married, early in life, a
lady of beauty and fortune, to whom he had
been attached almost from childhood. Their
union was as happy one as strong mutuai
attachment, and almost entire similarity of
taste and feeling, could make it. They had
many children, only four of whom survived
their infancy these were Robert, the eldest
sou, proud and wilful boy, whose passionate,
headstrong nature early excited his parents
fears concerning his future; and next, after
a lapse Of several years, Anna, Emily and
Frank, amiable and wel'disposed chill
dren. afording striking contrast to their
elder brother in disposition. Robert had
scarcely been freed from the bonds of paren.
tai authority when he entered upon a course
of recklessness and dissipation which nothing
could check. From one extravaganza he
rushed into another until his father, weary of
repeated and vain efforts to bring him to
sense of duty, sternly forbade his returning to
the family homestead where his example
could only prove pernicious one to those so
much younger than himself, and where the
influences Of home had proved utterly power
less to stem the tide of his ruinous career.
Robert took him at his word. He not only
left home, but left the country, and nothing
more was heard Of him until years afterward.
when tidings reached his father of his death
in TN obscure German town, where he left a
widow and two children, in very reduced cir
cumstances. To this unfortunate family Mr..
Chester sent aid from time to time, until on
the mothers death, the son and daughter
came to America and presented themselves to
his notice. Being of an age to provide for
themselves, and extremely unattractive in
person and manner, their grandfather expe-
riencing no sentiment of affection for them,
settled them in u town at some distance of,
coldly informing them that having once fur
nshed them with the means of commencing
life in their new home, he could do nothing
further for them, and did not desire any re-
newal of the intercourse between themselves
and him. With this mandate they were
greatly dissatisfied, having entertained much
more ambitious views, in consequence of the
accounts they had always received of his ex-
treme wealth but the old gentleman troubled
his head no more about them, having, in fact,
very heavy trials at home to occupy his mind.
His wife had died about twelvemonth prior
to the death of Robert. and he had scarcely
begun to recover from the shock of this at
Fiction, when his onl y remaining son, Frank,
was killed by fall from his horse while out
on deer-hunt with party of friends. His
two daughters were now all that remained to
him and after two or three years, finding his
home very gloomy and cherries, he suddenly,
to every ones surprise, conceived the resolu-
tion of marrying again.


His second choice was widow, no longer
young, though considerably his junior; a
good-looking, amiable, but somewhat weak
minded dame, decidedly his inferior in every
respect, who was the mother Of one son, the
Simon Fielding to whom the reader has al
ready been introduced. A year after this
marriage girl was born to them, Alice, who
became the pet and darling of the whole fam
lily, including the step.sisters, who, from the
vast difference in their age, regarded her with
almost maternal feelings. 1t was fortunate
for her that such was the case, for her mother
died when she was about three years of age,
leaving her to their care; and between :. her
father and themselves she was spoiled and
petted to her hearts content. Her step
brother, Simon, on the death of Mrs. Chester,
left Oak Lawn and returned to his fathers
family, who had offered to provide for him ;
and little Alice saw him no more. Their
paths in life were different, and though Mr.
Chester had always been kind to the boy, his
strong family pride revolted at the relation
ship between him and his daughter, and he
desired, though gently, to loosen, as complete
ly as possible, the tie that existed between
them.


Alice grew up into beauty, possessing
many good traits of character, but early ex.
hibiting degree of wilfuiness and pride that
reminded her father, with all too keen pang,
of his dishonored son. At an early age, she
had one or two good offers Of marriage, but
refused them, only to bestow her hand, against
her fathers will, on young man of good
abilities, but in an inferior class in life whose
means were barely sufficient for their support.
Bitterly disappointed and ncensed, the angry
father gave full vent to his outraged feelings,
and Alices naughty spirit was aroused. She
left home burning with indignation, and VOW
ing never to appeal, in any case, for aid to
the parent who had spoken such cruel things
to herself and of the husband she had chosen.
Her sisters, too, had joined in the Intellectual
remonstrance, and, kind as they had ever
been to her, Alice resolved, that from hence
forth they should be as nothing more than
strangers. She cast them all off, turning,
with almost idolatrous devotion, to the one for
whom she had thus forsaken her home and