Year: 1872

money!"


Conway has always been so very strong in
her ideas of belonging to good family, I
can't conceive of her marrying for money"


"Hardships and the dread of poverty can
drive out many high notions Your father
has not prospered since the close of the war.
The girls have had many disagreeable things
to do. Jack does not seem anxious to be
rich, and Conway has some excuse for having
an eve to what man has, as we'll as what
he is."


ri have an idea in my head, sweet mother.
have long wanted one ofmy sisters with me,
and wished one was settled near. Now, iii
take Conway home with me. There she'll
meet rank, wealth, talent and refinement !;
and if, with her beauty and charms, she don't
do better than take an army Speculation, it
will be her own fault. Why, my darling
mother, the good qualities of your namesake
would marry TWO or three of your daughters
on credit" and with fond "Good night!'
she ran off to her room.


Her husband laughed at her matchmaking
scheme, but in such way she knew she
might count on his aid, if needed.


Jack and Conway were the last to leave
the parlor, and though they stood side by
side before the smouldering Goals in the fire.
place, no one would have taken them for
engaged lovers. They spoke of Georgia and
her lovely children-of Eugene, and what a
fine man he was-and how we'll mated the
two were.


"I never saw greater devotion between hus-
band and wife, with so little parade as they
have shown the whole time since met them.
Then they show so much Difference to his
aunt, and all are so firm and gentle with the
children, it has made me wish was able to
marry and be so happy" Jack said this with
emotion, yet he did not take Conway's hand,
or indicate in any way she was the woman he
supposed would some day be his wife.


Conway noticed it, but it gave her no pain.
Perhaps her mother was right in thinking
they cared little for each other, except in
cousinly way. After a moments pause she
said


"I think father is fearful he cannot recover
your and Arthur's fortune. 1t troubles him
greatly. 1t was swept away so unexpectedly,
he cannot get over it. Had his own been
saved he would have repaid you before now"
But what was her surprise to hear Jack reply
as if he had not heard word of her remark,
but was seeing fairy castles in the GOALS


"I think she grows more and more like her
mother and cousin Georgia every year. l
wonder if Arthur will appreciate her"


eff you mean Grace, she will never marry
is too refined and sensitive for
him. He is good natured and has many fine
qualities, but he won't suit her; besides,
he is doing nothing, and father can't restore
his lost fortune-at least not in some years" !"


"Arthur provokes me. He ought to re.
member uncle Claude has enough to do to
provide for, his own family, without having
any useless idlers hanging on him."


20, father feels he owes you and Arthur
great deal"


"And we ought to feel we owe him great
deal for all his kindness. 1t is misfortune,
but not his fault, that the property is gone; !;
and as to the negroes, it is folly to expect any
thing for them. We young men ought to be
conquering fortune, and not be overcome by
outward circumstances"


81 don't know how it is, cousin Jack but
when you talk, there's always the impression
that the young men of the country ought to
be doing something and making their way in
the world; but with Arthur, and Russell, too,
in measure they seem to think they will be
lowered and degraded by being the architects
of their own fortunes" and Conway sighed as
she said it. am.


"It is hard work, Conway, to break over
the teachings and tendencies of lifetime
You must remember uncle Ellison tried to
instill great many sound, sensible ideas into
my head in boyhood, and endeavored to show
me it was my duty to overcome the allure
ments to idleness and uselessness which
wealth spread around me. The war came
before I had a chance to show how I should
use my energies, and now necessity urges me
into the path my old teacher wished me to
take. Russell and Arthur were not given to
uncle Ellison as was"


"And would not have profted by it if they
had. The same teaching impresses itself dit
ferently on every disposition. Though there's
a similarity in mother and Grace, and an
agreement between them and uncle Ellison,
and likeness on many points between father,
Russell, Arthur and myself, we all differ in
many respects, and receive different impress
sions from the same event. Now, I'll give an


instance very pertinent to the times, and
characteristic of US all, though not very fiat
tering to me-" And Conway leaned back in
the chair she had taken, so as to partially
screen her face. Jack noticed the flush which
passed over it and said, gallantly- -.


"Im sure you could do nothing you need
think unpleasant-,you are almost as tender
as Grace or your mother"


II wonder if Jack is conscious how he puts
sister Grace above me-" thought Conway,
but she kept the suspicion to herself and said


"Thank you, Jack; but you haven't heard
it yet. During the fall there came man
from the city, very highly recommended as a
man of influence, to see about purchasing our
Sea Island cotton lands, or getting them back
from the yankees and negroes. He talked