Year: 1876

intently, as if something was the matter. 1t
makes me uncomfortable" Thereupon he
got up and left the room and she was more
than ever convinced that he was either feeling
ill, or had some trouble weighing upon him
which he was unwilling to have her share.


His uneasy feelings did not diminish, but
rather increased as time went on. He was
himself hardly conscious of their growth, or
perhaps be would have made a strenuous ef-
fort to conquer them, and, by making such an
effort in the beginning, have succeeded in dri.
wing them from his mind. But there was the
cause ever before him.. or, at least, ever with
in reach and it must be acknowledged that
it was very often under his eyes, for it possess
cd such an odd fascination for him that he
was continually stealing off secretly to look at
it. He would 60 into the little spare room
and shut the door, and feast his eyes on what
he fancied might be the repository of untold
wealth. By nourishing an idea continually
in the imagination, it attains surprising
growth in comparatively short time. Aud
having once conceived the idea of the exis-
tence of this immense wealth, he dwelt upon
it until, from a mere supposition, it seemed to
become fixed fact. And the charm of this
fancy lay also in another with which it was
indissolubly connected-namely, that this
wealth would one day fall into his hands.
While Capt. Lyndon, poor man, was harmless
ly passing his hours in whistlipg to his bird, or
doing over books, with never recollection of
the unlucky chest to disturb his thoughts, bis
brother was yielding himself, by slow degrees,
a prey to terrible disease, that was blight
ing his better nature, and perverting all its
good and noble qualities to an ignob!e use.
The thirst for gold-that fatal fever which has
blackened the fresh purity Of 80 many hearts,
and wrought misery in 80 many innocent lives
and happy bomes-was asserting its dominion
over him with ever increasing power. New
and sordid desires, selfish aims and calcula-
tions that had never before soiled his mind,
found existence there now. Higher and purer
aspirations fell to the ground. Duty became
irksome, because it interfered with the indul-
genoe of secret things; and where love and
unsel6shness had once exercised their indu-
ence, the demon avarice now reigned.


It was not long before the younger members
of the family became sensible of the change
in their father which had, in so early stage,
aroused the watchful solicitude of Mrs. Lyn-
don. Like her, they at first naturally conclu'
ded that he must be sick, or worried but
when they found that the indications which
troubled them did not pass away, and yet
that no cause was assigned for them, but that
their father visibly shrank from, any appear
ance of solicitude, or any questioning on their
part, they appealed to their mothers judg'
ment for confirmation of their. fears


Indeed, I do not know what to think,
she said, sadly, one day, in answer to Lily's
anxious questions. II was afraid at one time
like yourself, that your father might be unwell
but he denies feeling badly, and his health
seems much as usual. 1t seems to annoy him
to be spoken to about it,


"That is what cannot understand" said
Lily, her eyes filling with tears. II merely
asked him, this morning, if he had headache
because it struck me that he looked tired and
dull, and he answered me quite sharply that
there was nothing the matter with him, and
that he did not see why should suppose thai
there was Now, you know, mamma, that ii
so different from papa's usual way. l never
knew him to be cross before"


"You must not call him cross, Lily" replied
her mother, gently. mo doubt he has some
trouble on his mind, which he is unwilling te
speak about"