Chapter I

“So much for bringing poor relations into the house! I really believe that Charles has fallen in love with the girl!” exclaimed Mrs. Mason to her husband, a merchant in moderate circumstances in the city of Boston.

“Well, suppose he has; she is a good girl, is she not?” quickly responded the merchant.

“I don’t know but that she is good enough; but she is a pauper!”

“Not exactly a pauper, Mrs. Mason.”

“Didn’t we take her into the family to keep her from starving?”

“I did not so understand it. You needed a young woman to assist you in sewing, and employed her at half the usual wages.”

“Yes, and isn’t she a pauper for all that?”

“Gently, Mrs. Mason: you forget that she is my sister’s daughter,” said the merchant, a little sternly.

“What if she is? She is a penniless girl for all that. A pretty match for our son!”

“And why not for our son? I am not a millionnaire. If the times don’t come easier than they have been, I shall fail before the year is out.”

“So much the more reason why Charles should look out for himself.”

“If he loves my niece, I sincerely hope he will marry her, for I believe she is one of the best girls in the world; certainly she is vastly superior to the silly, affected, mincing, novel-reading misses of fashionable society. I commend his taste and his judgment.”

“Well, Mr. Mason, I am surprised!”

“Not the least occasion to be surprised.”

“Let me tell you, Mr. Mason, that I never will consent to see Charles throw himself away on a pauper. If you haven’t the spirit to prevent so disgraceful a match, I shall send the girl away.”

“Don’t you do it, madam,” said Mr. Mason, in a firm, decided tone.

“I shall do it!” replied the lady, waxing warm at the obstinacy of her husband, who in trivial matters, was in the habit of letting her have her own way.

“Better not,” quietly responded the gentleman.

“The minx put on such airs and smirked so, that I really believe she meant to catch him.”

“What, Grace? Impossible! She is a little gentle, quiet thing, and I am sure the idea of a flirtation never entered her simple head.”

“Humph!” sneered the lady. “I know better. And now that he is really making love to her, the provoking jade seems to look upon it as a matter of course; thinks it just as much a proper thing that she should be the wife of our Charles, as though she had been born a princess!”

“Poor thing! I suppose she is human, and actually loves the boy!”

“Loves him or not, I’ll make an end of it.”

“Don’t be rash, Mrs. Mason,” replied the husband, twirling in his fingers a buff envelope, marked “Telegraph.”

“What have you got there?”

“I had almost forgot to mention that brother Joseph had arrived in New York, and telegraphs that he shall be here to-night by the New Haven train.”

“Just like you! Never tell of a thing till the last moment!” said the lady, petulantly.

“I received the despatch only two hours ago.”

“Here is another kettle of fish,” continued the lady, musing. “That everlasting niece of yours is in the way again.”

“I hope the poor girl has no more sins to answer for.”

“Where do you suppose your brother Joseph will leave his property?”

“I have not the remotest idea.”

“Don’t you suppose that angelic niece of yours will wheedle him out of a part of it?”

“I hope so.”

“You don’t want he should leave it all in your family, then?” sneered the lady.

“No, I hope he will do justly.”

“I wish I could get her out of the way before he comes.”

“Don’t attempt it, Mrs. Mason,” said the merchant, with very decided emphasis.

“If she were only out of the way, Henrietta would come in for the whole,” added the lady, as she hurried out of the room to make arrangements for the reception of uncle Joseph.