"At the time I tell you of, Green was a youth about twenty years of age, and was a clerk in Major Russell's office in Blithevale. He was handsome then, tall, finely formed, black curling hair, large, fine eyes whose deep expression softened down a good deal, it seemed to me, the rich bright color upon his cheeks. A little different figure was he not, little girl ?-from that shambling idiot opposite, who watches us with his steady, insulting glance. But never mind, I must laugh a little to myself as I think of Green then-happy, handsome and young-and watch the poor fellow opposite, haggard, shrunken and old.

"Thomas Green was a good, steady and valuable clerk to Major Russell; but he was no more fit to be a lawyer, my child, than you are to be a horse jockey. His heart was as soft as a woman's; and many a poor creature came out from the major's private office in Blithevale looking careworn, disappointed and sad, who was stopped by Thomas Green in the front office and relieved from their troubles by the kindhearted clerk.

"He was a dreaming fellow too-was this clerk; he would sit at his desk by the little window for hours together, sometimes, and while his pen would be poised over the parchment ready to commence a deed, or draw up an indenture, the pen would never touch the clean sheet, but the young man would be forgetting the office, and dreaming strange dreams. No, I do not mean that he would go to sleep-no, no, little girl! for he would never close his eyes, but he would be looking out upon the beautiful valley, upon the thick pines in the distance, which covered the side of the mountain with their beautiful dark green, and which crept up to the very highest points and made a regular line of the rich color against the clear blue sky beyond. And he would watch and strain his eyes way over the hills, to catch the beauties of the sun as it played pranks with the distant country-first making the rich fields look golden and full of shimmering light, then allowing the clouds to

vance over the broad pastures and cover them up with a mystic, bluish haze which seemed to confine m ch of the softened sunlight underneath a few stray beams which had not time to escape— and he would watch all this till the shadows would creep away again, and old Sol (that's the sun, you know, little girl, and not the poor fellow over there who attends to our bagatelle table) would brighten everything up and chase the misty haze into the dark woods.

"Then up to the sky he would turn his gaze, and fancy all sorts of strange things in the clouds. The fleecy mountains moving in the heavens were hosts of horses, and they were mounted by huge giants; and when the sun would rim the edges of the clouds with gold, he would fancy the warriors had on glittering armor. And then they would rush to battle, and when the wind blew more strongly, he could hear the hollow echoes of the artillery; then huge castles were destroyed, and men and horses were tumbling about together; then all would disappear, and the same mild blue of heaven, quiet and calm, would be in place of the rushing legions and the quaint castles; then he would forget all about the sky and fields, and the beautiful silvery stream which wound at the base of the high hills, although his eyes would be looking at them. (They only seemed to be looking that way, my child; but he didn't see a thing there, I know, for his mind was in Major Russell's house, and he was looking at sweet Ruthie Russell; he could see her plainly, you know, because she was always in his mind.)

"After some such thoughts as these, young Green would rouse up quick-like, as though something had suddenly hurt him, look at the untouched parchment before him, and commence the ‘Know all men by these presents,' as though he had never thought of anything but briefs, replevins, quitclaims, reversions and executions, all the days of his life. But Faugh! why do I talk of these things as though you could understand them, my dear? And now stand a little before me, so that Green cannot see me so plainly; it makes me shiver to have his cold eyes right upon me. There! now I will tell you the rest without delay. Poor Green! poor fellow!

"It was a pleasant evening in June (but remember, little girl, many long, long years ago), when Ruthie Russell and Thomas Green walked out from the major's house in Blitheville to see old Miss Fawcett (a relative of Mrs. Russell's), who was lying quite ill at her nephew's, about two miles from the village. Now Miss Russell

"Yes, yes! I know,' replied the lawyer, impatiently. But there are other reasons, other obstacles, which you are not aware of—'

"For heaven's sake, Major Russell, do not tell me that there is any obstacle in the way of my marrying Ruth!'

"Poor boy! he had never thought of any other need than gaining her love. Although a lawyer's clerk, he had never dreamed of any monster, like Expediency, who might invade his happy bowers and carry off his love.

You are too hasty now, Green,' resumed Major Russell, after the impetuous words. 'Listen to me! I will frankly state to you what no other man in Blitheville knows. You are aware that I have been concerned heavily in the Leesport mines, which have been paying me, until four months ago, a handsome income. We had been sinking another shaft, and erecting new machinery at a new opening, and it had exhausted all of the company's available capital to prosecute the work to its close. We accomplished our designs, but found, after working about a week in the new breasts, that we had struck a fault; and nothing has been brought forth since but slate and rubbish. We have still been working on, in hope that we should strike the coal. Our capital has been exhausted, mortgages have been given upon our machinery and rolling stock, and if we do not strike the coal in another month, I am bankrupt!'

"The young man was overwhelmed, and hid his face in his hands while Major Russell continued:

"But this is not the worst, for I owe George Hutchins nine thousand dollars, and have but one means of payment presented to me-'

"And that?' asked Green, looking over to the lawyer with a troubled, startled gaze.

"Is to bestow upon him my daughter's hand.'

"What! to that scoundrel-that libertine Hutchins, you would sell your daughter?"

"No harsh words, if you please, my young friend. I have as yet but given you the proposition. I shall never force my daughter to marry against her will.'

"Heaven help us both!' groaned Green; 'for Ruth will never marry against yours.'

"I believe she is too good a daughter. Now I have always looked upon you with favor, Thomas Green; and all things being equal, I should much have preferred you for a son-inlaw. George Hutchins will wait two years for the hand of Ruth, or his money; and if I fail to give him either, I am both an insolvent and a beggar.'

"But why this confidence?' asked Green, bitterly. Do you, sir, only intend to add a fresh sting to your words, that you tell me of your embarrassments only to assert your intentions of throwing your daughter, for mercenary purposes, into the arms of a man whose name is only coupled with infamy?'

"Softly, young man!' said Major Russell, rising with dignity. Remember I am Ruth's father, and have been your friend. You have forgotten the first; let me not regret I have ever been to you the last.'

"O, pardon me! pardon me, sir! Your words have set my brain on fire. I know not what I say.'

Here I have a letter from your uncle, Thomas Green. He wishes you to go to South America as supercargo. The vessel sails in just one week from Philadelphia, I see,' said Major Russell, taking the letter from his pocket and referring to it. 'Apply to Green & Spenser, number 70, North Wharf. He guarantees you for your profit, six thousand dollars; and if you are willing to invest your capital from your father, he has no doubt but what you can double this. Now what I advise you is, that you accept. You will be gone perhaps two years; and I am willing to prove my friendship for you by making a promise-'

"A promise?' echoed Green, absently. He seemed like one in a dream.

"Yes; that Ruth shall not marry until your return.'

"Thanks! thanks, my friend! To South America, anywhere, so that I may work for Ruth and win her at last! I accept at once. I will go to her, and tell her of this strange change; but O, my brain is whirling! and thick darkness seems to be settling over all things at this bitter, bitter separation.'

"You will not see Ruth, Thomas. She has gone,' said Major Russell, with more kindness in his tones; for he was affected by such grief as Green displayed.

"Little girl, Thomas Green went to South America. What am I weeping for? O, am I? Well, I suppose I do feel sad when I look at the poor fellow now. But I can soon tell you the rest of the story, little lady. And it is such a pleasure to caress your smooth, satiny hair, and feel your little palms in my rough hand!

"Thomas Green went to South America. And everybody who goes there, gets rich; at least those, my dear, who take out whole cargoes of articles such as the natives buy, or will exchange for much more valuable things. And Thomas Green went there to make money, little girl; yes, money to buy himself a wife. Isn't that funny that wives can be bought like dolls, dresses, rings and books, little girl? Yes, very funny. But it's true, my sweet child; and when you get older, you will find that little girls, when they grow up tall and handsome (like you will be, my pretty one), are sold and bought like chests of tea, and coils of rope, or fine horses or pretty flowers! The handsome girls who are so fine, with their curls and fair baby-faces, and rich gowns, see the purchaser coming along; he looks at them; he thinks-O, if he had such a wife, how he would love her, and work for her, and never think he had done enough till she was singing and laughing all day long as blithesome as the birds! The beauties look at him. much money has he got?' O, he is poor! Go along, you beggar!' they all cry. How dare you look at us so long, Impudence?' And they almost think the poor fellow had a design upon their bracelets, or their rich, flashing rings, never thinking of their hearts, poor things! Well, now comes along another purchaser. He is not near so handsome as the poor fellow who has just passed on; his face is pale, his limbs are feeble, and his hair is streaked with gray; he coughs badly, too. But O what an eye he has got for the young, fresh and handsome girls! Why he ogles them, my dear, and watches all their fine points, as if he was buying a horse. He is an old ockey, too.

'How

"Want to sell?' he says to father or mother. "O, yes,' says mama. 'Do you own your establishment?'

"How is your bank account, old fellow?' says papa.

"And after mama has seen the establishment, and papa has been there and looked, the young fillies (ladies, I mean,) come buzzing round the bidder. They don't see that his face is pale; they don't see that his hair is gray; why, my dear, they will undertake to cure his cough. He buys up the one he likes best; then they have a jolly evening; then everybody says over the champagne, 'splendid woman!' and 'happy fellow!' and then they nod and smile, and say, 'married for money!' and 'old fool!' But they whisper this in low tones, you know, and go on cracking nuts and eating bride-cake and drinking sherry, as jolly as ever. Then the man takes his horse to a splendid stable, puts on silver-mounted harnesses, drives to the races, has the best care taken-O, my dear! yes, I forgot I was talking about a woman! O, what a brute I am to run on about horses! But I am so forgetful, you know! Thomas Craige always was. O, yes! poor Green! I had forgotten poor Green in South America, all this time. And I talking about marrying and horses! Ah me!

"Well, he slaved and worked day and night. All his energies were bent in the one direction— 10 make money. No task was too difficult for his acceptance, providing money was to be made out of it; and many times did he undertake dangerous expeditions into the very heart of the Cordilleras. Often did he struggle over steep mountains, faint with the heat, and without food or water, toiling on, on, to his given destination, that he might realize profits which should secure Ruth to him on his return.

"His ship returned to the United States in about a year from the time she left her dock in Philadelphia; but Green returned not with her. His success had been so great, that he was determined to stay some months longer, and return triumphantly claiming his bride. He received letters from time to time from Ruth, at his Chilian headquarters. The only joy he knew during his absence was in the receipt of these— except that of wandering into the deep solitudes, forgetting his wild surroundings and remoteness from his promised bride, and dreaming of her for whom he was so bravely toiling.

"But at last the time for his exodus drew nigh! His stores were safely loaded upon the 'Prairie Bird, Williams master,' and he was once more upon the broad ocean, homeward bound O, happy direction to the weary wanderer! But when about three weeks out, the Prairie Bird encountered a terrific gale. 'Tis useless to speak to you, my sweet child, of those