mother, was said to have wept bitterly in private, but knowing that Duncan would be her master, she behaved to him with civility and respect. Every thing was committed to his management and he soon discovered, that besides a good clear estate, his father had personal funds to a great amount. The halls and cottages of Glenellich were filled with feasting, joy, and gladness.
It was not so at my father’s house. Misfortune seldom comes singly. Scarcely had our feelings overcome the shock, which they received by the loss of our beloved Duncan, when a moro terriblo misfortuno overtook. My father, by the monstrous ingratitude of a friend whom we trusted, lost at once the greater part of his hard earned fortune. The blow came unexpectedly, and distracted his personal affairs to such a degree, that an arrangement seemed almost totally impracticable. He struggled on with securities for several months; but perceiving that he was drawing his real friends into danger, by their signing of bonds which he might never be able to redeem, he lost heart entirely, and yielded to the torrent. Mary’s mind seemed to gain fresh energy every day. The activity and diligence which she evinced in managing the affairs of the farm, and even in giving advice with regard to other matters, is quite incredible:—often havo I thought what a treasure that inestimable girl would have been to an industrious man whom sho loved. All our efforts availed nothing, my father received letters of horning on bills to a large amount, and we expected every day that he would bo taken from us and dragged to prison.
We were all sitting in our little room one day, consulting what was best to be done—we could decide upon nothing, for our case was desperate—we
