Confession

e for his narrow treatment of my claims; and the next day he sent for me in order to tender me the freedom of his house-a tender which he

for my labors in that capacity for the first year of my service. My engagement to him, he said at the same time, did not imply such entire employment as would incapacitate me for the execution of any business which might be intrusted to my hands individually. I was permitted the use of a desk in his office, and was also permitted to hang out my own banner from his wind

e not in a great hurry to make your deposites, you will suffer me to see y

easantry which he intended by the offensive passages in his note; but

-of power, as he thinks, to crush! But he is mistaken. He shall find defiance. Let him but repeat those sarcasms and that sneer which are but too freq

weet child-a child now no longer-the sweet woman-interposed, and my temp

ting into the flower-but the bloom, and the beauty, and the innocence-the rich tenderness, and the dewy sweet, still remained the same through all the stages of her progress from the infant to the woman. Wealth, and the arrogant example of those about her, had failed to change the naturally true and pure simplicity of her character. She was not to be beguiled by the one, nor misguided by the other, from the exquisite heart which was still worthy of Eden

Julia, I feel certain that I should never have darkened the doors, which opened to admit me only through a sense of duty. But the attraction-scarcely known to myself-drew me with singular punctuality; and I associated the privilege which had been accorded me with

een pleased to solicit. I need not repeat in detail what passed between us. It amounted simply to a supercilious offer, on his part, of lodging and board, until

ou propose to d

past years; work for myself, and pay my

are wiser than I thought. The law would not give

good humoredly-"it is from the la

hought you. But, pray, upon what do you base

l-known and offensive sneer, bu

more worthy of respect. I have already been employed by Mr.

at the outset. But you may want some small amount to begin with-you can not draw upon

should be almost able to lend some. I have sav

y. I had disarmed him entirely by the simplest process, and, mortified at being disappointed, he was disposed to hate the youth who had baffled him. It was the strangest thing in the world that such should be the feeling of any man, and that, too, in reference to so near a relation; but the case is nevertheless true. I saw it in his looks that moment-I felt it in

well off. You will dine wi

ll her father's asperities and injustice. She had heard of my success-and though in a sneer from the lips of her father it wa

. And yet you kept it all to yourself. You might have told ME, at least, that you

her knew

omething about it when you first went into a

t! He little k

ward, was not telling me.

u know what naughty things are said of your s

'm sure, I should have kept your secret, if y

y over my heart. "Why, unless to protect myself from the sneers which wo

Edward," she said gently, and with dewy eyes, w

I feel very lonely in the world-as if there was a destiny at work to make my w

re only noti

e, while my thoughts reverted to the three years of unremit

such notions. You every now and then start up with

complaint

ured of them. You prefer nursing your supposed cause of grief, with a sort of solitary pleasur

my misanthropy-of that self vexing and self-tortu

ng into her eyes with an expression which I

eheld the peculiar expression of my glance. The entrance of Mrs. Cli

who would have thought of it? It must be

rising; but when I reflected upon the ignorance, and the unworthy nature o

rd work as brickl

says that a lawyer now is only another name for a beggar-a sort of genteel

d to the number of this

Edward," exclaimed Julia, with a flus

r, "you are very confident. How

sel for a moment, and her eyes were suddenly cast in confusion upon the g

supporting himself at another business, while actually pursuing the study of law for the

t thing we hear, I suppose, will be that instead of being busy over the 'Seven Champions' and the last fashions, you, too, will be turning over the

he more keenly felt for the effort to hide it. In my secret soul, I asked, "Will the day never come when I, too, will be able to strike and st

by the pride and industry which I have shown, should be sufficient to convince them what my conduct shall be hereafter. I know that I sha

phasis and proper action. Forrest him

casm acquired increase of sting in consequence of its being partially well-merited. I replied with some little show of temper, which the imploring glances of Julia did not altogether persuade me to suppress. The "blind heart" was growing stronger within me, from the increasing conviction of my own independence. In this sort of mimic warfare the day passed off as usual. I attended the family