True Riches; Or, Wealth Without Wings

t years of his married life. He now occupied a small house in a retired street, the rent of which, though moderate, drew pretty heavily on his in

metimes, the spirit of Claire was overshadowed by passing clouds-as would unavoidably happen from his contact with th

children was a purer passion. Older, by several years, than Edith, she had been to him more companionable; and had ever greeted his return at evening wi

ts began to make pictures of the scene within, its light and warmth penetrate

hood! Next came Edith, now six years of age, side by side with her brother Harry, a wild little rogue, and were only a few seconds behind Fanny in

called him with the rest-while her glossy curls were resting in sunny clusters upon his bosom. The memory of the child's former home and parents seemed to have faded almost entirely. If the past ever came back to h

Present-observing all, and sharing in the delight her husband's return ha

hose around them? Within the circle of many squares

omp with their father, went off to bed. When Mrs. Claire returned from th

tter, Edward," said she. "It was l

the seal, running his eye down to

asper! Wha

he commenced reading the letter.

d myself have determined to take her into our own family, in order that we may give the needful care to he

is letter; but that of his wife, who did not yet know a word of its contents, wa

?" she asked, in a

ts us to gi

nto a chair,

Edw

said the husband, "and our contract

rs already beginning to flow over her cheeks

is binding until Fanny is twelve years of age, and I will never consent to its being broken. He was over anxious to hold me

t then? Oh, I can never part with her,

Jasper may have other purposes in vi

ee him in t

n? What, in fact, does he know of her? Nothing at all. Has he ever called to see her? Has he ever made the first inquiry after her? No. There is something wrong, without do

me much excited. Seeing this, his wife recovered, to some e

" said she. "Mr. Jasper cannot force

expect. This note may have been written from some momentary feeling. I

," was the abst

Edward Claire and his wife; and when they retired, i

sper, who received him with cold politeness, and at once ca

ceived

" was t

l right,

twelve years

hat?" There was some impati

the care of her un

to have her now in my own family. If you agreed to keep

signed to that effect,

! Humph! Ar

You drew i

u a copy

hav

act, for all his affected ignorance thereof. He only hoped that Ed

g with his own thoughts. "I do remember, now, somethi

I have a copy i

d's legal guardian, and, therefore, the representative of her parents, to

fact, she seems to us as one of our own children; and we, to her, are in the place of parents. To remove her would, therefore, be doing a great violence to

, positively. "I wish, now, to have her in my own family,

Mr. Ja

y in earnest when I wrote to you, and am no less in earnest now. I am certainly entitled to the posse

per, as he closed this emphatic sentence. Claire felt excited, yet was so fully conscious of th

tively demanded Jasper, after w

hild," said the young man,

her!" was the quic

t another change, as was shown by the firm compression of his lips,

way. I've got an old grudge against you, so don't provoke me too far in this matter. A pr

e young man's voice. The manner of Jasper had

now, as well as angry. "But we will not bandy words. Will you, wi

do it, M

Will you, or will y

" was the de

muttering in an undertone, "We'll

no disposition to renew the conversation, he left th