to-day and I don't know how to act about
your cousin, Emma Briggs. Emma disgraced
us by marrying an oilman."

"An oilman!" exclaimed John.

"A vulgar, shocking oilman!" said Mr.
Collett, ''a wretch who not only sold oil, but
soap, candles, turpentine, black-lead, and
birch-brooms. It was a dreadful blow to the
family. Her poor grandmother never got
over it, and a maiden aunt turned methodist
in despair. Well! Briggs the oilman died last
week, it seems; and his widow has written
to me, asking for assistance. Now, I have
thought of leaving her a hundred a-year in my
will. What do you think of it? I 'm afraid
she don't deserve it. What right had she
to marry against the advice of her friends?
What have I to do with her misfortunes?"

"My mind is quite made up," said Peter
Finch, "no notice ought to be taken of her.
She made, an obstinate and unworthy match
and let her abide the consequences!"

"Now for your opinion, John," said Mr.
Collett.

"Upon my word I think I must say the
same," said John Meade, bracing himself up
boldly for the part of the worldly man.
"What right had she to marry as you
observed with great justice, sir. Let her
abide the consequences as you very properly
remarked, Finch. Can't she carry on the
oilman's business? I dare say it will support
her very well."

"Why, no," said Mr. Collett; "Briggs died
a bankrupt, and his widow and children are
destitute."

"That does not alter the question," said
Peter Finch. "Let Briggs's family do
something for her."

"To be sure!" said Mr. Collett. "Briggs's
family are the people to do something for her.
She mustn't expect anything from us must
she, John?"

"Destitute, is she?" said John. "With
children, too! Why this is another case, sir.
You surely ought to notice her to assist her.
Confound it, I'm for letting her have the
hundred a-year."

"Oh, John, John! What a break-down!"
said Mr. Collett. "So you were trying
to follow Peter Finch through Stony
Arabia, and turned back at the second
step! Here's a brave traveller for you,
Peter! John, John, keep to your Arabia
Felix, and leave sterner ways to very different
men. Good bye, both of you. I've no voice
to talk any more. I'll think over all you
have said."

He pressed their hands, and they left the
room. The old man was too weak to speak
next day, and, in three days after that, he
calmly breathed his last.

As soon as the funeral was over, the will
was read by the confidential man of business,
who had always attended to Mr. Collett's
affairs. The group that sat around him
preserved a decorous appearance of
disinterestedness; and, the usual preamble to
the will having been listened to with breathless
attention, the man of business read the
following in a clear voice:

"I bequeath to my niece, Emma Briggs,
notwithstanding that she shocked her family
by marrying an oilman, the sum of four
thousand pounds; being fully persuaded that
her lost dignity, if she could even find it
again, would do nothing to provide her with
food, or clothing, or shelter."

John Meade smiled, and Peter Finch
ground his teeth but in a quiet, respectable
manner.

The man of business went on with his
reading.

"Having always held the opinion that
woman should be rendered a rational and
independent being, and having duly considered
the fact that society practically denies
her the right of earning her own living I
hereby bequeath to Mary Sutton, the only
child of my old friend, Frederick Sutton, the
sum of ten thousand pounds, which will
enable her to marry, or to remain single, as
she may prefer."

John Meade gave a prodigious start upon
hearing this, and Peter Finch ground his
teeth again but in a manner hardly respectable.
Both, however, by a violent effort, kept
silent.

The man of business went on with his
reading.

"I have paid some attention to the character
of my nephew, John Meade, and have been
grieved to find him much possessed with a
feeling of philanthropy, and with a general
preference for whatever is noble and true
over whatever is base and false. As these
tendencies are by no means such as can
advance him in the world, I bequeath him
the sum of ten thousand pounds hoping that
he will thus be kept out of the workhouse,
and be enabled to paint his great historical
picture—which, as yet, he has only talked
about.

"As for my other nephew, Peter Finch, he
views all things in so sagacious and selfish a
way, and is so certain to get on in life, that I
should only insult him by offering an aid
which he does not require; yet, from his
affectionate uncle, and entirely as a testimony
of admiration for his mental acuteness, I venture
to hope that he will accept a bequest of
five hundred pounds towards the completion
of his extensive library of law-books."

How Peter Finch stormed, and called
names—how John Meade broke into a delirium
of joy—how Mary Sutton cried first, and
then laughed, and then cried and laughed
together; all these matters I shall not attempt
to describe. Mary Sutton is now Mrs. John
Meade; and her husband has actually begun
the great historical picture. Peter Finch has
taken to discounting bills, and bringing
actions on them; and drives about in his
brougham already.