What had so disturbed the rich merchant? Those who have them not, are apt to fancy that, riches and happiness are handmaids. What was the matter? His son, his only son, had just approached him, taking advantage, as Wendall had, of a propitious hour, when wine had done its work--he drank brandy since the news in that letter, and that fired, not soothed him--he approached him with a beautiful sweet girl upon his arm, to ask his consent to their marriage. Mrs. Wendall screamed and fainted--that is, in appearance. Matilda said, "Why, Walter! to that girl--marry that thing--a dressmaker" Mrs. Morgan simply said, "Walter, you have disgraced yourself and the mother that bore you. And I never wish to see you again." Athalia trembled and quailed before the storm of angry words and envenomed looks that surrounded her. How gladly would she have escaped. It was too late. "Father, your consent." "Never! You, my only son, marry a common sewing girl, never." "It is too late. Here is my marriage certificate." His father opened his mouth to curse him. What for? He had married a girl he loved--a girl, handsome, virtuous, industrious, but poor--a seamstress. "A letter, sir;" said a servant. "Give it me." He tore it open and read; "SIR:-- "Yours of the 12th inst. came too late. News reached the city an hour before that the Matilda was----" He did not say lost. He looked it. He looked at his son and his poor trembling little wife, as though he wished them both at the bottom of the sea, with the Matilda and her cargo--all his fortune! He felt all the envenomed bitterness that a violent natural temper can feel, when heated and inflamed by drunkenness; for he was drunk, fashionably drunk; but not so much so but he could feel how irretrievably ruined he was, and that the failure to insure was occasioned by drunkenness, such drunkenness as the highest class of society indulge in, when they take an "extra bottle," after dinner, upon extraordinary occasions. He knew the fault was all his own. He had said, when urged to open the letter, an answer to which would have saved all, "that is my business."