"A day more has passed since my arrival here, and I have a little hope. I have found one of his former fellow-clerks. He says, that he thinks Wilmer is still in town. I do not want to advertise for him, if I can help it, but shall do so before I leave the city, if other means fail. This young man tells me, that when he knew him he had three children. He never saw our Constance. He represents Wilmer as having been in bad health, and as generally appearing dejected. He says, all his furniture was once seized and sold by the sheriff for rent, but that it was redeemed next day by his employers, who treated him very kindly on the occasion. I have heard nothing of the poor boy that has not prepossessed me in his favour. I fear he has had a hard time of it. How much happiness have we lost--how much misery have we occasioned!--Surely we have lived in vain all our lives! I feel more humbled every day since I left home. "Since yesterday I have learned that he was in the city less than a year ago--and that Constance was living. How my heart throbs! Shall I see my own dear child again? Theodore, I fear, is in very bad health, if still alive. He had to give up a good situation about a year ago, as book-keeper in a large establishment here, where he was much esteemed, on account of his health giving way so fast under the confinement. I believe he took another situation as salesman in a retail store, on a very small salary. Some one told me that Constance had been under the necessity of taking in sewing, to help to get a living--and all this time we had abundance all around us! I call myself, 'wretch,'--and so I would call any other man who would cast off his child, as I have done--a tender flower to meet the cold winds of autumn. "I have seen my child! my poor dear Constance! But oh, how changed! While passing along the street to-day, almost in despair of ever finding her--a slender female, about the same height of Constance, passed me hastily. There was something peculiar, I thought, about her, and I felt as I had never yet felt, while near a stranger. I followed her, scarce knowing the reason why. She entered a clothing-store, and I went in after her, and asked to look at some article, I scarce knew what. Her first word startled me as would a shock of electricity. It was my own child. But I could not make myself known to her there. She laid down upon the counter three vests, and then presented a small book. in which to have the work entered. The entry was made, and the book handed back. "'There are just three dollars due you,' said the man. "'Three-and-a-half, I believe it is, sir.' "'No, it's only three.' "'Then I have calculated wrong. I thought it was three-and-a-half.' "How mournful and disappointed was her tone! "After standing for some time looking over her book, she said in a lighter voice, 'well, I believe I _am_ right. See here; I have made twenty-eight vests, and at twelve-and-a-half cents each, that is three dollars and a half.'