"What!" exclaimed James, astonished almost beyond measure by the disclosure; "do you mean to say that you wrote those articles?" "Certainly I do." "But it is not your handwriting." "I disguised my hand in order to conceal the authorship." "What could possibly be your object in doing so?" "That the articles might be fairly examined. If I had proposed to write an article for your paper, you would have said that I, a printer-boy, could write nothing worthy of print." Here the conversation dropped, and James appeared to be abstracted in thought. He said but little about the matter to Benjamin, neither commending nor censuring, until his literary friends came in again. "I have discovered the author of those articles," said James. "You have? who can it be?" one asked. "No one that you have dreamed of," answered James. "Do tell us who it is, and put an end to our anxiety," said one of the number, who could hardly wait for the desired information. "There he is," replied James, pointing to Benjamin, who was setting up types a little more briskly than usual. The whole company were amazed. "Can it be?" cried out one; "you are joking." Now Benjamin had to speak for himself; for they all turned to him with their inquiries, as if they thought there must be some mistake or deception about the matter. But he found little difficulty in convincing them that he was the real author of the pieces; whereupon they commended him in a manner that was rather perilous to one who had the smallest share of pride in his heart. From that time Benjamin was a favourite with the literary visitors at the office. They showed him much more attention than they did James, and said so much in his praise, as a youth of unusual promise, that James became jealous and irritable. He was naturally passionate and tyrannical, and this sudden and unexpected exaltation of Benjamin developed his overbearing spirit. He began to find fault seriously and unreasonably with him, and a disposition to oppress him was soon apparent. He went so far as to beat him severely with a rod, on several occasions, reconciling the matter with his conscience by saying that he was master, and Benjamin was his apprentice. His whole conduct towards his younger brother was unjust and cruel, and the latter became restive and discontented under it. He made known his grievances to his father, who censured James for his conduct, and took the part of Benjamin. But the best efforts of his father to reconcile matters proved abortive, because James's manifest opposition was so aroused against his brother, on account of his sudden rise to comparative distinction. Other causes might have operated to awaken James's hostility, but this was evidently a prominent one.