“My old father looked very sadly at this outbreak of passion, but did not reprove my disrespectful tone.  ‘Where do you wish to go?’ he asked, soothingly.  ’Can you find any one who will love you better than your sweet little sister and I do?  She would be very unhappy if I were to send her dear brother away.’

“‘And so,’ I said, ’I must be tied to Miss Louisa’s apron-string all my life, for fear the little baby will cry for me!  If my interest is always to lend to her pleasure, I might as well give up all hope of ever being any thing now.’

“At this moment, Louisa, who sat swinging on the garden gate, fanning her fair cheek with the little round hat which she had just been trimming with roses, caught the sound of my angry voice; and never did a cloud more quickly obscure the sweet star of evening than the shadow fell on her young face.  She dropped her hat beside her on the grass, and the ever-ready tear rose to her dark hazel eye; but she dashed it away, knowing that I was always angry with her instead of myself when I made her weep.  She left her seat, and, coming up the walk with a timid air, stole to my father’s side and whispered,—­’O, don’t cross Richard, father!  If he wants to go away from us, let him.  He will be happier where there are boys of his own age.’

“‘And what will you do, my sweet pet?’ asked my father, fondly, as he drew her to his knee.  ’Will you stay alone with your old father, and try and comfort him.’

“‘O, yes indeed!’ she answered earnestly, as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.  ’We shall get along so nicely together, and be so happy when we have pleasant letters from Dick, telling us how he is improving in every thing.’

“Hers was love; for she cared nothing for her own loneliness in comparison with the gratification of my wishes.

“So I left our quiet country home, with all its holy influences, for the turmoil and heartlessness of a large school, where I soon became the ringleader in all sorts of mischief.  Before long, accounts of my evil doing reached my father; but Louisa, incredulous of evil, as the pure ever are, persuaded him that her brother had been misunderstood, and not treated with sufficient gentleness.  ’His spirit has been imprudently roused,’ she said, ’and that makes him perverse and forgetful of his better self.  But all will soon be well again.’

“By being more cunning in my wicked exploits, I contrived to hide them from my teacher, and consequently was allowed to remain at school for several years, till considered ready to enter college.  During this time I had made very short visits at home, and almost dreaded the long vacation before entering the Sophomore class at Harvard University.