“The loss of my husband, as may be supposed, only endeared my child the more to me, and I wept over him as he smiled upon me in his cradle.  My father had reverses in his business, but those I cared little for.  He did, however:  he had been the richest man in the town, he was now comparatively poor; his pride was crushed, it broke his heart, and he died; the whole of his assets at the winding up of his affairs not exceeding ten thousand pounds.  This was, however, quite enough, and more than enough, for me.  I thought but of one object—­it was my darling boy; he represented to me all I had lost; in him I saw my husband, father, and everything.  I lived but for him.  He was my idolatry, Jack.  I worshiped the creature instead of the Creator.

“As he grew up I indulged him in everything; he never was checked; I worried myself day and night to please him, and yet he never was pleased.  He was so spoiled that he did not know what he wanted.  He was a misery to himself and all about him, except to me, who was so blinded by my love.  As he advanced to manhood his temper showed itself to be violent and uncontrollable; he was the terror of others, and prudent people would shake their heads and prophesy.  He would not submit to any profession; the only wish that he had was to go to sea, and that was my terror.  I implored him on my knees not to think of it, but in vain; at first he used to threaten when he wanted money for his extravagances, and it was a sure way to obtain it; but one day I discovered that he had quitted the port without saying farewell, and that he had sailed in a vessel bound to the coast of Africa.  A short letter and a heavy bill was received from Portsmouth, and I did not hear of him for two years.  I was heartbroken, but not weaned from him; I counted the days for his return.  At last he came—­browned by the climate, full of oaths, savage in his bearing, and occasionally referring to scenes which made me shudder; but he was my son, my only son, and I loved him as much as ever.  He was now but seldom at home, for he lived almost at the gaming-tables; if he came to me, it was to extort money, and he never failed.  I sold out my property to support his extravagance, and by degrees it was rapidly diminishing.  I begged him, I entreated him, to be more prudent, but he laughed, and promised to return me all the first lucky hit he should make; but that lucky hit never came, and at last I had but two thousand pounds left.  This I positively refused to part with:  the interest of it was barely sufficient for my wants; I asked no more, but I expostulated and I reasoned with him in vain.  He only begged me for five hundred pounds; if I sold the money out, he would tell me where I might have as good interest for the fifteen hundred pounds as I now received for the two thousand pounds.  He begged and entreated me, he kissed, and he even wept.  I could not withstand his importunities:  I sold out the money, and gave him the sum he wanted; the fifteen hundred pounds I put by in my desk, to invest as he had pointed out.  That very night he forced the lock, took out the money, and left me without a sixpence in the world.”