“George Somers was a generous, kind-hearted boy, and I believe he was none the less fond of me, because I was likely to rob him of half his fortune.  Mr. Somers often spoke of making a will, in which I was to share equally with his son in the division of his property, but a natural reluctance to so grave a task led him to defer it from one year to another.  Meantime, I was sent to expensive schools, and was as idle and superficial as any heiress in the land.

“I was just sixteen when my kind benefactor suddenly perished on board the ill-fated Lexington, and, as he died without a will, I had no legal claim to any farther favours.  But George Somers was known as a very open-handed youth, upright and honourable, and, as he was perfectly well acquainted with the wishes of his father, I felt no fears with regard to my pecuniary condition.  While yet overwhelmed with grief at the loss of one whom my heart called father, I received a very kind and sympathizing letter from George, in which he said he thought I had better remain at school for another year, as had been originally intended.

“‘Of course,’ he added, ’the death of my father does not alter our relation in the least; you are still my dear and only sister.’

“And, in compliance with his wishes, I passed another year at a very fashionable school—­a year of girlish frivolity, in which my last chance of acquiring knowledge as a means of future independence was wholly thrown away.  Before the close of this year I received another letter from George, which somewhat surprised, but did not at all dishearten me.  It was, in substance, as follows:—­

“’MY own dear Sister:—­I wrote you, some months ago, from Savannah, in Georgia told you how much I was delighted with the place and people; how charmed with Southern frankness and hospitality.  But I did not tell you that I had there met with positively the most bewitching creature in the world—­for I was but a timid lover, and feared that, as the song says, the course of true love never would run smooth.  My charming Laura was a considerable heiress, and, although no sordid considerations ever had a feather’s weight upon her own preferences, of course, yet her father was naturally and very properly anxious that the guardian of so fair a flower should be able to shield it from the biting winds of poverty.  Indeed, I had some difficulty in satisfying his wishes on this point, and in order to do so, I will frankly own that I assumed to myself the unencumbered possession of my father’s estate, of which so large a share belongs of right to you.  I am confident that when you know my Laura you will forgive me this merely nominal injustice.  Of course, this connexion can make no sort of difference in your rights and expectations.  You will always have a home at my house.  Laura is delighted, with the idea of such a companion, and says she would on no account dispense with that arrangement.  And whenever, you marry as girls do and will, I shall