“Perhaps,” he began, “there may occur no better time than the present, to apprise you all of a matter that must, sooner or later, become known to you.  We will have to make an effort to reduce our expenses—­and it seems to me that this matter of going to the Springs, which will cost some three or four hundred dollars, might as well be dispensed with.  Business is in a worse condition than I have ever known it; and I am sustaining, almost daily, losses that are becoming alarming.  Within the last six weeks I have lost, beyond hope, at least twenty thousand dollars.  How much more will go I am unable to say.  But there are large sums due me that may follow the course of that already gone.  Under these circumstances, I am driven to the necessity of prudence in all my expenditures.”

“But three or four hundred are not much, Pa,” Emily urged, in a husky voice, and with dimmed eyes.  For the fear of not being able to go somewhere, was terrible to her.  None but vulgar people staid at home during the summer season.

“It is too large a sum to throw away now.  So I think you had all better conclude at once not to go from home this summer,” said Mr. Ludlow.

A gush of tears from Emily and Adeline followed this annunciation, accompanied by a look of decided disapprobation from the mother.  Mr. Ludlow felt deeply tried, and for some moments his resolution wavered; but reason came to his aid, and he remained firm.  He was accounted a very rich merchant.  In good times, he had entered into business, and prosecuted it with great energy.  The consequence was, that he had accumulated money rapidly.  The social elevation consequent upon this, was too much for his wife.  Her good sense could not survive it.  She not only became impressed with the idea, that, because she was richer, she was better than others, but that only such customs were to be tolerated in “good society,” as were different from prevalent usages in the mass.  Into this idea her two eldest daughters were thoroughly inducted.  Mr. Ludlow, immersed in business, thought little about such matters, and suffered himself to be led into almost anything that his wife and daughters proposed.  But Mrs. Ludlow’s brother—­Uncle Joseph, as he was called—­a bachelor, and a man of strong common sense, steadily opposed his sister in her false notions, but with little good effect.  Necessity at last called into proper activity the good sense of Mr. Ludlow, and he commenced the opposition that has just been noticed.  After reflecting some time upon the matter, he resolved not to assent to his family leaving home at all during the summer.