Mr. Darlington, while living, was a lawyer of distinguished ability, and his talents and reputation at the Philadelphia bar enabled him to accumulate a handsome fortune.  Upon this he had lived for some years in a style of great elegance.  About a year before his death, he had been induced to enter into some speculation that promised great results; but he found, when too late to retreat, that he had been greatly deceived.  Heavy losses soon followed.  In a struggle to recover himself, he became still further involved; and, ere the expiration of a twelvemonth, saw every thing falling from under him.  The trouble brought on by this was the real cause of his death, which was sudden, and resulted from inflammation and congestion of the brain.

Henry Darlington, the oldest son, was a young man of promising talents.  He remained at college until a few months before his father’s death, when he returned home and commenced the study of law, in which he felt ambitious to distinguish himself.

Edith, the oldest daughter, possessed a fine mind, which had been well educated.  She had some false views of life, natural to her position; but, apart from this, was a girl of sound sense and great force of character.  Thus far in life she had not encountered circumstances of a nature calculated to develop what was in her.  The time for that, however, was approaching.  Miriam, her sister, was a quiet, gentle, retiring, almost timid girl.  She went into company with reluctance, and then always shrunk as far from observation as it was possible to get; but, like most quiet, retiring persons, there were deep places in her mind and heart.  She thought and felt more than was supposed.  All who knew Miriam loved her.  Of the younger children we need not here speak.

Mrs. Darlington knew comparatively nothing of the world beyond her own social circle.  She was, perhaps, as little calculated for doing what she proposed to do as a woman could well be.  She had no habits of economy, and had. never in her life been called upon to make calculations of expense in household matters.  There was a tendency to generosity rather than selfishness in her character, and she rarely thought evil of any one.  But all that she was need not here be set forth, for it will appear as our narrative progresses.

Mr. Hiram Ellis, the brother of Mrs. Darlington to whom brief allusion has been made, was not a great favourite in the family—­although Mr. Darlington understood his good qualities, and very highly respected him—­because he had not much that was prepossessing in his external appearance, and was thought to be a little eccentric.  Moreover, he was not rich—­merely holding the place of book-keeper in an insurance office, at a moderate salary.  But as he had never married, and had only himself to support, his income supplied amply all his wants, and left him a small annual surplus.

After the death of Mr. Darlington, he visited his sister much more frequently than before.  Of the exact condition of her affairs, he was much better acquainted than she supposed.  The anxiety which she felt, some months after her husband’s death, when the result of the settlement of his estate became known, led her to be rather more communicative.  After determining to open a boarding-house, she said to him, on the occasion of his visiting her one evening—­