Alas! how
often are mothers, and fond mothers too, induced to sacrifice the
earthly and eternal peace of a beloved child to the demon of this world,
the selfish soul-destroying power of wealth, that daily slays its
thousands and tens of thousands, yet never finds one worshipper the
less.
About this period, Mr. Hurdlestone purchased the cottage rented by the
widow, and appeared in a new character, that of a landlord. The old lady
was fond of planning improvements, which gave him an opportunity of
gratifying her taste; and he took no small pains in accommodating
himself to her wishes. "He was a fine generous man," she said, "one whom
the world has greatly misrepresented. All his father's faults have been
heaped upon his innocent head. She had had sore reason to hate the
illiberal narrow-minded father, but she admired and esteemed the son."
"I do not think that Algernon did his brother justice," said Elinor;
"but members of the same family are often blind to each other's merits.
Certainly the Squire is not the bad selfish man I took him for."
"He has behaved like an angel to us," returned the mother; "and I for my
part, prefer him to Algernon."
Elinor rejected this preference with disdain; but the old lady persisted
in maintaining her own opinion. Her daughter at last relinquished the
argument, by saying, "That the Squire, with his grave serious face, and
stiff polite manners, might suit the taste of a middle-aged woman; but
he never would win the regard of a young girl.
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