that supervened.

Ah! the shadows would have been deeper still, could he have seen
that unhappy boy a little while afterward, as, with his face buried
in the pillow that supported the head of his sick mother, he sobbed
until his whole frame quivered. Had Mr. Abercrombie only asked the
reason why his appearance at the store was so late on this morning,
he would have learned that the delay had been solely occasioned by
needful attendance on his sick and almost helpless mother; and on a
little further ininquiry, humanity would have dictated approval rather
than censure and punishment. But, touching all this painful consequence
of his ill-nature, the merchant knew nothing. How rarely do we
become cognizant of the evil wrought upon others by our hasty and
ill-judged actions!

The shadow was still on Mr. Abercrombie's feelings, when, half an
hour afterward, a man came to him and said--

"It will be impossible for me to lift the whole of that note
to-day."

"You'll have to do it," was the quiet answer. Mr. Abercrombie
frowned darkly as he thus replied.

"Don't say that, Mr. Abercrombie. I only want help to the amount of
two hundred dollars."

"I do say it. You must raise the money somewhere else. I don't like
this way of doing business. When a man gives his note, he should
make it a point of honour to pay it."