may, Mrs. Linden valued herself highly on having come down in a
right line, through three generations, from this distinguished
individual; and there were plenty to estimate her by her own
standard. As a woman, taking her for what she was worth, she would
have done very well, and received from all sensible people due
consideration; but her true character as a woman was glossed over
and somewhat defaced by her pride. She did not regard her own
qualities of mind as any thing--her standing as one of the true
aristocrats of society was every thing. As for her husband, little
was ever said about his ancestors; he had no scruples, while living,
of an investigation, for he feared none. His father was a wealthy
merchant, and his grandfather an honest farmer, who fought for his
country during the whole revolutionary campaign. The old soldier
left to his son the inheritance of sound moral principles, a good
education, and an enthusiastic love of his country. With these as
his only patrimony, he started in the world. At the age of fifty, he
died, leaving to his children an untarnished name and forty thousand
dollars a piece.

The father of Charles Linden had been in business several years when
this event took place, and had already acquired by his own
exertions, as well as by marriage, a handsome property. He died when
Charles, his eldest son, was but sixteen, leaving three children,
two sons and one daughter; and a widow estimated to be worth a
hundred thousand dollars. To each of the children he left fifty
thousand dollars. This did not please the aristocratic notions of
the mother. It would have been more in consonance with her views, if
but one-third of the whole property had been left to her, and the
balance to their eldest son, with the reservation of small annuities
for the other children. In her own mind she determined to will all