she had to Charles, with the distinct proviso that he took
possession of it only on the condition of dropping his father's
name, and assuming that of her family, which was Beauchamp.

Long before he was twenty-one years of age, she commenced her
insidious attacks upon his native manliness of character, which
showed itself in a disposition to value every thing with which he
came in contact, according to intrinsic worth. He never bought of
the family of any one with whom he was brown into association, but
of qualities of head and heart. At school he had learned how to
estimate individual worth; books, truly American books, conceived by
American minds, strengthened the right impression so made. When,
therefore, Mrs. Linden attempted to show him that family was the
primary thing to be considered in his associations with people, her
efforts were altogether fruitless.

All persons of Mrs. Linden's way of thinking make it a point to take
the marriage of their children pretty much into their own hands,
believing that their external views on the subject are far better
than the internal attraction toward an object that can be truly
loved, which their children imagine they feel--or, as they say,
"imagine." The mother of Charles understood well her duty in this
matter. Long before her son had passed his fourteenth year, she had
made a selection for him in a little Miss, younger than he was by
two years, named Antoinette Billings. Antoinette's mother was a
woman after Mrs. Linden's own heart. She understood the first
distant hint made on the subject, and readily came to a fair and
open understanding with Mrs. Linden. Then it was managed so that the
children were much together, and they were taught to look upon each
other as engaged for marriage at some future day.