"What do you mean, aunt?" said she.

But her aunt was too much disturbed to speak for some minutes.

"Esther," she at length said, speaking in a voice that still
trembled, "I knew a girl, who, at your age, married an excellent,
but proud-spirited young man. Like Edward, the lover yielded too
much when, as the husband, he began to be a little less considerate,
and to act as if he had a will of his own, his wife set herself
against him just as you set yourself against Edward. This chafed
him, although he strove to conceal his feelings. But, in an un-
guarded moment, when his young wife was unusually self-willed, a
quarrel of no more serious character than the one that has occurred
this evening, between you and Edward, took place. They parted in
anger as you parted, and--"

The aunt was unable for some time to control her voice sufficiently
to finish the sentence--

"And never met again," she at length said, with such visible emotion
as betrayed more than she had wished to reveal.

"Never met again!" ejaculated Esther, a sudden fear trembling
through her heart, and causing her cheeks to grow pale.

"Never!" was the solemn response.

"Why, dear aunt? Why?" eagerly inquired Esther.

"Pride caused him," said Mrs. Carlisle, recovering her