"And now again, and lastly, my father, I pray that the blessing of
the great God of Israel may ever rest upon your venerable head; and
will you not, too, invoke His blessing to descend upon the head of
your unworthy and unhappy child? Dear, dear, precious father, now
adieu, a long tearful adieu, till I receive your blessing.
"Sorrowfully, your own "LEAH."

Stupefied and amazed, Mr. Mordecai scarcely realized the import of
the words that his flashing eye devoured, till the familiar
signature was reached. Then, as if a flood of light had burst upon
his blinded vision, came the dreadful revelation; involuntarily he
exclaimed, "Eternal God! It cannot be! It is not possible, that my
child has fled from me! Gone with a Christian dog, to become his
wife; seduced by his honeyed words from the embrace of my love to
that of his faithless heart! Torn from my home to follow the
wanderings of a villain! Oh, God! Oh, heaven! It cannot be! It must
not be! I swear, by Israel, it shall not be! Oh my child! my
daughter, my own precious Leah? Where art thou? Where hast thou
fled, my daughter?"

In frenzy Mr. Mordecai smote his breast, tore his silvery locks, and
bowed in grief as the fatal letter fell from his trembling hand. The
depths of his sorrow were stirred, and the tears that flowed from
his burning heart left the fountain dry and shrivelled. Then, as the
calm succeeds the storm, so, when this fierce tempest of emotion was
passed, Mr. Mordecai regathered his strength, summoned the forces of
his pride, revenge, and hatred, dispelled all traces of his sorrow,
steeled himself for the duty before him, and with a heart of stone
in a bosom of adamant, took up the letter and descended the stairs
to the waiting family below. Untasted before them was the morning