subdued cheerfulness as she set about managing the domestic
economy of her home.

But Mr. Gurney did not recover so rapidly; there seemed to be no
outlet to his feelings--nothing to ease his burdened heart.

He had given his business into the hands of his clerks, and had
concluded to sell out and permanently retire from active life. He
went with his wife on a journey to the seaside, to a quiet
watering-place, hoping that change of scene might divert his
attention from his sorrows and enable him, at least to some
extent, to recover his wonted health and spirits. But he returned
unbenefited, and his wife and friends began to have grave fears
for his life. They consulted an eminent physician, who advised him
not to give up his business, but to devote to it as much of his
attention as his strength would permit; and this advice coinciding
with his own judgment, he concluded to act upon it; but as none of
his employees hardly came up to his ideal of what a managing clerk
should be, he thought he had better advertise for a responsible
man, who thoroughly understood the business, and who could keep
the books, while he could do the buying and attend to the outlying
duties of the firm.

It was in accordance with this idea that he inserted the
advertisement in the _Globe_ which brought Richard Ashton to
answer in person.