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I see is how we are ever to explain things to Rachel.'

'And we know nothing about how she has grown up,' said Miss Aggles helplessly. People say she is a sweet nice girl; but it is hard to tell. I have so wished to see her, and never yet succeeded, though I often pass the house half a dozen times a day.'

'I have seen her often,' he answered, with a dreamy look of satisfaction in the eyes which were so like her own.

How? when?' asked Miss Aggles eagerly.

Many places,' he replied; 'followed her as she went on her little errands of charity; walked behind her and her sister in Kensington; seen her on the terrace behind Holyrood House; and watched her wandering thoughtfully round the paths in Sir John's garden. Many and many a time I have stood behind the tree growing close beside the fence dividing Kensington from Palace Gardens, and seen her looking out of the window of her own room, with a sad troubled look on her young face. O, yes! I know my daughter well; I wish she had half or quarter as much acquaintance with me.'

Loyal, faithful, unselfish, time had not changed his nature, years had wrought no difference in his reluctance to give pain-in his ability to suffer silently.

Beyond all other perplexity this seemed greatest, how to hint to his child a word of her mother's shame. If he could have left that as it was, he would even have given up his daughter. But there is a point beyond which a man cannot go; and with him this point seemed reached when he thought of Rachel living on with the woman who had spoiled his whole existence-believing herself the daughter of the man whose

blood could not have washed out the wrong committed.

'I will go if you wish,' said Miss Aggles, after a moment's pause, reverting to their previous subject of conversation; but I certainly do think you ought not to decide such an important question in a hurry.'

'I have not decided it in a hurry,' he answered. 'Day and night it has never been absent from my mind for months past. I have tossed on seas of doubt, and temptation, and passion, and revenge; but I know now what I ought to do, and I shall not draw back. When will you see herto-night?

'Not to-night,' said Miss Aggles, shrinking a little from the proposal.

Then write to her,' he persisted; 'write that you will call to-morrow morning early. Say also you can take her good news; otherwise she may, perhaps, refuse to see you.'

'But why,' asked Miss Aggles, 'should I write at all?'

'Because,' he answered, 'I want to feel, before I sleep, one step is taken on a road I know to be right.'

Reluctantly, because she believed in this last concession to his worthless wife Thomas Palthorpe was putting away all hope he might ever possess of a happy home, of domestic felicity, in the years to come; and yet thankfully, because her own heart still yearned over the woman she had taken to her arms when her own mother forsook her and she would have spared her open shame and disgraceful exposure at any cost to herself-Miss Aggles drew writing materials towards her and finished a note, which she handed across to her companion.

"Thank you,' he said, folding it up; 'I will see it is sent immediately.'

'O,' she entreated, 'just think over the matter for another hour ---only one hour.'

'Not one minute !' he answered firmly, and, leaving the room, despatched a messenger to Holyrood House.

Ere long a verbal reply was returned:

'Her ladyship was much obliged, and would be glad to see Miss Aggles at the hour mentioned.'

As the door closed behind the servant who delivered this message Mr. Palthorpe and Miss Aggles looked at each other and smiled, in spite almost of their own inclination.

'Her ladyship, indeed!' said Miss Aggles indignantly. Her ladyship!'

But Mr. Palthorpe made no remark, only sat for a little time gazing intently at the fire.

Not, perhaps, with the best will in the world, but still with as good a grace as she could assume, Miss Aggles, after breakfast next morning, tied the strings of her oldfashioned bonnet - which she called her 'old woman's bonnet'in an elaborate bow under the chin, and betook herself to Holyrood House.

Arrived there, she was asked into the library, while Simonds went in search of Winter, who presently appeared to say,

'Her ladyship had not yet rung her bell, and would Miss Aggles be kind enough to wait for a little while?'

'Yes,' Miss Aggles said, 'she would wait. Was Lady Moffat likely to ring soon?'

Winter could not tell; her ladyship was most uncertain, and never liked to be disturbed. In

deed, her (Winter's) directions were most positive not to disturb her on any pretext whatever. For many months her ladyship had

been sleeping very badly, and the doctors laid great stress upon her getting sleep, if possible.

While Winter was delivering herself of these various statements Edwina came in.

'You are the lady mamma was expecting to call this morning, I suppose?' she said. 'I am so sorry she is not up. Won't you have a cup of tea or coffee?'

No; Miss Aggles had breakfasted, but expressed a desire to know at what hour Lady Moffat's awaking might generally be looked for.

Edwina did not know. Sometimes she rose at six, and sometimes not till one.

'If you think it in the slightest degree likely she won't get up until one to-day, I am sure I shall not stop,' observed Miss Aggles, rising. I had an appointment with her, and I think she ought to have kept it.'

There was that in the visitor's manner which, taken in connection with her mother's manifest pleasure on the arrival of Miss Aggles' note the previous evening, impressed Edwina considerably.

She turned to the maid.

'Do you think we might venture for once?' she asked dubiously.

'O dear, no, miss,' answered Winter; I would not dare to do such a thing. I did once at Scarborough, if you remember, and her ladyship was very angry with me, very angry indeed.'

'Well, I'll risk that,' said Edwina determinedly. 'If you kindly wait a few minutes longer,' she added, speaking to Miss Aggles,

I will tell mamma you are here;' and she left the room, followed by Winter, who whispered as they were crossing the hall,

'I would not do it, Miss Edwina, I would not, indeed. The lady lives close by here, and we

could easily send round; I could even run up myself when your mamma rings.'

'Nonsense, Winter,' retorted Edwina; 'mamma is ever so much better now, and I daresay she would be vexed if we let this lady go. She had an appointment with her, I know.'

'I am aware, miss, it is not my place to speak, and if you please to take the responsibility—'

'Of course I please to take the responsibility,' answered the girl scornfully; 'did I not say so?'

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ANOTHER AUTUMN.

THE leaves again are glorious green and golden;
The child is gone

Whose laughter through the bright glades in the olden
Days lured me on.

While as of old with sanguine autumn splendour
The wild woods shine,
Not as of old the young face, soft and tender,
Looks up to mine.

Once I could happier make a child's heart, beating
With love of me,

By word or touch, than all the high sun's greeting
Makes glad the sea.

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amid the self-same groves I wander;

As erst, they are fair.

But one gold gift shines not, that once shone yonder—

A child's gold hair.

One gentle thing that sounded, sounds not ever

One hand will

A child's sweet tone:

seek the hollow of my hand never;
I am alone!

G. B.

FORTUNES MADE IN BUSINESS.

П

XX.

MESSRS. A. & S. HENRY & CO.

IN point of significance and comprehensiveness, few trade terms can compare with the time-honoured title of merchant.' The word runs through the entire sphere of buying and selling, and is tacked on to the humble dealer in rags as well as to the lordly trafficker in gold. Il y a fagots et fagots. From the towering commercial heights whereon the De' Medici family gained treasure and power, to the lowest rung of the merchant ladder, there is a vast and profound space. At one end we touch the borderland of kingly dignity and influence; at the other we are only one remove from the beggars who solicit alms from us in the street. In many notable instances the successful merchant-prince has himself travelled over the entire space, beginning as a penniless beggar-boy, and ending as a titled millionaire. The trading annals of England have frequently recorded, in slightly varied forms, the story of Dick Whittington, and at no period of our commercial history could we point to so many men as now, who have worked themselves up from the humblest positions to opulence and rank. This is essentially the era of self-made men; and the best part of the world's greatness is of their making. The vast commercial houses, which have been built up by the well-directed energy of our chief merchants, throw the enterprises of previous

These men

times into the shade. have not only made their own fortunes, but, by opening up fresh markets in various parts of the world, have been the means of spreading wealth in many direc tions, giving better employment to the labouring classes, affording an encouragement to inventive genius, and always acting as the true pioneers of commerce. They have explored the universe in the interests of industry, and, through their intervention and by their direction, the looms and spindles of England have been kept running from year to year, and, in spite of the periods of trade depression, which have now and then intervened, have yielded both individual wealth and general prosperity.

Foremost amongst these merchant-pioneers have been the men who have taken part in originating and developing the great mercantile house of A. & S. Henry & Co., whose operations extend over all parts of the civilised and uncivilised globe, and whose well-known establishments at Manchester, Bradford, Huddersfield, Glasgow, and Belfast embrace every branch of our textile industries.

The Henrys are an Irish family, a fact which may have some bearing possibly on the circumstance that the present head of the firm, Mr. Mitchell Henry, sits in the House of

Commons as the representative of an Irish county constituency. The first of the Henrys to make a name in the commercial world was the late Mr. Alexander Henry, who was born in the north of Ireland in 1766, emigrated to America in 1783, settled in Philadelphia as a clerk, and subsequently became one of the most successful merchants in that city, retiring with an ample fortune in 1807. His career in the City of Brotherly Love was at once eminent, useful, and unostentatious. For many years he was one of the ruling elders of a leading Presbyterian church in Philadelphia, and in all philanthropic and educational movements and institutions he took a lively interest, and assisted them nobly by his pecuniary contributions. He was one of the men who helped to lay the foundations of Philadelphia's commercial power. At the time of his settling there, a desperate attempt was being made to establish the textile industries

in Philadelphia, and had it not been for the efforts of a few such energetic men as Alexander Henry, the probability is that the manufactures which have since risen to such importance in that city would have drifted elsewhere. As it was, Mr. Henry had the satisfaction of seeing the city of his adoption extend its industrial power at the same time that his own private commercial undertaking was making rapid headway; and when he retired in 1807, and left the active management of the business to younger hands, the name of Henry had become a revered and honoured one in the commercial history of the United States.

The name, however, was destined to acquire a still wider influence in the years to come, for another Henry-also called

Alexander Henry, and the nephew of the eminent merchant of Philadelphia-had entered upon a commercial career, resolved to follow in his uncle's footsteps. This young man, brought up under the care of his uncle, inspired by a desire to emulate him in his personal virtues and public zeal, and possessed of a strong inclination to launch forth into new commercial ventures, soon found active employment for himself. America was yet in its infancy as far as regarded commerce, and young Henry's aspirations requir ed a wider sphere of operation, if they were ever to win fulfilment; so in 1804 he came over to Manchester, and began business in Palace-street, retaining the American connection, and making it his chief object to bring the United States into closer commercial contact with England. His business increased beyond his anticipations, and he found it necessary, before long, to remove to larger premises, in Spear-street. He now took his younger brother, Mr. Samuel Henry, into partnership, and the firm of A. & S. Henry' soon became one of the leading houses in Manchester.

The factory system had not yet been completely built up, and the era of great cotton lords' had hardly been entered upon. The power of the steam-engine was beginning to spread into all departments of industrial labour, and the inventions of Arkwright, Crompton, and others were rapidly revolutionising the trade, which had Manchester for its centre. The means of production were being multiplied a thousandfold, and it was for the merchants of the large manufacturing towns of the North to find customers for this increased supply of fabrics. Into this allimportant work Messrs. A. & S. Henry threw themselves with their

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