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As the cousins were one afternoon strolling together,
as was their wont, in a fashionable part of the
city, Ralph endeavoured to persuade his cousin to
turn to a more lonely walk. Henry who was the
elder by a year or two, and disposed on that account
to have his own way, as well as from his self-willed
spirit, and more particularly on this occasion, as
many fashionable persons were on the promenade,
resisted, with a satirical laugh, Ralph's wish, and at
last exclaimed, as the other averred that he would
leave him if he did not take a more private way,—

“Why are you always for being private, Ralph?
For my part, I like to look upon these bright creatures—
I like to be public, and see the public, more
especially this of the sex before us, and behind us,
and about us. I am addicted to this atmosphere; it is
better, sweeter, finer far than the loveliness of Paradise
if Eve were not there. I shall hate to leave this
for college; and I've half made up my mind that a
college course has nothing to do with the education
of a gentleman; but I suppose I must go—I'm told
one sees fine times there. What say you, cousin of
mine, do you go?”

“I want to go, Henry, as you know; but my father—”

“Ay! is that it. Well, may the first girl that I attempt
to kiss murder me with her bodkin—brain me

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with her fan, if I wouldn't cut the acquaintance of my
father, if he treated me as yours does you. Ralph,
you are certainly not intending to commit the suicide
of tending in dad's grocery, are you? I'll cut your
acquaintance if you do. What? weigh out sugar by
the half pound, and tea by the ounce, and barter old
barrels and candle boxes with market women, for
eggs and butter, dried apples and peach kernels! excuse
me.”

“Excuse me too, say I, Henry, but necessity has
no—”

“Law, say you?” interrupted Henry, “there's no
law about it, Ralph. You are the only son; all your
father's property is yours; he accumulates but for
you—and you—the truth is, you ought to hold a
higher head with the old man. You know, you feel
how close he is, and he will keep you in this way
until the best of your life is wasted. I would speak
to him plainly, and know what he meant to do for me.
I thank God that what I have, I have—that neither
father nor mother can deprive me of that much of it,”
snapping his fingers. “And I assure you I shall take
the responsibility of spending it. I shall neither practise
law, nor medicine, nor any thing else but the
gentleman of elegant leisure.” And Henry waved
his hand gracefully as he spoke. “What do you
intend, law or medicine, or a grocery?”

“Not the grocery—medicine I cannot bear—for
law I have no taste nor talent. I have lived such a
miscellaneous life, without end or aim—so much the

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creature of untoward circumstances, that I have acquired
habits unfitting me for either of the professions.
I should wish to be a farmer, to have a pursuit which,
while it occupied me sufficiently to prevent ennui,
would leave me leisure for literary indulgences. Certainly
I wish to go to college, but if my father will
not consent to that which I shall press upon him, I
hope to persuade him at least to let me occupy Stockbridge
Farm. It will be no expense to him. I can
certainly support myself there. I am now nearly
eighteen, and I have determined that I must know
definitely from him what I am to do. I love the retirement
of a country life.”

“Turning clodhopper, Ralph, would be Hobson's
choice with me. You must certainly inherit a large
fortune, and I would make my mind up to enjoy it
were I you, dad to the contrary notwithstanding.
You have been so long in the traces that you think
you could not disobey your father for the world.
Try him now—get restive—try him. But maybe
that pretty innocent—scarcely in her girlhood yet—
the fair Ruth—a scriptural name—with whom you
would till the earth and fulfil Scripture—”

“Enough of that, Henry,” interrupted Ralph, his
brow darkening—“enough of that—my father, by
the by, talks of leasing Stockbridge Farm to Mr.
Lorman; honest, industrious and intelligent, he is
nevertheless so wrong-headed in his notions of business
as to have speculated himself out of house
and home. I believe he has some little pittance

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left, and I blush to say, what I fear is the truth, that
my father, your uncle, Henry, is nursing the intention
of gaining that in the way of trade. I am
resolved I will lead this dilly-dally, shilly-shally life
no longer. Good-bye to you.”

“Stop, Ralph, stop,” exclaimed Henry, endeavouring
to seize him by the arm and retain him,
“here comes Helen Murray—the fair and fascinating—
the golden fish—have you no bait for her—
it may save trouble with mine uncle; she is above
your years, and fitter for your admiration than any
baby-love in the land. How sly you are of her;
that woman is not born that could make such a
sheep-face of me. I tell you what, Ralph, how soon
these girls that we went to school with shoot ahead
of us into ripened womanhood and leave us a hobby
de hoy—all within a year or two. They're graduates
while we are preparing for college. Hey,
Ralph, what say you, let's join her!”

And Henry made an effort to draw his cousin
with him towards the lady; but Ralph broke away
from him, exclaiming, “No! oh no! excuse me!”
and hurried in a contrary direction.

With now a dilatory, and now a hastening step,
emblematic of the state of his resolutions, Ralph
proceeded to his father's store. On the way he
reflected bitterly on his situation and the character
of his miserly parent, and said to himself, “I'll end
it—yes, I will end it. This pew buying, this trafficking
in religion is the last thing of the kind I do.

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Could I but leave home and push my fortunes in
the west, I should not like to become —, but I've
no profession—have, I fear, no business talent, at
least no experience. Well, I'll speak with my father,
and if he and I cannot agree, I will advise with my
uncle—I am resolved.” And with a bolder and
firmer tread Ralph entered his father's store, and
found Jeremiah, our former acquaintance, behind
the counter, busily engaged in removing sugar from
a hogshead. With a spade he placed it in a large
tray, and broke the lumps before he threw it into
the bin from which it was retailed.

“Jerry,” inquired Ralph, “why did you not remove
the hogshead to the pavement, and break the
sugar there; you have hardly room where you are.”

Jerry shook his head gravely, as he stuttered
forth—

“B-b-boys steal th-the su-sugar there, Master
R-Ral-Ralph—big l-l-lumps; m-master don't l-like it,
n-nor Jerry n-neither.”

“Where is father, Jerry?”

“G-g-gone out, sir. M-master Ralph, l-l-let me
a-axe you a q-question,” said Jerry, leaning on his
spade.

“Not now, Jerry, not now,” said Ralph, shaking
his head, and moodily leaving the store.