THE RUINED MERCHANT. 503 



position still holding the hand of Amy, and dreaming probably that 

 it returned his pressure. His father and mother remained in the 

 room, but neither moved nor spoke, grateful that sleep had visited 

 their afflicted son, and earnestly praying that comfort might be 

 afforded him in his extremity. 



Great indeed was the loss that had this day been inflicted on 

 Edward Monson. Connected with that division of trade dependent 

 on cotton, some few months previously he had fallen a victim to one 

 of those mercantile earthquakes that at times involve hundreds in 

 ruin. Speculation had suddenly raised the price of the raw ma- 

 terial, without a correspondent rise in that of the manufactured 

 article, and, forced to sell at an enormous sacrifice, his limited means 

 were unable to carry on the struggle, and he found himself, his 

 young wife, and aged parents, all dependent upon him, absolutely 

 beggared. Generous in his own nature, and strictly honourable and 

 liberal in his transactions, he had yielded every thing up, for the 

 purpose of satisfying his creditors, with the manful and noble deter- 

 mination of again devoting himself to business, and retrieving his 

 shattered fortune. 



The mere loss of wealth for his own sake he would have dis- 

 regarded, for he felt the consciousness that his energies would sooner 

 or later enable him to rise above his present poverty. But when the 

 cruel, cold, and stern world turned round upon him, when those to 

 whom he had naturally looked for sympathy and support were the 

 very first to shun him, when the friends of Amy and himself looked 

 distantly and with scornful eyes on him, when insult or miserable 

 contempt met him, in place of delicate kindness, his proud and in- 

 dignant spirit swelled within him ; and bitter, bitter was the anguish 

 with which he turned away, determined to shake the " dust from his 

 feet," and forsake a scene where every hand seemed stretched out 

 to sink him. It was now that the tenderness of his wife came as a 

 shield between him and his outraged feelings ; every thing that 

 woman's love could do to cheer and console, she did with a grace 

 and a delicacy no less touching than beautiful. Though pained, 

 and feeling herself most sensitively the ungenerous and unmerited 

 conduct to which he was exposed, she strove to divert his attention, 

 and made him feel that, although the world had for a time deserted 

 him, he had a little kingdom within his own home, where he was 

 loved and honoured as he had ever been. 



Keenly and bitterly had the experience been forced upon him, 

 that 



" Those whom we make friends 

 And give our hearts to, when they once perceive 

 The least rub in our fortunes, fall away 

 Like water from us, never found again 

 But when they mean to drown us." 



And when by her efforts she had succeeded in restoring his mind to 

 some degree of equanimity, he blessed and almost idolized her. 

 Sacred influence of woman ! pure fountain of man's happiness ! 

 Holy indeed are the emotions born beneath the shadow of thy love ! 



