THE BLIND SEAL. 47 



offspring of her own daughter. Everything about this 

 devoted house melted away ; sheep rotted, cattle died, 

 ' and blighted was the corn.' Of several children, 

 none reached maturity, and the savage proprietor 

 survived everything he loved or cared for. He died 

 blind and miserable. 



" There is not a stone of that accursed building 

 standing upon another. The property has been passed 

 to a family of a different name, and the series of incessant 

 calamity which pursued all concerned in this cruel deed 

 is as romantic as true." 



It was midnight ; I laid down my pipe, took a candle 

 from the sideboard, wished my cousin a " good night," 

 and went to bed, full of pity for the gentle and affec- 

 tionate seal. 



