throw his mind into a new channel--to awaken, if possible, a new
and better interest in life--his father ventured upon the doubtful
experiment we spoke of yesterday; that of placing capital in his
hands, and making him an equal partner in the business of
distilling and cotton-spinning. The disastrous--I might say
disgraceful--result you know. The young man squandered his own
capital and heavily embarrassed his father.

"The effect of all this upon Mrs. Hammond has been painful in the
extreme. We can only dimly imagine the terrible suffering through
which she has passed. Her present aberration was first visible
after a long period of sleeplessness, occasioned by distress of
mind. During the whole of two weeks, I am told, she did not close
her eyes; the most of that time walking the floor of her chamber,
and weeping. Powerful anodynes, frequently repeated, at length
brought relief. But, when she awoke from a prolonged period of
unconsciousness, the brightness of her reason was gone." Since
then, she has never been clearly conscious of what was passing
around her, and well for her, I have sometimes thought it was, for
even obscurity of intellect is a blessing in her case. Ah, me! I
always get the heart-ache, when I think of her." "Did not this
event startle the young man from his fatal dream, if I may so call
his mad infatuation?" I asked.

"No. He loved his mother, and was deeply afflicted by the
calamity; but it seemed as if he could not stop. Some terrible
necessity appeared to be impelling him onward. If he formed good
resolutions--and I doubt not that he did--they were blown away
like threads of gossamer, the moment he came within the sphere of
old associations. His way to the mill was by the 'Sickle and