small business for himself. Before deciding on the latter, however,
he determined to visit Boston, to get a few ideas connected with the
business, and, while there, came across his father, who had married
again under the name of Hill, his wife being a young American of
good family, and the mother of the gentleman from whom I learnt this
story.

William Bennett reproached his father with his misconduct, and
insisted on his leaving his American wife. Bennett the elder was
very much averse to doing so, but his son would leave him no
alternative, threatening him with exposure and criminal action
should he decline. The old man tried to temporize, and persuaded
William to visit and dine with his family, introducing him as a
business friend from Montreal.

Whatever Anti-Spiritualists may say to the contrary, there are
undoubtedly influences other than material which affect us at times,
and give us mysterious intimations of events happening or about to
happen. Both Mrs. Hill and her children had a presentiment of some
impending calamity, and, although they had not the faintest suspicion
of the real state of affairs, they did not look on William Bennett
as they would have done on any other person casually introduced into
their household. A damper seemed to have been placed on all their
spirits, and the flow of conversation was sluggish and dull.

After dinner they endeavored to organize an impromptu card-party,
but that, also, was a failure; and, although, as a rule, they had a
little music after dinner, on this particular evening each one
seemed indisposed to break the monotony.