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and offered to make amends, by allowing him a share in his own business, the rest of the creditors, except two of the principal ones, became willing to sign the certificate.

10. Nothing, perhaps, is so difficult to remove from some minds, as suspicions of a derogatory nature; and the creditors in question, who piqued themselves on their shrewdness, could not brook the idea of being overreached; and seemed to exult that he, whose prosperity had excited their envy, was now humbled before them as a suppliant. However, even they began to be tired, at length, of holding out against the opinion of so many; and Mr. Burford had the happiness of being informed, after he had been some months in Wales, that matters were in a train to enable him to get into business again,P with restored credit and renewed prospects.

11. "Then who knows, Anna," said he to his wife, “but that in a few years I shall be able, by industry and economy, to pay all I owe, both principal and interest? for until I have done so, I shall not be really happy; then, also, will poverty be robbed of its sting." "Not only so," she replied, "but such a proof of their father's integrity, would be the best inheritance we could give our children." While these hopes were uppermost in the minds of this amiable couple, and were cheering to the weak mind of the grandmother, Annabel was absent on a visit to one of her school mates, some distance from her father's dwelling.

12. The vain girl had felt the deepest mortification, at this blight to her golden prospects, and bitterly lamented being no longer able to talk of her grandmother's palace and carriages, and her father's hot-houses and grounds. Circumstances having now deprived her of her accustomed indulgences, she was delighted with the opportunity of leaving home, and equally regretteds being under the necessity of again3 returning thereto. To addr to her mortification, she was compelled to return alone in a public coach; she therefore submitted to it, with as good grace as her wounded pride would permit.

13. In the coach were a young man and two elderly gentlemen, all of whom seemed disposed to pay her attention. She, therefore, gave way to all her loquaciouse vivacity; hummed tunes, sketched something like landscapes, talked of her waiting maid, and all the past glories of her former state, as if they still existed." In short, she tried to impress her companions? with a high idea of her consequence, and that some unusual

circumstance required that she should travel in her present disguise.

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14. During the journey, one of the elderly gentlemen opened a basket which stood near him, containing some fine hothouse grapes and flowers. There, young lady," said he to her, "did you ever see such fine fruit as this before?" dear, yes, in my father's grapery." "Indeed! but did you ever see such fine flowers ?" "Oh dear, yes, in my father's hot-houses. There is nothing, I assure you, of that sort," she continued, "that I am not accustomed to;" condescending, however, at the same time, to eat some of the grapes, and accept some of the flowers.

15. It was natural that her companions' should now be very desirous of finding out what princess in disguise was deigning to travel in a manner so unworthy of her; and when the coach stopped within a few miles of her home, one of the gentlemen having discovered that she was known to a passenger on the top of the coach, got out and privately asked him who she was. He was answered, her name was Burford. "Burford!" exclaimed he, "Burford! what! the daughter of Burford, the bankrupt?" "Yes, the same," was the answer.

16. With a frowning brow he re-entered the coach, and, when seated, whispered the old gentleman next him; and exchanging glances of indignant meaning, looked at Annabel with great significance. Nor was it long before she observed a marked change in their manners towards her. They answered her with abruptness and even with reluctance; till, at length, the one who had inquired her name, said, in a sarcastic tone, "I conclude you were speaking just now, young lady, of the fine things which were once yours. Your father has no graperiesm and hot-houses now, I take it?"

17. "Dear me! why not, sir?" replied the conscious girl, in a trembling voice." Why not?"" Why! excuse my freedom, but are you not the daughter of Mr. Burford, the bankrupt?" Never was a child more tempted to deny her parentage than Annabel was; but, though with great reluctance, she faltered out " Yes; and to be sure my father was once unfortunate, but we are very well off now, I assure you; and our residence is so pretty! Such a sweet garden! such a charming hot-house."

18. "Indeed!" returned the old man, with a significant nod to his friend; "well, then, let your father take care he does

not make his house too hot to hold him, and that another house be not added to his list of residences." Laughing heartily at his own wit, he continued-" But, pray, how long has he been thus again favored ?"—" Oh dear! I cannot say; but for some time; and I assure you our style of living is very complete." "I do not doubt it," said he, "for children and fools speak truth, as saith the proverb."

19. "

So, so," he muttered aside to the other traveler. "Gardens! hot-house! carriage! What a swindling, specious rascal!" Annabel, misapprehending the drift of these cutting exclamations, erroneously imagined she had recovered all her consequence in the eyes of her fellow-travelers, resumed and continued the conversation, till the coach stopped according to her desire, at a cottage by the road side, where, as she said, her father's groom was to meet her, and take her portmanteau. Her reasons for doing thus were very obvious; she well knew, that if she were set down at her humble home, its very appearance would give the lie direct to all her asser

tions.

20. When the coach stopped, she exclaimed, with well acted surprise" Dear me ! how strange the servant is not waiting for me! But no matter; I can stop here till he comes." She then left the coach, unregretted by her elderly companions, but admired, as she fancied, by the young man who handed her out. Her parents, meanwhile, were eagerly expecting her return; for, notwithstanding the lamentable defects in her character, her vivacity seemed peculiarly necessary to cheer them under their sad reverse of fortune. Matters thus stood, when they saw a coach stop at a distant turn of the road, and soon atter beheld Annabel coming towards them.

21. She was joyfully received by those affectionate parents, for whom her unprincipled falsehoods, growing out of the most contemptible vanity, had prepared fresh trials, and fresh injuries for her elderly companions were her father's principal and relentless creditors, who were then on their way to London; and part of their business there, was, to assure Mr. Alberry, the friend of Mr. Burford, that they were now willing to sign Mr. Burford's certificate; being at length convinced that he was calumniated.

22. But this unfortunate interview with Annabel had renewed and confirmed all their former suspicions; since it was easier for them to believes that Mr. Burford was a villain, than that

the simple girl, his daughter, should have told so many falsehoods at the mere impulse of vanity. They therefore became the more inveterate against her poor father than ever; and their object now in seeing Mr. Alberry, was not to serve, but to injure Mr. Burford. How differently would they have felt and acted, had Annabel, by telling the truth, permitted the coach to set her down at her father's poverty-stricken' door.

22. The dwelling of Mr. Burford was that of a man who had benefitted by past trials-neat, but exceedingly plain ; and such was the orderly arrangement within, that little regret was felt for leaving their splendid house, by any except" the grandmother, who never ceased to mourn and murmur. Mr. Alberry, as already stated, was the friend of Mr. Burford, and had lately made him the very kind offer of taking him into partnership with him in his business. The hope, therefore, of seeing brighter days, was no less delightful to the grandmother, than to the rest of the family.

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24. But she was doomed to be disappointed, through those very errors in Annabel, which she had encouraged, if she had not occasioned. After the fervency of the mutual joy which her return had created, was in some degree abated, Annabel communicated to her grandmother, when alone, all that had passed relative to the fruit and flowers; and repeated the cruel question of the old man, "Are you not the daughter of Mr. Burford, the bankrupt?" and owned what her reply was; on which her grandmother exclaimed with great emotion, "Unthinking girl! you know not what injury you may have done your father!"

25. She then asked for a particular description of the perIsons of the old men, and said, “Well, well, it cannot be helped now-I may be mistaken; but be sure not to tell your mother what you have told me." For some days, all went on well; and nothing seemed wanting to make their domestic felicity complete, but a sufficient income, to enable Mr. Burford to give his boys a good education. To do this, he had the liveliest hopes from the kind offer of Mr. Alberry, from whom he was daily expecting a summons to London. The idea, however, of leaving their present abode, was very unpleasant to all, except Annabel and her grandmother, who thought the rest of the family devoid of proper spirit for desiring to live in Wales.

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26. But a stop was now put to eager anticipations, on the

one hand, and tender regrets on the other; for, while Mr. Burford was daily expecting remittances from Mr. Alberry, to enable him to move his family to London, that gentleman wrote to him as follows:

"Sir,-All connection between us is at an end; and I have given the share in business, which I intended for you, to the worthy man who has so long solicited it. I thought I had done you injustice, sir; I wished therefore to make you amends. But I find you are, what you are represented to be, a fraudulent bankrupt; and your certificate now, will never be signed. Should you wonder what has occasioned this change in my feelings and proceedings, I am at liberty to inform you, that your daughter traveled in a stage coach, a few days ago, with your two principal creditors; and I am desired to add, ' that children and fools are apt to speak truth.' J. ALBERRY."

27. When Mr. Burford had finished reading this letter, it fell from his grasp, and clasping his hands convulsively together, he exclaimed, “Ruined and disgraced forever!" then rushed into his own chamber. His wife followed, with feelings too agitated to permit inquiry. "Read that letter," said he, "and see what Mr. Alberry deems me—a villain !" She did read, but with a shaking frame. But it was not the false accusation of her husband, nor the loss of the expected partnership, that thus distressed her; it was the painful conviction that Annabel, by some means unknown to her, had been the cause of this misfortune to her father.

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28. Annabel, accordingly, was immediately summoned and desired to explain Mr. Alberry's mysterious meaning. "Dear me, father," cried she, changing color, "I am sure, if I had thought—I am sure, I could not think ugly, ill-natured old man! I am sure I only said"But what did you say," exclaimed the agitated father. "I can explain all," said the grandmother, who had entered uncalled for, and read the letter. She then repeated what Annabel had told her, but softening it as much as she could; she told enough, however, to convince the agonizing parents that their child was not only the cause of disappointment and disgrace to them, but a mean, vain-glorious, and despicable liar!

29. "The only amends you can now make us, unhappy child," said Mr. Burford, "is to tell the whole truth; and then we must see what can be done; for my reputation must be cleared, even at the painful expense of exposing you." An

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