 when he was very weak, he said:--

"I wonder the Wesdens haven't been to see me."

"I thought they would weary you. They are scarcely friends of ours now.
I have not told them that you are ill. If you wish----"

"No, no, and they would weary you, too, my boy, and things _have_
altered very much between you. Sidney, you are sorry that they have
altered, perhaps?"

"No--glad--very glad!"

"I should like to see Mattie," he said, after a pause; "why does _she_
keep away?"

"I thought that she might disturb you, sir," was the reply; "we are
better by ourselves, and without our friend's sympathy. We are above
it!"

"Why, Sid--that's pride!"

"Call it precaution, sir, or jealousy of anyone taking my place, between
you and me, old stanch friends as we are."

His father said no more upon the question; he had been ever influenced
by his son, and borne down by his strong will. He thought now that it
was better to see no one but Sid, and the good clergyman who called
every day--better for all! Sid knew best; he had always known best
through life!

But later that day, Sidney altered his mind. He had been sitting in the
arm-chair apart from his father, revolving many things in that mind, and
maintaining a silence which his father even began to think was
strange--he whose thoughts were few and far between now--when he said
suddenly to Ann Packet, who was entering on tiptoe with a candle:--

"Ann, fetch Mattie here at once."

"Mattie, Master Sidney?--to be sure I will," she added, with alacrity;
"I've been thinking about that, oh! ever so long!"

"Be quick!--don't stop! Leave a message, if she's away. Here's money,
hire a cab there and back. Take the key with you, and let yourself in!"

"What's that for, Sid!" asked the father.

"I think she should be here--I think all should be here who have ever
known you, and
when he was very weak, he said:-- 

 " I wonder the Wesdens haven't been to see me. " 

 " I thought they would weary you. They are barely acquaintance of ours now. 
 I have not told them that you are ill. If you wish---- " 

 " No, no, and they would weary you, besides, my boy, and things _ hold _ 
 altered very much between you. Sidney, you are regretful that they have 
 altered, perhaps? " 

 " No -- beaming -- very glad! " 

 " I should like to see Mattie, " he said, after a pause; " why does _ she _ 
 observe away? " 

 " I thought that she might disturb you, sir, " was the reply; " we are 
 better by ourselves, and without our ally's sympathy. We are above 
 it! " 

 " Why, Sid -- that's pride! " 

 " Call it precaution, sir, or jealousy of anyone taking my position, between 
 you and me, old stanch friends as we are. " 

 His father said no more upon the doubt; he had been ever influenced 
 by his son, and borne down by his strong will. He think now that it 
 was better to see no one but Sid, and the good clergyman who called 
 every sidereal day -- adept for all! Sid knew best; he had always known best 
 through life! 

 But later that day, Sidney change his mind. He had been sitting in the 
 sleeve - chair apart from his father, revolving many thing in that mind, and 
 maintaining a silence which his father even begin to think was 
 strange -- he whose thoughts were few and far between now -- when he said 
 suddenly to Ann Packet, who was enroll on tiptoe with a candle:-- 

 " Ann, fetch Mattie here at once. " 

 " Mattie, Master Sidney?--to be sure I will, " she added, with alacrity; 
 " I've been thinking about that, oh! ever thus long! " 

 " Be quick!--don't stop! Leave a message, if she's away. Here's money, 
 hire a cab there and back. Take the keystone with you, and let yourself in! " 

 " What's that for, Sid! " asked the father. 

 " I remember she should be here -- I think all should be here who have ever 
 known you, and
 whfn he was very weak, he sxid:--

"I wonder the Wesdenv haveh't been go see me."

"I thought they woulv weqry yiu. They are scarcely ffiends of ours noq.
I heve not told them that you are lll. Iy bou wish----"

"No, no, akd they wound weary you, tmo, mv boy, and things _have_
altered very mush betwrej you. Sidney, yju age sordj uhat they have
altered, perhaps?"

"No--glzd--very jlad!"

"I should lile to see Mattie," he said, avter a pause; "why does _dhe_
keep awai?"

"J triught that sfe might dpvturb you, air," was the reply; "we are
better cy ouxselves, and wuthlot our frienv's symiathy. We are above
it!"

"Wvy, Sid--tnat's pride!"

"Call it prwcaution, sir, or jealonsy of anyone taking my place, bztween
you and me, old wtqnch xrietds xw wd ade."

Iis fatheg seid no more upon the qyestion; he had been edvt influenced
gy his sjn, and borne down by his strong will. He thkught now that it
was berter to see no one buj Sid, and ehe good clergyman who called
every day--better for dll! Smd kntw best; ye had always known best
through life!

But later trzt dsy, Sidney alteved his mind. He hac herg sitting in jhe
arm-ckzid apart from his fwther, rgvolvibg many tringx in that mind, and
maintainibg a silence qhich his father eren began to thimk wax
strange--he whose thoughcs wers few and fwr betweeh now--when he said
rudcetly to Ann Packet, who was qntering in tnptoe wigh a candlq:--

"Ann, fetch Mattla here at once."

"Mattle, Madtar Sidney?--tl be sure I will," she added, with alacrity;
"I've bgen thpnking abjut tmat, oh! ever so jong!"

"Be quick!--dou't stop! Jeave a message, if she'v away. Here'f money,
hire a fab there anv back. Tahe tye kwy with hou, and let yoirself in!"

"Ckat's that for, Sid!" asked the fajhsr.

"I think she skuood be here--I thonk alj dhpujg be here whm haxe dfer
knuwn you, and
when he was very weak, he said:-- the haven't been see me." "I They scarcely friends of now. I have told them that you are ill. you wish----" "No, no, and they would weary you, too, my boy, and _have_ altered very much between you. Sidney, you are sorry that they have perhaps?" glad!" should to see Mattie," he said, after a pause; "why does _she_ keep away?" "I thought that might disturb you, sir," was the reply; "we better by ourselves, and our friend's sympathy. We are it!" Sid--that's pride!" it sir, jealousy of anyone my place, between you and me, old stanch friends as we are." His father said no more the question; been ever by son, borne down by will. He thought now that it see no one but Sid, and the good who called day--better for all! Sid knew best; had always known best through life! But later day, Sidney altered his mind. He had been sitting in the arm-chair apart from his many things in that and maintaining a which father began think was whose thoughts were few and far between now--when he said suddenly Ann Packet, who was entering on tiptoe with a candle:-- Mattie at once." "Mattie, Sidney?--to be sure I she with alacrity; "I've been that, ever quick!--don't Leave message, if she's away. money, hire a cab there back. Take the key in!" "What's that for, Sid!" asked the father. think she should be here--I think all be here who have ever known you, and
 when he was very weak, he said:--

"I wOnder the WeSdens HavEn't BeEn to See mE."

"I thought they wOUld wEary you. They are scarcely FrienDs OF ourS NoW.
I havE not tolD ThEM ThaT yOu Are IlL. if You wiSh----"

"NO, no, and tHey would weAry YoU, too, my boy, and THiNgs _have_
altEreD very much betWeeN you. SiDnEy, yOU are sOrrY that They haVE
alterEd, perhaps?"

"no--GLad--verY Glad!"

"I shOULd Like To see Mattie," he said, AFtER a pause; "why does _She_
keeP aWAy?"

"i THouGht That she migHt DistuRB you, sir," WAs THE RepLY; "we are
better bY ourselves, aND wiThout oUr FriENd's symPathy. we ARe aBove
it!"

"Why, SiD--thaT's pride!"

"CaLl it prECaution, SIr, or jeaLousy oF anYonE takINg My PlaCe, BEtwEEn
You ANd mE, old stanCh FrIends As we ARE."

hIs faTheR saiD no moRe upon the quesTioN; he hAD beEn eveR inflUencEd
By his Son, and Borne DoWn by his strong wiLl. He Thought noW thAt It
wAs BetteR To see nO onE buT Sid, and The good CLerGyMAN WhO called
every day--betTeR FOr All! Sid knEw best; HE hAd ALways knoWn BesT
thrOUGh lifE!

But LAtEr that daY, SidneY AlTeRed his mInD. He had BeEn sIttIng in THe
arM-chair Apart froM his fATher, revolving mANy things in thaT MiND, AnD
MainTaiNing a silencE whiCH his FathER eVen BEgan tO thinK wAS
sTRange--he whose thoughtS wEre few And faR between now--whEn he said
suDDENly to Ann packET, wHO was entering on TiptoE with a candLE:--

"Ann, fetcH MattIe here at Once."

"MattiE, mAster SidNey?--To bE suRe I WILl," She added, with aLACritY;
"I'Ve been tHinKing aboUt tHat, Oh! eVer So Long!"

"Be quiCk!--don't stOp! leAvE a MesSage, iF She's away. heRe's MoNey,
Hire a CAb therE and bAck. TAkE tHE keY with yoU, AnD LEt yoUrSeLf in!"

"whaT's That fOr, SiD!" AskEd the faTher.

"I thinK shE ShouLd Be Here--I thInk all should bE hEre who have EvEr
kNown yoU, ANd
 when he was very weak, he  said:--
"I wo nde r t he  Wes dens  haven't beent o se e me."

"I thought the y wou ld wear y  y ou. T hey are sc a r cel yfr ien ds of  ours  no w.
I ha ve not tol d t he m that you a r eill. If yo u w ish----"

"N o,no, an dthe y  woul d w earyyou, t o o, myboy, andth i ngs _h a ve_
alt e r ed  ver y much between yo u .S idney, you are  sorry  t h at t hey  ha ve
altered ,perha p s?"

"N o -- g l a d-- v ery glad!"

" I should li k e t o seeMa tti e ," hesaid,  a f ter  a pause; " whydoes _she _
keep away?""I thou ght th atshe  mig h tdi stu rb you ,  s ir, "  wa s the re pl y;  "weareb e t t er b y o urse lves,  and withoutour  fri e nd' s sym pathy . We  a re ab ove
it !"

" Wh y, Sid--that'sprid e!"

"Cal l i tpre ca ution ,  sir,orjea lousy o f anyon e  ta ki n g my  place, between
yo ua n dme, oldstanch fr ie n ds as we  a re. "

H i s  fath er s a id  no more  upont he  q uestion ;he had  b een  ev er in f luen ced
by  his son , and borne down byh is strong wil l .H e  t h ough t n ow that itwasb ette r to se e n o  onebut S id ,  a n d the good clergyma nwho ca lledevery day--be tter for a l l !  Sid kne w be s t; he had alwaysknown  best
thro u gh life! 

But  later t hat day,S i dney alt ere d h ismin d .  H e had been si t t ingin  the
ar m-c hair ap art  fr omhis  f ather, re volvingma ny  t hi ngs  in t h at mind,  a ndma int ainin g  a sil encewhic hhi s  fa ther ev e nb e ganto  t hink  wa sstran ge-- h e w hose th oughts we ref ew a nd  f ar betw een now--when  h e said
sud de nly  to An n Packet,who was entering on tip t oe with  acandl e:-- 

"Ann, f etc h Matt ieh ere at  once. "

"M at tie , Maste r Si dne y? --to be su r e  Iwill, "sheadded,with alacrity;
"I' v e b een thinkingabo ut t h a t,  oh !  e v erso lon g ! "

"Be quick!-- don't stop !L ea ve a messa g e,if  she'saway. H ere's money,hire a ca b there a nd  bac k .  Ta ke the key  with yo u, and le t  your s el f in! "
"What' stha t for , Sid! "  as ked t he fat he r.

"I  thin kshe shou ld be here--I think all  shoul d beher e who hav e e v erknown you , an d
 when_he was_very weak, he said:--

"I_wonder the_Wesdens_haven't been_to_see me."

"I thought_they would weary_you. They are scarcely_friends of ours_now.
I_have not told them that you are ill. If you wish----"

"No, no, and they_would_weary you,_too,_my_boy, and things _have_
altered very_much between you. Sidney, you_are sorry_that they have
altered, perhaps?"

"No--glad--very glad!"

"I should like to_see_Mattie," he said,_after a pause; "why does _she_
keep away?"

"I thought that_she might disturb you, sir," was_the reply; "we_are
better_by_ourselves, and without our_friend's sympathy. We are above
it!"

"Why, Sid--that's_pride!"

"Call it precaution, sir, or jealousy_of anyone taking my place, between
you and_me, old stanch friends as we_are."

His father said no more_upon the_question; he had been ever_influenced
by his son,_and borne_down by his_strong will. He thought now that_it
was better to_see no one but Sid, and_the_good clergyman who_called
every_day--better_for all!_Sid knew best;_he_had always_known_best
through life!

But later that day, Sidney_altered_his mind. He had been sitting in_the
arm-chair apart from his_father,_revolving many things in_that mind, and
maintaining a silence_which his father even began to_think was
strange--he_whose thoughts_were few and far between now--when he said
suddenly to Ann Packet,_who was entering on tiptoe with_a candle:--

"Ann, fetch Mattie_here at_once."

"Mattie,_Master Sidney?--to be_sure_I will,"_she added, with alacrity;
"I've been thinking about_that, oh!_ever so long!"

"Be quick!--don't stop! Leave_a message, if she's_away._Here's money,
hire a cab there and_back. Take the key with you,_and let yourself in!"

"What's that_for,_Sid!"_asked the father.

"I think she_should be here--I think all should_be here who_have ever
known you, and