tening in its influences, and do our duty manfully, but it is providential that the season of intense sorrow is but short.

So it was not very long before I became engaged as determinedly as before, resisting or attacking Bulldog and Company, fully resolved that if I were wrecked they should not benefit by the disaster.

Mr. Williams who was to take our house was very considerate of our situation. While my wife was ill, he sent me a message begging me not to have the least concern or solicitude about not being able to give it up on the day. Mrs. Williams felt that a few weeks at a hotel would be an agreeable change. When all was over, he called to condole with me, and insisted I should take time and have the auction on the premises, just as I had previously intended.

I now attempted to address myself vigorously to the task of fitting up the new house, and arranging for the sale of furniture in the old. I had promised Florence not to separate myself from the children. Indeed I could not have done so if the pledge had not been given. They were now to be my only solace; for them alone I now was to live and toil. Alice appeared to grow suddenly into a woman; she was thoughtful, tender, sympathizing. Sometimes I loved to believe that the spirit of my wife had communicated to her that maturity of feeling which was now so congenial and companionable. Little Charley and Anna were yet too young to grieve. They cried when their mamma was carried out of the

house; they knew they

would not see her any more, but in a day or two they were playing about quite as usual.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE AUCTION.

AGAIN, in the daily journals appeared the advertisement of Lee and Company, announcing the "splendid" sale of household furniture in Broadway.

I was subjected to not a little annoyance by the calling of several female friends to ask about certain articles of furniture. Each was desirous to have some trifling memento of their dear Mrs. Parkinson. One fixed on a centre-table, another selected a fauteuil, a third a tea-set, and so forth. Their purpose in coming was to inquire if, under the circumstances (since they were desirous of procuring these several objects merely as souvenirs, having really no use for them whatever), I could not consent that they should take them away before the sale, and (delicately put in) at a nominal price. Mrs. Amelia Vanderheyden assured me it would give poor Mrs. Parkinson, could she but know it—and perhaps she would know it--so much satisfaction to have that particular piece of furniture in her possession; it had always been a favorite with her, and on one occasion (and she was eloquently minute in particularizing when, how and where) my wife had actually proposed to present it to her, but she (Mrs. V.) was really ashamed to accept it, because she had just been praising it so.

I had but one answer to give to these disinterested souls,

and that was, that I had no control whatever over the furniture or the sale. I must refer them to Mr. Norwood. Whereat I was subjected to certain polite but distinct innuendoes of "how soon husbands were apt to forget their poor wives' requests, and slight their well-known wishes."

There was a very fine grand-action piano among the articles to be sold; the same instrument on which Alice was playing when the news arrived of the protest of Wise and Company's bills. I had paid only the year before nine hundred. and fifty dollars for it. Mr. Norwood told me a friend of his stood ready to pay six hundred dollars, and would bid to that amount if it was thought necessary to sell it at auction, which he decided was the safe course. The day before the sale, Mr. Chandler, a merchant who claimed to hold me in very high esteem, called, and in a very condoling. patronizing tone said: "Mr. Parkinson, motives of delicacy will prevent my attending a sale which is the breaking up of the establishment of an old and valued friend; but, to relieve your mind about a pretty expensive article which will hardly find a purchaser, as times are, I will say I have left orders with a person to bid off your piano at four hundred dollars.

I thanked Mr. Chandler a little bluntly perhaps, but gave no information that he would probably find a competitor at the sale.

“You know, Mr. Parkinson," he continued, "pianos are a drug, a perfect drug; yours, though a good one, would not bring over two hundred dollars, I dare say; but it is worth four hundred, and I give you my word I shall bid that amount, irrespective of competition. [He did bid up to

six hundred and ten dollars, and it was struck off to Mr. Norwood's friend at six hundred and twenty, much to the chagrin of Mrs. Chandler, who had vowed she would have it.] Again I thanked this delicate-minded and generous man, and shortly after he took his leave.

"My friend," said Mr. Norwood to me the evening before the sale, "do you propose to be at the auction to-morrow?" "Certainly."

"The children of

"I shall not consent to it," he replied. course are not to be here, you are all ready to leave; the other house quite prepared; I know almost as much about the property as you do. I will be present, and shall not permit too great a sacrifice. I invite myself to breakfast with you at seven," he continued, "and I invite myself to be your companion and escort to your new house."

I knew how much there was disagreeable in store for me at that auction, but I thought I might be of service there, and I had decided to be present. I was easily persuaded to yield to my friend's advice, since he went on to descant upon what I should encounter.

"You will see there," he said, "every lady who knew your wife, with her daughters and nieces if she has any, roaming curiously over your house, and into every nook and corner. Your library and your breakfast-room, so pleasant in your recollection, will be invaded by Goths and Vandals. Women who make it a business to attend all auctions everywhere over the city, will throng the halls and staircases. Men who go expressly to crowd among the women will help to add to the confusion, and-"

"Enough," I exclaimed.

The small house up-town had been neatly but very inexpensively furnished. A cheap piano was purchased, a very good one, for two hundred dollars. Alice had herself superintended the arrangement of the furniture. She displayed extraordinary energy, and I found myself taking an interest in every thing before I knew it. We had engaged a good-natured, serviceable Irish girl to do "general housework." We were to have no other servant. Alice could not attend school any longer, but Charley and Anna were to go to a respectable day-school. Alice and I had planned it together, and we had carefully calculated expenses.

The morning came. Mr. Norwood arrived, and we sat down to our last breakfast there. It was eaten rapidly and in silence. Soon the carriage and baggage-wagon were before the door; what remained for us to take, was speedily removed. Mr. Williams had, on my recommendation, engaged our man, since he had employed none before. I had procured places for the other servants. Nothing more remained for us to do in our handsome house; we stepped into the carriage, the wagon followed, and we were soon entering our new abode. Then Mr. Norwood shook my hand, and praised Alice, and said a pleasant word to the children, and left for the auction. He had done every thing for me-made every arrangement. He had gone carefully over the estimate of the furniture which I could hold. Without any regard to the replevin suit, he had made such selections from my wife's furniture as we thought suitable, and which now belonged under the trust to the children.