farming life. Then, Patrick and his boy Pat were still employed by Mr. Moreton; so that Robert rightly thought he was no longer needed at home.

To erect a steam saw-mill, and to superintend its operations, became the object of his desires. To do this he must have capital and knowledge. The latter, reading, thought, and observation had already given him in some degree, and a visit made to other parts of the country soon put him in possession of its practical details.

The money necessary for his object was not so easily attained. Richard Gray was in a sufficiently prosperous condition to repay the sum lent by Mr. Moreton, as Robert's share in his enterprise. This, with the use of his father's name, enabled him to commence his undertaking; while some of his townsmen, sufficiently alive to the best interests of the village, themselves came forward and offered assistance, should it be needed, on easy terms.

The spot for the site of the mill had long been selected. A belt of timbered land, covered with the magnificent growth of years, ran to the east of the village, and spread itself out for a long distance. This lay partly on the farm belonging to Mr. Moreton; and the timber growing upon adjoining ground was easily procurable from those who were anxious to have their best farming-land cleared. This of itself was sufficient inducement to place his mill there; but the gift of the land from his father, and the abundant supply of water near by, seemed to make it, without doubt, the best place for him.

Beaver Lake was the name of the small pond upon whose banks he broke ground for the foundation of his buildings.

A never-failing spring, of considerable depth, appeared to have overflowed its bounds, and spread itself between the gently-sloping hills that lay around it, the clear

waters of which bathed the fresh grass that grew quite down to its edge, leaving neither swamp nor sedgy land upon its borders. What had undoubtedly been its natural outlet was now closed by an over-grown beaver-dam, deserted many years before by its amphibious inhabitants, but still bearing marks of their ingenuity in constructing a home; while the waste-water had forced for itself another channel upon the opposite side; there, meeting with descending land, it ran gaily on, like a silver thread in width, but rapid in its course, until it mingled with the current of a river and was lost to the eye.

"Too beautiful a spot to spoil with a mill," said Mary; but the West is full of such beautiful spots, where Nature has been lavish of her favours, and scattered her gifts with a liberal hand; and even her devoted admirer, Mary, yielded the point, that, in a utilitarian sense, none could be better adapted to Robert's object than this.

To work, then, he went, favoured by an early fall of snow, that made it easy to transport from other and more distant towns the necessary materials for his use. As far south as the Moreton family lived, sleighing in the winter, although uncertain in its duration, is highly prized. The leisure of winter gives time for the taking of produce to market, while a smooth and even road made by the fall of snow presents facilities that even a dweller in an old country, where highways and turnpikes are known, does not despise. Robert's mind was of the systematic order. His plans were thoroughly maded considered, and all his arrangements were the result of mature thought; while his mechanical education had fitted him to meet emergencies with a ready hand and a quick wit. Thus it was that he was able to accomplish his object so successfully. The same power that was used to drive his saws was also made to work a pair of millstones for the grinding of wheat, thus obviating the necessity which had

existed among the villagers of going a greater distance; and the whole was in operation the following summer, with a good prospect of soon paying for itself, and afterwards yielding a fair income to its owner.

But another work of nearly equal magnitude was started at the same time with the saw-mill, and prosecuted with equal ardour. This was the erection of a distillery, under the superintendence of John Thomas, the eldest son of Mr. Thomas, the lawyer. His means were more ample than Robert's, and the speed with which he accomplished his purpose was wonderful. The abundant harvest of the first year brought the price of grain so low, that great profits were to be made on whisky, and purchasers were not wanting. A feeling of rivalry or jealousy spurred young Thomas on to make great efforts to eclipse Robert Moreton in the perfection of his arrangements and the amount of business done. Robert, it must be confessed, felt uneasy, and sometimes disturbed, by the apparent success of his neighbour, and sometimes wished for greater means of extending his business.

"Never haste, never rest,'" said Mr. Moreton to him one evening, as he heard Robert's account of a large order received by John Thomas for prime whisky. "Never haste, never rest,' and you will never want. Were you as old as I, Robert, you would have learned better than to allow your feelings to be disturbed because your neighbour is prospering. Candidly, with all his apparent success, would you to-day exchange places with

him?"

"No, indeed!" was the hearty response of Robert. "I would rather be a poor man all my days than furnish the means of ruin to my fellow-creatures."

"But," said Mr. Moreton, willing to try him further, 'young Thomas sells whisky only by the quantity, and Chus evades the name and undesirable fame of a spiritseller. He is a manufacturer, and a drunkard is never

K

to be seen on his premises. I even hear that he will have none but temperate men to work for him; and he himself never tastes his own whisky."

"So much the worse, father," said Charles, who was listening to this conversation; "for he thus acknowledges the evil of intemperance”—

"And shifts the responsibility upon others, while he pockets the profits of his establishment," added Robert. "But, where he stands, it is impossible to meet him with any proof of his doing wrong. When Mr. Bradley told him last week that he was making drunkards by wholesale, while poorer men made them so by retail, he answered, that the appetite was there, and if he did not supply its cravings, others would;' and even added, that it was better to give them good whisky than poor, poisoned stuff, that was not fit to drink!"

"By such arguments he doubtless satisfies himself," replied Mr. Moreton; "but the end is to come. He may accumulate riches-everything now seems to favour it; but the influence which goes out from that establishment one would not wish to be responsible for. Ten years hence we shall be better able to judge of its amount, as well as of his success. Meantime, let us remember the words of David, 'Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for, when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away, his glory shall not descend after him.' In the choice of an employment, as well as in the care of our hearts, it is well to have this 'testimony, that it pleases God;' and those professions and callings of which this can be said are so abundant, that we need not resort to unlawful pursuits to gain a livelihood or to insure a competence. As you cannot hope to influence John, let him and his success alone. It is not to interfere with your prosperity. Keep the end steadily in view when we must all give an account of the use of talents lent us by our Maker, and be sure that

- yours are exercised in such a way that the bodies and souls of your fellow-men are not thereby injured, if you, at the close of life, would look back with joy, and not with grief."

CHAPTER XXII.

WILLIE MORETON'S DEATH.

HITHERTO We have had to record only the prosperity and blessings which had attended the course of the Moreton family. The minor ills to which all are liable, and the infirmities of body from which none are exempt, had sometimes visited them. The same causes which had destroyed the crops of other farmers had operated unfavourably for theirs; and the fluctuations in the prices of staple commodities they had felt as others did: but their history, on the whole, had been one of mercy, and gratefully did they acknowledge the guiding and protecting hand of Providence.

The ensuing summer brought with it a sad change. The prevalence of a fever, contagious in its nature, and often fatal in its attacks upon the young, was felt throughout that portion of country. Unknowingly, Willie Moretou was exposed to it, and for days suffered all the agonies of its worst form, while his mind wandered in delirious imaginings. O how anxiously was he watched, how tenderly nursed by his fond mother, who, forgetful of self in the care for his safety, would allow none but Mary to help her in her labour of love! Those nights of wakefulness; those days of tender ministration to his wants; those gentle words of love and sympathy, whose tones were felt, even when their import was not understood; above all, those carnest prayers for submission to the Divine will, and for willing acquiescence in whatever their