Rich Enough | Page 5

increase of wealth, I believe,"
said Mrs. Draper. "When we began life, your brother said, if he was
ever worth a hundred thousand dollars, he would retire from business;
he now allows himself to be worth much more than that amount, and
yet you perceive our homestead becomes too valuable for our own use,
because it can be converted to money. All this, however, would be
nothing, if I did not see this eager pursuit of gain robbing him of the
pleasures of domestic life, of the recreation every father ought to allow
himself to receive from the innocent conversation and sports of his
children. He cannot spare time for travel--to become acquainted with
the beautiful views of our own country. To you, who knew him, as I
did, full of high and noble perceptions, this is a melancholy change."
Howard was silent; he remembered his brother's early restless desire of
wealth, strikingly contrasted with his own indifference to it. Frances
judged of his character by that period of life when all that is
imaginative or sentimental is called into action;--she judged him by the
season of first love. She little supposed that the man who was contented
to ramble with her over hill and dale, who could bathe in moonbeams,
and talk of the dewy breath of evening and morning, as if it came from
"Araby the blest," would one day refuse to quit the bustle of State
Street, or the dark, noisy lumber of India Wharf, to gaze on the Falls of
Niagara, because it could not thunder money in his ear! that his
excursions were to be confined to manufactories, coal-mines, rail-road
meetings, and Eastern lands. This development of character had been
gradual, and she scarcely realized his entire devotion to business, till
she saw his health affected by that scourge of our "pleasant vices,"
dyspepsy. She expressed her apprehensions to Howard, and begged him
to use all his influence to break the spell.

"I can think of nothing that will have more effect," said Howard, "than
for you to accept my wife's invitation, to pass a few weeks with us in
the country. This will occasionally withdraw my brother from the city,
and it appears to me that your own health may be benefited by the
change." He was struck with his sister's altered appearance, with the
occasional flush, the short, low cough; yet she said she was well--"only
a slight cold."
At length she promised to be with them the ensuing week, provided her
husband could make arrangements to go with her. "If he knows that I
depend on him," said she, "it will be the strongest inducement for him
to quit the city for a few days."
Mr. Draper returned late in the evening, and had only time to complete
his business affairs with his brother, who departed early the next
morning.
CHAPTER II.
The spring had returned with its new-born beauty, its swelling buds, it
tender grass; here and there a tree in the city anticipated the season of
leaves, and put forth its verdant honors. "Now, ma'am," said Lucy, who
had long been a faithful domestic in the family, "if you are going
particular, and don't expose yourself by going into the garden, and will
take the cough-drops regularly, morning and evening, you will get rid
of your cold. This is just the season when every body gets well that got
sick as you did."
"How was that?" said Mrs. Draper.
"Why, when the sap was going down the trees in the autumn; but now
it is going up."
But whether the sap had already gone up, or for some other reason,
which was as clear to human perception, Francis did not shake off her
wearing cough. Mr. Draper was not alarmed at it; it was very
unobtruding, and he had become used to it. It was not one of those
vulgar, hoarse coughs, that, till we connect danger with it, often excites

indignation in those who are listening to an interesting narrative, or to a
reader, who is obliged to wait till the impertinent paroxysm is over.
Mrs. Draper's was quite a lady-like cough, low and gentle, and seemed
rather like impeded respiration.
Visiters would sometimes observe, when they went away, "Mrs. Draper
is still a handsome woman, though she has lost her bloom. What a pity
she has that affected little cough! it really spoils her; it is nothing but a
habit; she could easily break herself of it, if any body would be honest
enough to tell her." This task rested with Lucy alone; but it was all in
vain. Frances took the cough-drops morning and evening, and still the
disagreeable habit remained. Mr. Draper was very little at home; and
when he was, his mind was engaged by new projects.