It is
supposed that he was lost in a prize, for he was traced so far. Foolish
boy that he was. He might now have been a man of fortune.'
"`Very foolish indeed,' replied I.
"`Yes; but he has harmed more than himself. His poor mother, who doted
upon him, as soon as she heard that he was lost, pined away by degrees,
and--'
"`You don't mean to say that she is dead?' interrupted I, seizing the
gentleman by the arm.
"`Yes,' replied he, looking at me with surprise; `she died last year of
a broken heart.'
"I fell back on the luggage behind me, and should have fallen off the
coach if the gentleman had not held me. He called to the coachman to
pull up the horses, and they took me down, and put me inside; and as
the coach rolled on, I cried as if my heart would break."
Ready appeared so much affected, that Mr. Seagrave proposed that he
should leave off his history for the present.
"Thank you, sir, it will be better; for I feel my old eyes dim with
tears, even now. It's a dreadful thing in after-life to reflect upon,
that your foolish conduct has hastened the death of a most kind mother;
but so it was, William, and I give you the truth for your advantage.
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