“My dear Tom,” exclaimed Mr. Middleton, whose opinion of our hero had risen about a hundred degrees, “permit me to congratulate you. I always felt a deep, a paternal interest in the welfare of my dear friend’s son. I am truly glad to hear that your fortune is recovered. If you would be content again to share our humble home, we would gladly receive you back on the same terms as before.” And he pressed Tom’s hand very cordially.
“Mr. Temple,” said Mrs. Middleton, her face wreathed in smiles, “won’t you stay to dinner at least? I shall be truly glad to have you.”
“Thank you,” said Tom. “Since you are so pressing I will; but I am afraid I can’t come back to board, as my uncle wishes me to reside with him.”
Before Mr. Middleton could express his disappointment, Squire Davenport was ushered into the room. He stopped short at the sight of Tom, and frowned slightly, looking to Mr. Middleton for an explanation.
“Squire Davenport,” said Nathan, “you will be glad to hear that our young friend has recovered his fortune. Indeed he tells me that he is richer than ever. Isn’t it so, Thomas?”
“Ahem!” said the squire, pausing long enough to change his voice and expression. “I am very glad to hear it. Master Temple, you were once intimate at my house. Won’t you come to tea this evening?”
“Thank you,” said Tom demurely, “if you think it will be agreeable to your family.”
“They will all be delighted to see you,” said the squire hastily.
To judge by Tom’s reception, all the Davenports were very fond of him. And yet the day before they would have vied with one another in speaking contemptuously of him. But _then_ he was supposed to be poor. Now he was master of one fortune, and heir to another. It is only the way of the world.
There was one of the family whom Tom was really glad to meet, and that was Mary Somers, to whom he paid much more attention than to Imogene, greatly to the latter’s disgust. Poor Mary had to submit to more than one covert sneer, but Tom paid his chief attention to her for all that.
Ten years have passed by. Tom is a young merchant, bold, enterprising and successful. Mary Somers is his wife, and Mr. Stoddard, happy in their love and respect, lives with them. The Davenports are proud of their connection with their once despised poor relation, and thankfully accept her invitations. Imogene is unmarried and is likely to become a sour old maid. James Davenport is a clerk in the employ of Tom, through poverty being forced to work, very much to his disgust. Mr. and Mrs. Middleton still live. They have become more penurious than ever, but their opinion of Tom has changed. “My dear young friend, Tom Temple, once an inmate of my family,” says Nathan, and his wife echoes it. How gold reveals the virtues of those about us! As for Tom, he has greatly improved. The bold, aggressive qualities which once made him a bully have been diverted to business, and have made him energetic and enterprising. So we leave him better than we found him, and with every prospect of a happy and prosperous career.