Charity begins at home.' I ventured to say yes, but it
did not begin _and_ end at home."
_"March 31st._--Mr. Osmond here to-day; and over my work I heard papa
tell him Alfred is blackening his character in the town with some
impossible story about fourteen thousand pounds. Mr. Osmond very kind and
sympathising; set it all down to illusion; assured papa there was neither
malice nor insincerity in it. 'But what the better am I for that?' said
poor papa; 'if I am slandered, I am slandered.' And they went out
together.
"Papa seems to feel this engagement more than all his troubles, and,
knowing by sad experience it is useless to expostulate with Alfred, I
wrote a long and faithful letter to Julia just before luncheon, putting
it to her as a Christian whether she could reconcile it to her profession
to set a son against his father, and marry him in open defiance.
"She replied, 3 P. M., that her mother approved the marriage, and she
owed no obedience, nor affection either, to _my_ parent
"3.30. Sent back a line rebuking her for this quibble.
"At 5 received a note from Mrs.
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