He thought it his duty, therefore, to keep open the
slender and oblique communication with the boy's
maternal grandfather, as that which might, at some
future period, lead to a closer connexion. Yet
the correspondence could not, in other respects, be
agreeable to a man of spirit like Mr Gray. His
own letters were as short as possible, merely rendering
an account of his ward's expenses, including
a moderate board to himself, attested by Mr Lawford,
his co-trustee; and intimating Richard's state
of health, and his progress in education, with a few
words of brief but warm eulogy upon his goodness
of head and heart. But the answers he received
were still shorter. ``Mr Mon
ada,'' such was their
usual tenor, ``acknowledges Mr Gray's letter of
such a date, notices the contents, and requests Mr
Gray to persist in the plan which he has hitherto
prosecuted on the subject of their correspondence.''
On occasions where extraordinary expenses seemed
likely to be incurred, the remittances were made
with readiness.
That day fortnight after Mrs Gray's death, fifty
pounds were received, with a note, intimating that
it was designed to put the child R. M. into proper
mourning.
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