of the famished child, and witnessed the tears of the heart-broken mother. I had seen the bloated and drunken husband stagger thoughtlessly by the lifeless remains of his murdered wifeall this without thinking that it was possible that I should ever meet our dear brother. It was not easy for me to do that which I did, leave the house and seek my own home, without an explanation. I related the above to my husband, who proposed to accompany me to the house of the invalid. We called the next day, hoping to find Mr. Gilbert in. Biddy, the nurse, said that he had been absent seveval hours; we found Mrs. Gilbert not as well as she was the day before. She had a high fever, and her cough had increased. I inquired of Biddy the cause; she said, this is rent-day, and they have no means of paying.'

"Mr. Gilbert did not rest during the

night. He has gone to seek work; their landlord was here early this morning, and threatened to set everything out of doors, if the rent was not settled before night.

"Mrs. Gilbert was taken with a heavy chill while she was here, and has been growing worse ever since. Just before you came in she took from her bosom this gold locket, containing the likenesses of her father and mother, and wished me to leave it at the pawnbroker's. She kissed it so many times before she could give it up, and said, 'Must I part with this last relic of happier days!" When I took it from her hands she raised a large quantity of blood, and it was as much as I could do to keep the breath of life in her.

"Biddy's tears said plainly that if she had the money, this treasure should not be taken from the sufferer.

"I handed her a sum sufficient to defray the demand, and directed her to return the locket to the owner. did as she was bid.

She

"On re-entering the room, the eyes of the patient sufferer were closed; one of her pale lady-like hands was raised in a devotional attitude. With a noiseless step I drew near, and waited until she opened her eyes; they rested upon me, beaming with holy gratitude. It was evident she looked beyond the frail instrument, to the Great Author and Giver of every good and perfect gift.-She was too weak to

converse.

"We left a note requesting Mr. Gilbert to call on his return home; as our invitation was not accepted, we visited his house that evening, and found him too much intoxicated to converse intelligently upon any subject. He lay upon a bench in the

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kitchen, muttering to himself, 'William De Van has come to this.' Lida, the wife of our dear brother William, suffered a few days, and then bade 'farewell' to this sin-cursed earth, and her pure spirit returned to the God who gave it.

"William is now with us; we are doing, and shall continue to do all in our power, for his spiritual and temporal good; he has consented to again take the pledge. His judgment is convinced that wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whoso is deceived thereby, is not wise.'

"Pray, dear sister, that his appetite, which has become a tyrant, may be conquered. From your affectionate sister, AMELIA.”

The ladies listened with the deepest interest to the reading of Mrs. Radford's letter. Each had had in their turn the wormwood and the gall

mingled in the cup of their blessing; this had taught them to weep with those who weep, and rejoice with them that rejoice.

While the ladies were thus engaged in Mrs. Bertram's parlor, a scene of interest was transpiring outside. As Odora and Florence were sporting upon the lawn, chasing their hoops with the elasticity of youth, with hearts as pure as the evening breeze, that tossed without compliment the flowing ringlets of Odora, as she bounded forward to outrun her more frail companion; she stopped suddenly and exclaimed, "Dear, dear Flory, how beautiful, how beautiful, look yonder!" "Where, Odora, shall I look!

"Over to the church," pointing in that direction.

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Odora, I do not see anything that is so beautiful,-what is it?”

"Do not see anything! The sun's