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The five weeks referred to were taken up in receiving and returning calls; the new-comers had little time to be home-sick. Though Odora sometimes longed for her quiet home, she did what she could to assist her mother in waiting on and entertaining company. Mrs. Willard plainly saw that the sphere in which she was now to move was entirely different from her former one. George came by the way of Roselle, bringing with him several letters for his mother and sister, and one for Alpheus, from Henry Radford. An unbroken correspondence was kept up between the friends of Champlain and Roselle for several years. During Mrs. Willard did not find her husband as easy a convert as she had expected. Mr. Willard was away much of his time, always having an apology for his absence. Mrs. Willard and her daughters did all they

these years

could to make his home attractive. Odora often found her mother looking very sad, and sometimes in tears; this always occasioned her great pain, she did not venture to inquire the cause.

Alpheus, less sensitive than his sister, on one occasion made a direct reference to Mr. Willard's course of conduct. Odora rebuked her brother, and begged him not to do the like again; he was very angry; he had always been jealous of his elder brother, and sought to lower him in the estimation of his sister, and told Odora that George would be as bad as Mr. Willard if he stayed there. At this she turned deadly pale, her brain whirling so much that she was scarcely able to get to the window; hard as was Alpheus's heart, it was a little softened when he saw the distress he had caused his sister, and he said in a kinder voice than usual

"George is going to New York soon, so he will not be under Mr. Willard's influence any longer."

That night Odora was attacked with an epidemic that was prevailing, which threatened to deprive her of life, and her mother of the last tie that bound her to earth. Her disease at length abated, but she had been made an invalid for life. She saw her hopes for future usefulness blighted, and when she was alone, where no eye could see her, she looked upon her blighted prospects, and sometimes in agony she would ask, "Who is sufficient for these things." At first Odora could not see the justice of God; while time was making its changes in her temporal prospects, grace was making a greater in her spiritual. Odora found that God tempered the winds to the shorn of his flock, and while she looked into the far distant future of both worlds,

faith stretched out its trembling hand, resting upon those promises that will remain while "the elements melt with fervent heat, and the heavens be rolled together as a scroll."

It was more easy for her to be reconciled to her personal affliction than the disgrace she felt was every day increasing in consequence of Mr. Willard's intemperance. Those graces that were always bright in prosperity or adversity were blended in the character of Mrs. Willard, lighting up the dark path which she was now travelling. The word of God was indeed the shadow of a great rock in a weary land; and her soul rested upon these words. "In a little wrath I hid my face from thee a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee;" "My loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail."

Thus strengthened by the word of God she was enabled to endure the wreck of fortune without a murmur. Mr. Willard made up his mind to move west.

CHAPTER IX.

THE CHRISTIAN'S FAITH.

Shield us, O Lord, from dark temptation's power.
And guide our footsteps lest they erring stray;
Deliver us in the dark and evil hour,

And turn our night, O Father, into day,

Shelter us in thine all-protecting arms,

From specious sin's attacks-from pleasure's gilded

harms.

H.H. Weld.

SOME of Mrs. Willard's friends advised her not to accompany him; to this she paid no attention, but made such pre

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