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Here the grief of Mrs. Morse prevented her utterance. They mingled their tears in silence, while little Georgy hid his face in his mother's lap, and sobbed aloud.

"I cannot, mamma, have little Franky buried in the ground as little Laura was."

The weeping mother assured the sobbing child that God had need of them, and if he was a good boy that he would meet them in heaven. Mr. Radford and the young ladies spent the night in reading and conversing on subjects befitting the place.

Mr. R.'s buoyant spirits were held in check by Miss D. so that he did not presume to joke Wilhelmina about Dr. Williams, who had for some time paid especial attention to her; he informed the young ladies that he had engaged himself to become the clerk of Mr. Willard.

Affie seriously said, "What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

Mr. R. frankly replied, "I admire the frankness with which you defend your religion; but I do not see as I shall be any more exposed to lose my own soul there, than in any other employment, and I think upon the whole, I shall have more time to solve your problem, than I should have if I worked at my trade."

"You will there no doubt encounter more formidable temptations than you would if you followed your former occupation; you will be constantly in the society of those that are habitually drinkers."

The color mounted to the young man's cheek, and with unusual firmness he said, "I see that you are fearful that I shall become intemperate, but I am able to keep myself."

Affie timidly said, "No man is his own keeper, and let him that thinks he standeth take heed lest he fall. James, I shall pray for you, that you may be kept from the fowler's snare."

Affie was astonished at her own decision, for a few months before she would not for the world have opposed her young friend. But now she was not afraid to defend that truth wherewith Christ had made her free. She appreciated the pearl of great price which she had earnestly sought and obtainedshe desired others to drink from the well of salvation which was in her soul-a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The purple morn broke in the distant east, and the night vigils of the faithful watchers were now over; and they returned home conscious that they had been mutually benefited.

In the afternoon the funeral ser

her children together and prayed with them, earnestly beseeching God that they might be led to seek first the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, and also saved from becoming blinded by the God of this world. After her family devotions, which she never neglected, were concluded, she called upon Mrs. Morse, accompanied by her two younger children. As she entered the yard, the three young Morses ran to meet her. George, Alpheus, and Odora were their names. There were also the three Bertrams, Walter, Josephine, and David.

The children had just been listening to an oration delivered by Theodore Williams, a bold, fine looking lad, who had been perched upon a stool in the centre of the yard. Josephine, as she walked up the path beside Mrs. Radford, pointed to the flowers and said, "Theodore reads these as he

would a book, and he has repeated to us almost the entire oration that was delivered the fourth of last July. I don't believe that brother Walter could say a word of it, and I do not know that poor David knows that there was a fourth of July."

Mrs. Radford entered the room, leading little Odora by the hand. Josephine had woven a beautiful wreath and placed it upon Odora's head, which delighted her so that her dark eyes were brighter than ever. She clambered upon her papa's knee, made a great display of her flowers, and jabbered so fast, that he had scarce opportunity to greet the ladies as they entered. He related the particulars of his recent journey, remarking that if he lived and his health would permit of it, he should visit the Medical Society at M. the coming winter. "But to live is Christ, to die is gain.'

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