entreat you with my whole
soul!"

The director tried to lead her out, but she resisted, still continuing
to pray and to weep.

"Oh, if you only knew the trouble that this boy has caused me, you would
have compassion! Do me this favor! I hope that he will reform. I shall
not live long, Signor Director; I bear death within me; but I should
like to see him reformed before my death, because"--and she broke into a
passion of weeping--"he is my son--I love him--I shall die in despair!
Take him back once more, Signor Director, that a misfortune may not
happen in the family! Do it out of pity for a poor woman!" And she
covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

Franti stood impassive, and hung his head. The head-master looked at
him, reflected a little, then said, "Franti, go to your place."

Then the woman removed her hands from her face, quite comforted, and
began to express thanks upon thanks, without giving the director a
chance to speak, and made her way towards the door, wiping her eyes, and
saying hastily: "I beg of you, my son.--May all have patience.--Thanks,
Signor Director; you have performed a deed of mercy.--Be a good
boy.--Good day, boys.--Thanks, Signor Teacher; good by, and forgive a
poor mother." And after bestowing another supplicating glance at her son
from the door, she went away, pulling up the shawl which was trailing
after her, pale, bent, with a head which still trembled, and we heard
her coughing all the way down the stairs. The head-master gazed intently
at Franti, amid the silence of the class, and said to him in accents of
a kind to make him tremble:--

"Franti, you are killing your mother!"

We all turned to look at Franti; and that infamous boy smiled.

HOPE.

Sunday, 29th.

Very beautiful, Enrico, was the impetuosity with which you flung
yourself on your mother's heart on your return from your lesson of
religion. Yes, your master said grand and consoling things to you.
God threw you in each other's arms; he will never part you. When I
die, when your father dies, we shall not speak to each other these
despairing words, "Mamma, papa, Enrico, I shall never see you
again!" We shall see each other again in another life, where he who
has suffered much in this life will receive compensation; where he
who has loved much on earth will find again the souls whom he has
loved, in a world without sin, without sorrow, and without death.