a sort of agony of ecstasy, and yet of
grief; but still she looked up, and put her little white hand into the
collier's big black one, and said, "Thank you," and then he fairly burst
out crying, and so his wife led him away. I saw Lord St. Erme for one
moment, and never was anything more death-like, such ghastly white,
except where grimed with coal-dust. They are in his room now, trying
to restore animation. He has shown some degree of consciousness, and
pressed his sister's hand, but all power of swallowing seems to be
gone, and the doctors are in great alarm. The others are doing well--the
people come in swarms to the door to ask for him.

'26th.--Comfort at last. He has been getting better all night, and this
morning the doctors say all danger is over. Mamma says she can hardly
keep from tears as she watches the happy placid looks of the brother and
sister, as he lies there so pale and shadowy, and she hangs over him, as
if she could never gaze at him enough. Several of the men, who were with
him, came to inquire for him early this morning; none of them suffered
half so much as he did. I went down to speak to them, and I am glad I
did; it is beautiful to see how he has won all their hearts, and to hear
their appreciation of his conduct. They say he tended the man who
was hurt as if he had been his mother, and never uttered one word of
complaint. "He told us," said one man, "God could hear us out of the
depth, as well as when we said our prayers in church; and whenever our
hearts were failing us, there was his voice speaking somewhat good to
cheer us up, or help us to mind that there was One who knew where we
were, and would have a care for us and our wives and children." "Bless
him," said another, "he has been the saving of our lives;" "Bless him;"
and they touched their hats and said Amen. I wish his sister could have
seen them!

'Five o'clock.--Mrs. Delaval is come, and there is no room nor need
for us, so we are going home. It is best, for mamma was nursing him all
night, and is tired out. He has improved much in the course of the day,
and they hope that he may soon be moved home. The pitmen want to carry
him back on his mattress on their shoulders. He has made himself king of
their hearts! He has been able to inquire after them, and Lady Lucy,
who forgets no one, has been down-stairs to see the old Betty. "Ah! my
pretty lady," she said, "you are not sorry now that you tried to take
the Lord's Cross patiently, an