lly inviting the orphan to share her home, to become
an inmate of her house. Russell could take her to these relatives as soon
as possible. To all this no reply was made, and, a few moments later, when
Russell kissed her tenderly and raised her pillow, she said faintly--

"If I could look upon your face once more, my son, it would not be hard to
die. Let me see you in heaven, my dear, dear boy." These were the last
words, and soon after a stupor fell upon her. Hour after hour passed; Mrs.
Campbell came and sat beside the bed, and the three remained silent, now
and then lifting bowed heads to look at the sleeper. The autumn day died
slowly as the widow, and when the clock dirged out the sunset hour Russell
rose, and, putting back the window curtains, stooped and laid his face
close to his mother's. No pulsation stirred the folds over the heart, or
the soft bands of hair on the blue-veined temples; the still mouth had
breathed its last sigh, and the meek brown eyes had opened in eternity.

The day bore her away on its wings, and as Russell touched the icy cheek a
despairing cry rolled through the silent cottage--

"Oh, mother! my own precious dead mother!"

Falling on his knees, he laid his head on her pillow, and when kind
friendly hands bore her into the adjoining room, he knelt there still,
unconscious of what passed, knowing only that the keenest of many blows had
fallen, that the last and bitterest vial of sorrows had been emptied.

At the window stood Electra, pressing her face against the frame, looking
out into the moaning, struggling night, striving to read the mystic
characters dimly traced on the ash-grey hurrying clouds as the reckless
winds parted their wan folds. She shrank away from the window, and
approached her cousin.

"Oh, Russell! say something to me, or I shall die."

It was the last wail she ever suffered to escape her in his presence. He
raised his head and put his hand on her forehead, but the trembling lips
refused their office, and as she looked up at him tears rolled slowly down
and fell on her cheek. She would have given worlds to mingle her tears with
his, but no moisture came to her burning eyes; and there these two, soon to
separate, passed the remaining hours of that long wretched night of
watching. The stormy day lifted her pale, mournful face at last, and with
it came the dreary patter and sobbing of autumn rain, making it doubly
harrowing to commit the precious form to its long, las