sy taking her last directions and trying to soothe her dying bed, for
each attack was declared fatal till the patient demanded toast and tea,
when hope was again allowable and the rally began.

The news flew fast, as such tidings always do, and Aunt Plenty was
constantly employed in answering inquiries, for her knocker kept up a
steady tattoo for several days. All sorts of people came: gentlefolk
and paupers, children with anxious little faces, old people full of
sympathy, pretty girls sobbing as they went away, and young men who
relieved their feelings by swearing at all emigrants in general and
Portuguese in particular. It was touching and comforting to see how many
loved the good man who was known only by his benefactions and now lay
suffering far away, quite unconscious how many unsuspected charities
were brought to light by this grateful solicitude as hidden flowers
spring up when warm rains fall.

If Rose had ever felt that the gift of living for others was a poor one,
she saw now how beautiful and blessed it was how rich the returns, how
wide the influence, how much more precious the tender tie which knit so
many hearts together than any breath of fame or brilliant talent that
dazzled but did not win and warm. In after years she found how true her
uncle's words had been and, listening to eulogies of great men, felt
less moved and inspired by praises of their splendid gifts than by the
sight of some good man's patient labor for the poorest of his kind. Her
heroes ceased to be the world's favorites and became such as Garrison
fighting for his chosen people; Howe restoring lost senses to the deaf,
the dumb, and blind; Sumner unbribable, when other men were bought and
sold and many a large-hearted woman working as quietly as Abby Gibbons,
who for thirty years had made Christmas merry for two hundred little
paupers in a city almshouse, besides saving Magdalens and teaching
convicts.

The lesson came to Rose when she was ready for it, and showed her what
a noble profession philanthropy is, made her glad of her choice, and
helped fit her for a long life full of the loving labor and sweet
satisfaction unostentatious charity brings to those who ask no reward
and are content if "only God knows."

Several anxious weeks went by with wearing fluctuations of hope and
fear, for Life and Death fought over the prize each wanted, and more
than once Death seemed to have won. But Phebe stood at her post, defying
both danger and