sorrow."

"No, no, no--but more joy now, my heart's own treasure, a thousand times
more joy than you ever occasioned us of sorrow. Do not think it, oh, do
not think it."

Her father, who had just returned from visiting Charles Osborne, now
entered her bedroom, accompanied by William and his two daughters--for
Agnes had flown to inform them of the happy turn which had taken place
in Jane's malady. When he entered, she put her white but wasted hand
out, and raised her head to kiss him.

"My dear papa," said she, "it is so long, I think, since I have seen
you; and Maria, too. Oh, dear Maria, come to me--but you must not weep,
dear sister. Alas, Maria,"--for the poor girl wept bitterly--"Oh, my I
sister, but your heart is good and loving. William"--she kissed him, and
looking tenderly into his face, said,

"Why, oh, why are you all in tears? Imitate my papa, dear William. I am
so glad to see you! Papa, I have been--I fear I have been--but, indeed,
I remember when I dreaded as much. My heart, my heart is heavy when I
think of all the grief and affliction I must have occasioned you; but
you will all forgive your poor Jane, for you know she would not do so
if she could avoid it. Papa, how pale and careworn you look! as, indeed,
you all do. Oh, God help me. I see, I see--I read on your sorrowful
faces the history of all you have suffered on my account."

They all cherished, and petted, and soothed the sweet creature; and,
indeed, rejoiced over her as if she had been restored to them from the
dead.

"Papa, would you get me the Bible," she continued. "I wish if possible
to console you and the rest; and mamma, you will think when I am gone of
that which I am about to show you; think of it all of you, for indeed an
early death is sometimes a great blessing to those who are taken away.
Alas! who can say when it is not?"

They assisted her to sit up in the bed, and after turning over the
leaves of the Bible, she read in a voice of low impressive melody the
first verse of the fifty-seventh chapter of Isaiah.

"The righteous perisheth, and no man taketh it to heart; and merciful
men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away
from the evil to come. He SHALL ENTER INTO PEACE."

"Oh! many a death," she continued, "is wept for and lamented by friends
and relatives, who consider not that those for whom they weep may be
taken away from the evil to come. I feel that I am unable to speak much,
but it is your