stians."

"We must be sisters, papa; and ah, papa, surely, surely this is a moment
in which the father may forget the Christian. Jesus wept for a stranger;
what would He not have done for a brother or a sister?"

"Agnes, Agnes," said he, in a tone of sorrow, inexpressibly deep, "is
this taxing me with want of affection for--for--"

She flung herself upon his breast. "Oh, papa, forgive me, forgive me--I
am not capable of appreciating the high and holy principles from which
you act. Forgive me; and surely if you ever forgave me on any occasion,
you will on this."

"Dear Agnes," said he, "you scarcely ever required my forgiveness, and
less now than! ever--even if you had. Come--I will go; and may the Lord
support and strengthen us all! Your mother--our poor mother!"

On entering the room of the dying girl, they found her pale cheek laid
against that of her other parent, whose arms were about her, as if
she would hold them in love and tenderness for ever. When she saw them
approach, she raised her head feebly, and said--"Is that my papa? my
beloved papa?" The old man raised his eyes once more to heaven for
support--but for upwards of half a minute the muscles of his face worked
with power that evinced the full force of what he suffered--

"I am here, I am here," he at length said, with difficulty.

"And that is Agnes?" she inquired. "Agnes, come near me; and do not be
angry, dear Agnes that I die on mamma's bosom and not on yours."

Agnes could only seize her pale hand and bathe it in tears. "Angry with
you--you living angel--oh, who ever was, or could be, my sister!"

"You all love me too much," she said. "Maria, it grieves me to see your
grief so excessive--William, oh why, why will you weep so? Is it because
I am about to leave the pains and sorrows of this unhappy life, and; to
enter into peace, that you all grieve thus bitterly. Believe me--and I
know this will relieve my papa's heart--and all your hearts--will it not
yours, my mamma?--it is this--your Jane, your own Jane is not afraid to
die. Her hopes are fixed on the Rock of Ages--the Rock of her salvation.
I know, indeed, that my brief existence has been marked at its close
with care and sorrow; but these cares and sorrows have brought me the
sooner to that place where all tears shall be wiped from my eyes. Let my
fate, too, be a warning to young creatures like myself, never to suffer
their affection for any object to overmaster their sense and their
reaso