red to you, but
she has gone to her rest." Even death dealt gently with the aged one
whom every one loved. There was no sign of suffering visible, for as she
sank to sleep, even so she died without a struggle, and a smile still
seemed to linger upon her aged but serene countenance. I believe there
are few who have not at some period of their life been called to notice
the change which a few short hours will bring over a household. A family
may have lived on for years with no break in the home circle, and every
thing connected with them have moved on with the regularity of clockwork,
when some sudden and unlooked-for event will all at once change the very
atmosphere of their home. Owing to her advanced age, Grandma Adams' death
could hardly be supposed to have been unlooked for, yet so it was.

For so many years had she occupied her accustomed place in the family
circle with health seemingly unimpaired, that her children had almost
forgotten to realize that a day _must_ come when she would be removed
from their midst, and the place which then knew her would know her no
more forever. Very silent and gloomy was the old farm-house, during the
days Grandma Adams lay shrouded for the grave. A hush seemed to have
fallen over the darkened rooms, and the soft footsteps of friends and
neighbors as they quietly passed in and out, all told the story of death
and bereavement. Funeral preparations were something for which the Widow
Green seemed peculiarly adapted, and her presence was ever sought in the
house of mourning. She was a very worthy woman, and much respected by
the people of Fulton, among whom she had resided for many years; but
along with many estimable qualities she had also her failings and weak
points; she had an undue zest for whatever partook of the marvellous or
mysterious, her education was extremely limited, and her method of
reasoning was not always most clear and logical. She was a firm believer
in signs and omens, as warnings of death and other misfortunes, and very
few events of this kind took place in the vicinity of which the Widow
Green, according to her own statement, was not favored with a warning.
But some of the neighbors were often heard to assert that many of her
warnings were never spoken of till after the event happened. But setting
aside this weakness, and the Widow Green was a kind and useful woman in
the vicinity where she resided.

CHAPTER XXIII.

A conversation to which I listened bet