ne whom you prefer to all others?"

"I have never yet seen that fortunate individual."

"And is there no one for whom you feel any particular liking?"

"None, I assure you."

"Good," said Noah, musingly. "Have you a father?"

"He was drowned in a heavy gale, during the fishing season, some years
ago."

"A mother?"

"Yes; but she has been bed-ridden with the palsy ever since father died.
Grief for his sudden loss brought it on. There are no hopes of her ever
regaining the use of her limbs now."

"Any brothers or sisters?"

"One sister, the hunchbacked girl you saw in the next house; the rest
are all dead. I lost a young sister about six weeks ago. She was only
sixteen years of age, and as good as she was beautiful. Every body loved
and respected Charlotte, and she died so happily. It was well for her. I
have often envied her since she left us. I never knew what an angel she
was until after we lost her."

Noah sighed again, and was silent for some minutes. At length he said,--

"Is it only good people that die in peace?"

"I don't know," said Sophy. "Charlotte was the only person I ever saw
die; and her last words to us I shall never forget. 'Dear ones,' she
said, while a smile from heaven rested upon her lips, 'do not weep for
me. These last moments of my life are the most joyful, the happiest I
have ever known. I can now fully realize that peace which our blessed
Redeemer promised to all His faithful followers--a peace which
surpasseth human understanding. May that His peace and blessing rest
upon you all.'"

Again Noah sighed, and covered his face with his hands, and remained so
long in that attitude, that Sophy imagined he had fallen asleep. At
length he raised his head, and said,--

"Your father is dead, your mother infirm and old, your only sister
sickly and deformed, and yourself so young and pretty, with no brothers
to protect or work for you,--how do you contrive, dear girl, to maintain
yourself and them?"

"Alas! we are very poor," said Sophy, bursting into tears. "I do all I
can to supply the wants of the family. I have to work day and night, and
Mary too, who has a cruel mistress, in order to earn our bread, yet we
are often on the point of starvation; both of us are tasked beyond our
strength--and I for one am heartily weary of my life."

"Dear child,"--and Noah wound his arm about her waist, and kissed away
the tears from her bright blue eyes,--"if you could love and cherish an
old man--