ou'll be a good child to her when I'm gone?"

"O, Uncle True!" sobbed Gerty, "you mustn't leave me! I can't live
without you, _dear_ Uncle True!"

"It is God's will to take me, Gerty; He has always been good to us, and
we mustn't doubt Him now. Miss Emily can do more for you than I could,
and you'll be very happy with her."

"No, I shan't--I shan't ever be happy again in this world! I never was
happy until I came to you; and now, if you die, I wish I could die too!"

"You mustn't wish that, darlin'; you are young, and must try to do good
in the world, and bide your time. I'm an old man, and only a trouble
now."

"No, no, Uncle True!" said Gerty, earnestly; "you are not a trouble--you
never could be a trouble! I wish _I'd_ never been so much trouble to
_you_."

"So far from that, birdie, God knows you've long been my heart's
delight! It only pains me now to think that you're a spendin' all your
time, and slavin' here at home, instead of goin' to school, as you used
to; but, O! we all depend on each other so!--first on God, and then on
each other! And that 'minds me, Gerty, of what I was goin' to say. I
feel as if the Lord would call me soon, sooner than you think for now;
and, at first, you'll cry, and be sore vexed, no doubt; but Miss Emily
will take you with her, and she'll tell you blessed things to comfort
you;--how we shall all meet again and be happy in that world where
there's no partin's; and Willie'll do everything he can to help you in
your sorrer; and in time you'll be able to smile again. At first, and
p'raps for a long time, Gerty, you'll be a care to Miss Emily, and
she'll have to do a deal for you in the way o' schoolin', clothin', and
so on; and what I want to tell you is, that Uncle True expects you'll be
as good as can be, and do just what Miss Emily says; and, by-and-by, may
be, when you're bigger and older, you'll be able to do somethin' for
her. She's blind, you know, and you must be eyes for her; and she's not
over strong, and you must lend a helpin' hand to her weakness, just as
you do to mine; and, if you're good and patient, God will make your
heart light at last, while you're only tryin' to make other folks happy;
and when you're sad troubled (for everybody is sometimes), then think of
old Uncle True, and how he used to say, 'Cheer up, birdie, for I'm of
the 'pinion 'twill all come out right at last.' There, don't feel bad
about it; go to bed, darlin', and to-morrow we'll have a nice walk-