pillows I enquired if I could do anything farther for her comfort? She
replied that she felt quite comfortable; and, thinking that she might
again fall asleep, I resumed my reading. After remaining quiet for
sometime she softly called my name. As I stepped hastily to her
bed-side, she said,--

"Come and sit near me, Clara, I have something to say to you."

Obedient to her request, I drew my chair near to her bedside, and seated
myself. She clasped my hand in both hers, as she said,--

"My dear Clara, I have long wished to ask you if you are aware that I
must soon leave you?"

As she said these words the grief of my overburdened heart defied
control, and, burying my face in her pillows I sobbed convulsively. This
sudden near approach to death sent an icy chill over my whole being.

"You must endeavor to compose yourself, my daughter," said my mother,
"and listen to me."

I tried to restrain my tears as my mother continued.

"I have long wished to talk with you, but have deferred it from time
to time, through fear of giving you pain; but I now feel it an
imperative duty to converse with you upon the subject. Allow me to tell
you a dream which visited me in the slumber from which I awoke a few
minutes since. In my dream I seemed to be walking alone on a calm
summer's evening, without any definite object in view. When I had walked
for a considerable distance the scene suddenly changed, and I found
myself walking by the banks of a placid river. Looking forward, I
observed a person advancing to meet me, whom I at once knew to be your
father. My joy was great at the prospect of meeting him; for in my dream
I recollected that he had been long dead. I enquired of him how it
happened that I met him there? He replied, 'I saw you coming when you
were yet a long way off, and feared you might lose your way.' Turning
back in the direction from whence he had come, he turned towards me,
with a pleasant smile, and said, 'follow me.' As we walked onward, I
observed that the river by which we walked seemed gradually to become
more narrow the further we advanced. He continued to walk onward for
some time, a little in advance of me, when suddenly stopping, he turned
to me and said, 'My dear Alice, look across to the other side of the
river, and behold the place which is now my home.' The breadth of the
river had continued to lessen, till it was now only a narrow line of
water which separated us from the opposite shore. I looked as h