ction,
passed much of her time, during the last two or three days of Tiney's
life, in her room, sitting quietly near the head of the bed. Mr.
Fairland, who seemed more overcome even than Agnes expected, hardly ever
left the bed-side. The older sisters looked in occasionally for a few
moments, but their "nerves" (always ready as an excuse with people
destitute of feeling) would not allow their staying for more than five
minutes at a time, in the room of the sick child. The younger children
wandered restlessly about the house, their little hearts oppressed by
the first approach of death among their number; sometimes coming in
quietly to look at the dying sister, and then wandering off again.

"Cousin Agnes, _must_ I _die_?" asked Tiney, the day before her death,
as Agnes and her father and mother were sitting near her.

"You are not afraid to die, dear Tiney, are you?" asked Agnes in reply.

"No, I shall love to die, because you told me I would never be sick any
more; but I feel a _little_ afraid to go to Heaven."

"Afraid to go to Heaven, dear Tiney! And why should you be afraid to go
there?" asked Agnes, in astonishment; for she had, oftener than ever, of
late, talked to the failing child of the glories of heaven, and did not
doubt that, even with her poor weak mind, she had so trusted by faith
in the merits of an all-sufficient Redeemer, that through those merits
her spirit would be welcomed to that blissful abode.

"I was thinking," answered Tiney, "that I don't _know anybody_, there;
not a single soul; and I feel so shy with strangers. Will they love me
there, cousin Agnes, as you and papa do?"

Agnes could not repress the tears at this question, so natural, perhaps,
to a simple child, and yet one which she had never thought of as likely
to occur to one before. But she talked to Tiney so soothingly and
sweetly of Him who loved little children when on earth, and who was
watching for her now, and would send some lovely angel to bear her to
His breast, that poor Tiney lost her fears, and longed for the hour of
her release. And it came the next morning. Just as the glorious sun was
rising over the lake, the spirit of poor little suffering Tiney left its
earthly dwelling, and began its long and never-ending day of happiness.

Oh! what a brilliant light shone for once in those dark gray eyes, as
Tiney raised them, with a look of wonder and astonishment and joy, as if
she saw far, far beyond the limits which bounded h