n natur' to
teach him any better," and that "he could no more keep Sunday than the
brook down in the lot." My poor uncle! he did not know what was the
matter with his heart, but certain it was, he lost all faculty of
scolding when little Edward was in the case, and he would rub his
spectacles a quarter of an hour longer than common when Aunt Betsey was
detailing his witticisms and clever doings.

In process of time our hero had compassed his third year, and arrived at
the dignity of going to school. He went illustriously through the
spelling book, and then attacked the catechism; went from "man's chief
end" to the "requirin's and forbiddin's" in a fortnight, and at last
came home inordinately merry, to tell his father that he had got to
"Amen." After this, he made a regular business of saying over the whole
every Sunday evening, standing with his hands folded in front and his
checked apron folded down, occasionally glancing round to see if pussy
gave proper attention. And, being of a practically benevolent turn of
mind, he made several commendable efforts to teach Bose the catechism,
in which he succeeded as well as might be expected. In short, without
further detail, Master Edward bade fair to become a literary wonder.

But alas for poor little Edward! his merry dance was soon over. A day
came when he sickened. Aunt Betsey tried her whole herbarium, but in
vain: he grew rapidly worse and worse. His father sickened in heart, but
said nothing; he only staid by his bedside day and night, trying all
means to save, with affecting pertinacity.

"Can't you think of any thing more, doctor?" said he to the physician,
when all had been tried in vain.

"Nothing," answered the physician.

A momentary convulsion passed over my uncle's face. "The will of the
Lord be done," said he, almost with a groan of anguish.

Just at that moment a ray of the setting sun pierced the checked
curtains, and gleamed like an angel's smile across the face of the
little sufferer. He woke from troubled sleep.

"O, dear! I am so sick!" he gasped, feebly. His father raised him in his
arms; he breathed easier, and looked up with a grateful smile. Just then
his old playmate, the cat, crossed the room. "There goes pussy," said
he; "O, dear! I shall never play any more."

At that moment a deadly change passed over his face. He looked up in his
father's face with an imploring expression, and put out his hand as if
for help. There was one moment of ago