poor widow than every thing besides.

Mrs. Ames is seated in her rocking chair, supported by a pillow, and
busy cutting out work, while her daughter, a slender, sickly-looking
girl, is sitting by the window, intent on some fine stitching.

Mrs. Ames, in former days, was the wife of a respectable merchant, and
the mother of an affectionate family. But evil fortune had followed her
with a steadiness that seemed like the stern decree of some adverse fate
rather than the ordinary dealings of a merciful Providence. First came a
heavy run of losses in business; then long and expensive sickness in the
family, and the death of children. Then there was the selling of the
large house and elegant furniture, to retire to a humbler style of
living; and finally, the sale of all the property, with the view of
quitting the shores of a native land, and commencing life again in a new
one. But scarcely had the exiled family found themselves in the port of
a foreign land, when the father was suddenly smitten down by the hand of
death, and his lonely grave made in a land of strangers. The widow,
broken-hearted and discouraged, had still a wearisome journey before her
ere she could reach any whom she could consider as her friends. With her
two daughters, entirely unattended, and with her finances impoverished
by detention and sickness, she performed the tedious journey.

Arrived at the place of her destination, she found herself not only
without immediate resources, but considerably in debt to one who had
advanced money for her travelling expenses. With silent endurance she
met the necessities of her situation. Her daughters, delicately reared,
and hitherto carefully educated, were placed out to service, and Mrs.
Ames sought for employment as a nurse. The younger child fell sick, and
the hard earnings of the mother were all exhausted in the care of her;
and though she recovered in part, she was declared by her physician to
be the victim of a disease which would never leave her till it
terminated her life.

As soon, however, as her daughter was so far restored as not to need her
immediate care, Mrs. Ames resumed her laborious employment. Scarcely had
she been able, in this way, to discharge the debts for her journey and
to furnish the small room we have described, when the hand of disease
was laid heavily on herself. Too resolute and persevering to give way to
the first attacks of pain and weakness, she still continued her
fatiguing emplo