he body.

Thus, at the age of twenty-six, abused and exhausted nature gave up the
struggle; and the mother, who had violated the laws of health, sank to
the earth just at the moment when her tenderest and holiest duties
called loudest for performance.

Who, in this brief and imperfect sketch, does not recognise familiar
features? Amanda Beaufort is but one of a class which has far too many
representatives. These are in every town and village, in every street
and neighbourhood. Why do we see so many pale-faced mothers? Why are
our young and lovely females so soon broken down under their maternal
duties? The answer, in far too many cases, may be found in their early
and persevering transgression of the most palpable physiological laws.
The violation of these is ever followed, sooner or later, in a greater
or less degree, by painful consequences. Sometimes life is spared to
the young mother, and she is allowed to linger on through years of
suffering that the heart aches to think of. Often death terminates
early her pains, and her babes are left a legacy to the cold charities
of an unfeeling world. How sad, how painful the picture! Alas! that it
is a true one.

JUST GOING TO DO IT.

EVERY man has some little defect of character, some easily-besetting
sin that is always overtaking him, unless he be ever on the alert. My
friend, Paul Burgess, was a man of considerable force of mind; whatever
he undertook was carried through with much energy of purpose. But his
leading defect was a tendency to inertia in small matters. It required
an adequate motive to put the machinery of his mind in operation. Some
men never let a day pass without carefully seeing after every thing,
little or great, that ought to be done. They cannot rest until the
day's work is fully completed. But it was very different with Paul. If
the principal business transactions of the day were rightly performed,
he was satisfied to let things of less consideration lie over until
another time. From this cause it occurred that every few weeks there
was an accumulation of things necessary to be done, so great that their
aggregate calls upon his attention roused him to action, and then every
thing was reduced to order with an energy, promptness, and internal
satisfaction that made him wonder at himself for ever having neglected
these minor interests so long. On these occasions, a firm resolution
was always made never again to let a day come to its close with