been divided upon earth. As I now stand upon the brink of the grave,
looking back upon life, and forward to the future life, I feel like
the shipwrecked mariner, who has entered the haven of peace, after the
winds and the storms have subsided, and the tumultuous tossings of
the waves have ceased. For, oh, this poor heart has been wrung by
disappointments, but I see now it was all for the best; my Heavenly
Father would have all my heart, and so he, in his infinite wisdom,
separated me from my idol, and now my affections, separated from
earthly love, are fixed upon him, he is my rock, and my stay. No
earthly friend could go with me 'through the valley and shadow of
death,' but Christ can go with me, and open wide the gates of heaven,
and usher my willing spirit into the presence of the happy throng that
worship before the throne of God."

It was a dreary day in mid-winter. The wind howled in fitful gusts,
and the falling snow was piled in huge drifts before it. Annie, pale
and laboring for breath, was bolstered up, in bed, for the angel
of death was visiting the poor girl. His icy fingers were upon her
fluttering pulses, and the feeble current of life stood still.

"O," said she, "the winds, in their wild fury, seem singing praises to
God. My heart is so attuned to praise, that all things seem to unite
in the universal hymn of thanksgiving to our Saviour and our God. O,
Ellen, is there no music in those words, to your young heart? And,
mother, does it not come to you, in your declining age, and bid your
wearied spirit seek that rest that remains for the people of God?"

She ceased to speak: the breath became shorter and shorter, till it
only came with convulsive gasps. She once again opened her weary eyes,
looked earnestly upon the face of her mother and her sister, then