minutes. She then rose in a paroxysm of increasing sorrow, and throwing
her arms about her father's neck also, sobbed out as upon the occasion
already mentioned:--

"Oh, papa, pity and forgive me;--your poor Jane, pity her and forgive
her."

The old man struggled with his grief, for he saw that the tears of the
family rendered it a duty upon him to be firm: nay, he smiled after a
manner, and said in a voice of forced good humor:

"You are a foolish slut, Jane, and play upon us, because you know we pet
and love you too much. If you cannot eat your dinner go play, and get an
appetite for to-morrow."

She kissed him, and as was her habit of compliance with his slightest
wish, left the room as he had desired her.

"Henry," said his wife, "there is something wrong with her."

For a time he could not speak; but after a deep silence he wiped away a
few straggling-tears, and replied:

"Yes! yes! do you not see that there is a mystery upon my child!--a
mystery which weighs down my heart with affliction."

"Dear papa," said Agnes, "don't forbode evil for her."

"It's a mere nervous affection," said William. "She ought to take more
exercise. Of late she has been too much within."