friend. She had been crying herself, but her sorrow had taken
a quiet form.

"Don't ye!" she said in a troubled voice, and laying her
shrivelled hand timidly on Mrs. Landholm's shoulder, -- "don't
ye, Mis' Landholm. He's in the Lord's hand, -- and just you let
him be there."

Mrs. Landholm threw her apron over her face and went out of
the kitchen into her own room. The old woman continued to go
round the table, gathering the plates, but very evidently busy
with something else; and indeed humming or talking to herself,
in a voice far from steady,


"'There is a happy land,
Where parting is unknown --'"


She broke off and sat down and put her face in her hands and
wept.

"Oh Lord! -- oh good Lord! -- I wish I was there! -- Be still
Karen -- that's very wicked -- wait, wait. 'They shall not be
ashamed that wait for him,' he said, -- They will not be
ashamed," she repeated, looking up, while the tears streamed
down her cheeks. "I will wait. But oh! -- I wisht I had
patience! I want to get straight out of trouble, -- I do. Not
yet, Karen, -- not yet. 'When _he_ giveth quietness, then who can
make trouble?' That's it -- that's my way."