precaution to leave two dollars in silver and a three dollar bill on the
little stool that stood by her bed. He had now, he said, to go about
forty miles into the country; and he would, after his return, call to
see how she was, and to comply with her request about the children.

"I commend you now to the care of God and his angel. God bless you,"
said he, departing.

"Into thy hands I commend my spirit. O Lord, receive my soul. Jesus,
Jesus, Jesus, have mercy on me. O God of love, goodness, and mercy,
accept my imperfect thanksgiving; save my soul, redeemed by thy precious
blood, and make me worthy to see thy glory. I believe in thee, O Lord,
I hope in thee, and I love thee. O my God and my Lord, who am I that
thou shouldst visit me!"

With these and other fervent aspirations, this pure and exalted soul
prepared for the manifestation of the glory of her Lord, and sighed to
be dissolved, and to fly to the beatific vision that faith promised her,
and through the merits of Christ she expected to obtain. After this, the
symptoms of her disease became sensibly less dangerous than before the
visit of the priest; but this calm, this seeming relief, was only
temporary. Presently the impress of pale death was unmistakably settled
on her calm brow.




CHAPTER II.

GETTING THE MOTHER'S BLESSING.