their needlework in Mrs. Travilla's dressing room.

They were quite alone at the moment, Zoe, who had been with them, having
just gone out with her little ones.

"No one can ever take your place in my heart or home," continued Rosie
with almost a sob, "and oh, how I shall miss you--your love, your sweet
motherly counsels, your tender sympathy in all my joys and sorrows--oh,
mamma, mamma! at times the very thought of it all is almost unendurable,
and I am tempted to say to Will that he may come to me if he likes, but
that I can never tear myself away from my dear home and the precious
mother who has been everything to me since I first drew the breath of
life!" and dropping her work she knelt at her mother's feet, lifting to
hers eyes full of tears.

"Dear child," her mother responded in tones tremulous with emotion, and
bending down to press a kiss on the quivering lips, "it gives me a sad
and sore heart to think of it. And yet, daughter dear, we may hope to
see each other very often--to spend weeks and months of every year in
each other's society, and when we are apart to exchange letters daily;
and best of all, to be in a few brief years together in the better land,
never to part again."

"Ah, mamma dear, that last seems a long look ahead. At least--oh, mamma,
I cannot bear the thought of--of death coming between us; and yet we can
hardly hope to go together."

"No, daughter dear, but time is short, as you will realize when you have
seen as many years in this world as I have; and after it will come the
never-ending ages of eternity--eternity, which we are hoping to spend