transient nature. She looked around in the most melancholy manner, and
having enquired where all the children were gone, she expressed a great
desire to see them before she breathed her last; for she said she was
perfectly sensible of her situation, and she must see her children once
more. They had all been removed to the house of a friend, as those who
remained were considered in imminent danger from infection, the putrid
state of my mother having assumed a very alarming appearance, and no one
was now left, except my father, myself, and the nurse; the maid servant
having already failed with the fever. My poor father had entreated, nay
had commanded _me_ also to save myself by flight; but upon my knees I
implored him to let me remain and participate with him in performing the
last sad office for my dear mother; I told him that I should break my
heart to leave him alone; for he really was now become an object of much
greater pity than my dying parent.

My mother repeated so earnestly her wish to see her children, that they
were immediately sent for, and she took a last sad farewell of them. They
were hastened out of the room, that they might be removed at once from
such a melancholy scene, and from the serious danger of contagion, arising
from the dreadful state of their mother. To those who have never witnessed
a parting of this sort, any attempt of mine to convey to them even a
slight representation of the agony it inflicts on those who undergo it,
would be in vain, for it is impossible. The great exertion of my poor
mother, during this affecting scene, was such as left her almost without
the power of speech; her respiration became excessively quick, and my
afflicted father exclaimed, "I shall never hear her voice again!" She,
however, soon recovered a little, and in the most plaintive strain
lamented her approaching end, and prayed aloud to her blessed Saviour, to
spare her life that she might have the happiness of seeing her children
brought up. In fact, this most excellent of women appeared very much to