Do say you will, Mrs. Roberts, _please_."

I consented, provided I should be allowed to give a message to the
living. She gladly acquiesced.

With difficulty I made my way through the crowd that blocked the street
in front of the undertaker's the following afternoon. None were
admitted but L----'s associates. There she lay, apparently sleeping
sweetly, but this was only the beautiful, fast-decaying mortal form.
The remains were surrounded by fragrant tributes of exquisite floral
pieces, and girls dressed in black robes, heavily veiled, and weeping
bitterly. With great effort I at last spoke and sang. I do not remember
if I had a text; I do know that _the message came to the living
straight from the throne of grace_. Even until recently some one has
occasionally reminded me that she was present on that occasion and that
it brought about her reformation. The father and mother departed with
their precious burden the following morning. They came early on board,
in order to avoid curious eyes. I spent the time with the mother in
their stateroom until they sailed. When that casket was lowered into
the hold of the steamer, I so obstructed the doorway that she could not
look past me.

Before our final parting the poor mother gave a farewell message for
other mothers. It was this:

"Mrs. Roberts, I was too indulgent, too weak, with my little girl. All
she had to do was to tease until she got her own way even though I knew
it would prove to be detrimental to her good. If I resisted or advised
ever so little, she would overrule every time.