he had difficulty in speaking; "it will be only a little while before we
meet again; for what is life but a vapour, which soon vanisheth away?"

"Oh, father, it is so sudden, so sudden!" sobbed George.

"Therefore, my boy, remember that at all times there is but a step
between us and death; and if for us to live is Christ, then to die is
gain. Make that your motto through life, my dear boy, 'For me to live is
Christ.'"

That night the silver cord was loosed, the golden bowl was broken, and
the spirit of Mr. Weston returned to God who gave it. "Precious in the
eyes of the Lord is the death of His saints."

Never did a mother more realize the joy of possessing the unbounded love
of an affectionate son, than did Mrs. Weston during those melancholy
days between the death and the funeral of her husband, "Cheer up, dear
mother," he would say; "God is the father of the fatherless, and the
husband of the widow, and did not _He_ say 'to die is gain'?"

George and Mr. Brunton followed the remains of the good man to their
last resting-place; and then the body was lowered to the grave "in the
sure and certain hope of a glorious resurrection."

Mr. Weston had not been a rich man, nor had he been a far-seeing,
provident man. He had moved in comfortable circumstances, with an income
only sufficient to pay his way in the world, and had made but scanty
provision for the future. At the time of his sudden death, his affairs
were in anything but a satisfactory state; and it was found that it
would be impossible for his widow to live in the same comfortable style