Part 19 (2/2)

The Professor likes it He seems able to think of little but his loss

Even when speaking in the most cheerful way, tears fill his eyes, and the other day putting a letter into my hands to read, he had to run out of the roo persons owed their conversion to Louisa's books; it ritten soo His ht and cheerful and full of sly hu to a to see you Letters areto have a ”party” this afternoon, and is going to one this forenoon The others are bright and busy as bees

Good-bye

A tinge of sadness is perceptible inthis year Her sister's death, the fearful state of the country, protracted sickness a her children, and her own frequent ill-turns and increasing sense of feebleness, all conspired to produce this effect

But in truth her heart was still as young as ever and a touch of sympathy, or an appeal to her love of nature, instantly made it manifest An extract from a letter to Miss Anna Warner, dated New York, December 16th, may serve as an instance: I wanted to write a book when the trunk came this afternoon; that is, a book full of thanks and excla for ive half the pleasure I shut myself up in my little room up-stairs (I declare I don't believe you saw that roos and o out and walk to compose myself Then the children ca work-basket and my little work-basket, and didn't any of us care My only fear is that with all you had to do you did too much for me Those little red moss cups are _too_ lovely! and as to all those leaves how I shall leaf out! G asked s ”Miss Warner,” quoth I absently ”Didn't Miss Anna send any of them?” he exclaimed So you see you twain do not pass as one flesh here I have read all the ”Books of Blessing” [7] save Gertrude and her Cat--but though I like theuise” If you come across a little book called ”Earnest,” [8] published by Randolph, do read it It is one of the few _real_ books and ought to do good I have outdone ot a pair of nippers and soreat use in the operation I am now busy on Mr Bull, for Mr Prentiss' study

To one of her sisters-in-law she wrote, under the saed about my health as I have been this fall Sometimes I think my constitution is quite broken down, and that I never shall be good for anything again However, I do not worry one way or the other but try to be as patient as I can I have been a good deal better for some days, and if you could see our house you would not believe a word aboutso was all a shaarden, and when I am sick I like to lie and look at what I did when I wasn't; my wreaths, and my crosses, and my vines, and my toadstools, and other fixins Yesterday I made a bonnet of which I as, of which Miss Anna Warner has just sent ht They grow good so fast that there is no keeping track of them Does any body in Portland take their paper? [9] The children are all looking forward to Christlee It is a mercy there are any children to keep up one's spirits in these ti so dreadful as the way in which our army has just been driven back! [10] But if we had had a brilliant victory perhaps the people would have cla is better than the perpetuation of slavery

Our congregation is fuller than ever, but there is no chance of building even a chapel Shopping is pleasant business now-a-days, isn't it? We shall have to stop sewing and use pins

II

Another care-worn Su the Corner-stone of the Church of the Covenant

The records of 1863 are confinedthe suer children to Williamstohere she re Island, and spent the rest of the season there in a cottage, kindly placed at their disposal by Mrs Williah New York barely in tied there with such fury in the early part of July A few extracts fro to this period follow:

_To her Husband, Troy, June 10_

I hope you'll not be frightened to get a letter mailed here; anyhow I can't resist the te up in a little newspaper office We were routed up at half past five thisthe ”Northern Railroad” On reaching Troy the captain bid us hurry or we should lose the train, and we did hurry, though I pretty well foresaw our fate, and after a running walk of a quarter of athe train had left and that the next one would not start till twelve The little darlings are bearing the disappoint my note in the Post-office, we strolled about awhile and then came across to a hotel, where I ordered a lunch-dinner

We got through at twelve andto start at once, when M ca there was no train to Williamstown till five o'clock My heart fairly turned over; however, I did not believe it, but oninquiries it proved to be only too true For a minute I sat in silent despair Just then the landlord of the hotel drew nigh and said to me, ”You don't look very healthy, Mrs; if you'll walk over to e and you can lie down and rest awhile” Over to his house ent, weary enough After awhile, finding the back I ordered soly The children are now counting the minutes till five One of the boys is perched on a wash-stand with his feet dangling down through the hole where the bowl should be; the other is eating crackers; the landlord is anxious I should take a glass of wine; and M

is everywhere at once, having nearly worn out my watch-pocket to see what ti on a fortnight since we left hoet well, pay you back some of the debts I owe you, be a better mother to my children, write some more books, and make you love me so you wouldn't knohat to do with yourself! Just to see hoould seem to be well, and to show you what a splendid creature I could be, if once out of the harness! A modest little list you will say! I said to myself, Is it after all such a curse to suffer and to be a source of suffering to others? Isn't it worth while to pay so for rich experience of God's love and wisdom? And I felt, that for you to have a radiant, cheerful, health-happy as not, perhaps, so good for you, as a ospel, as to have the poor feeble creature whose infirmities keep you anxious and off the top of the wave

Saturday afternoon the Professor took ain Can you believe that till this June I never went strawberrying inDo you realise how kind the Professor is to me? I am afraid I don't He works very hard, too hard, I think; but perhaps he does it as a refuge from his loneliness

His heart seems still full of tenderness toward Louisa Yesterday he took me aside and told ht before that she floated towards him with a leaf in her hand, on which she wrote the words ”Sabbath peacefulness” I love him much, but am afraid of hih, I am

To Mrs Slad to hear that you were safely settled at Prout's Neck, far from riots, if not from rumors thereof We have as convenient and rooe as possible We are within threesand, and stare at the ocean according to our various ages and tastes I really do not kno else we spend our ti to sew more when ood deal The butcher calls every , and so does the baker with excellent bread; twice a week claet s without etables without any, as Mrs Bull sends thes of fruit, pitchers of crea We either sit on the beach looking and listening to the waves, every evening, or we run in to Mrs Bull's; or gather about our parlor-table reading By ten we are all off to bed George does nothing but race back and forth to New York on Seone noith hione We were caught in that tornado and nearly pulled to pieces

_27th_--You will be sorry to hear that our last sue with dysentery bids fair to be repeated Yesterday, when the disease declared itself, I must own that for a few hours I felt about heart-broken My own strength is next to nothing, and how to face such a calamity I knew not Ah, how much easier it is to pray daily, ”Oh, Jesus Christus, wachs in rant!

Well, George went for the doctor His quarters at this season are right opposite; he is a Gerht G's cot into our rooe and I took care of him till three o'clock, when for the first tiave out and left the pooras nurse as he best could I can tell you it con one's office to a half-sick husband I think I have let the boys play too hard in the sun I long to have you see this pretty cottage and this beach

_Aug 3d_--The children are out of the doctor's hands and I do about nothing at all I hope you are as lazy as I am Today I bathed, read the paper and finished John Halifax I wish I could write such a book!

To Miss Gilust 10th: