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cessions with a fervour, an unction of spontaneous and impassioned eloquence, that excited not less surprise than gratitude in the party for whom such earnest supplications were offered up to Heaven. In conclusion, she besought fortitude for the whole family, that they might patiently endure the loss of their beloved Joel, on whom she attempted to pronounce a panegyrick, but her feelings, softened, perhaps, by the tenderness of her previous appeal in behalf of the stranger within their gates, would not allow her to conclude. Her voice faltered and broke--her black eyes, upturned to heaven, became dim with tears, her bosom heaved, she sobbed, and was utterly unable to proceed.

"What means this weakness, child?" inquired her father, in a solemn voice; "are we to upbraid the Lord that he has exalted our Joel, and made him one of the saints in Heaven? Most dear, indeed, he was to all of us, and well did he deserve that we should record his praises, but with firmness, with exultation, with gratitude-not with the voice of lamentation. Dry up, therefore, those accusing tears, and

silence those accents of rebellious

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endeavour to complete what you have begun." By struggling with her feelings, Grace quickly succeeded in subduing all audible expressions of her grief, and her father took up the theme which she had been obliged to abandon, speaking in proud and glowing terms of his boy's constant devotion to God-of his benevolence to all his fellow-creatures-of his patient industry at home—of his courage in the field of battle-of his holy and triumphant death. In noticing his last moments he drew from his bosom and kissed the Bible which had been transmitted to him, enlarging with all the affechis filial tionate garrulity of a fond father upon piety in this and numerous other instances, which he proceeded to recapitulate. This retrospect, however, by recalling to his mind all the various acts of duty and attention that he had received from his son, gradually melted and overcome his heart, which, although it was of a stern and rugged nature, and fortified by a deep feeling of Christian resignation, was still that of a most devoted father. His accents at length became

tremulous and faltering, as his daughter's had done before him he coughed and resumed his discourse, but his voice repeatedly broke. Indignant at himself that he should fall into the very error he had been rebuking in Grace, he paused, apparently resolved to conquer a weakness which he held to be at once culpable and unmanly. His feelings as a Christian and as a parent, were contending for the mastery within him, and it became obvious that the struggle was a convulsive one. With firmly compressed lips he strove to refuse a vent to his emotions— to suppress the rising grief-but his efforts, vehement as they were, could not succeed; the muscles of his mouth were agitated by spasmodic movements, his lips were involuntarily drawn up and down, and at length the pent-up tears gushed from his blind eyes, flowed down the furrows of his cheeks, and rained upon his grizzled beard.

At this affecting sight, Grace's emotion, which had been suspended, not subdued, broke out in a passionate burst of hysterical sobs; whilst the rest of the party gave an uninter

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rupted vent to their grief, not even excepting

the

poor idiot, who caught the contagion without thoroughly comprehending the cause of the general sorrow, and sate in a corner sobbing

and

aloud. When she had a little recovered from her paroxysm, Grace, seeming to think that some apology was due to Reuben for its indulgence, pointed to her father, exclaiming, "It is so dreadful—so heart-breaking, to see tears flowing from blind eyes! to think that they should express anguish when they can no longer afford delight or even assistance !—it is too—too—.” Her words were again checked: she threw herself into her father's arms, affectionately embracing him, implored him to be comforted. His other children approached him with supplications of a similar nature; but Malachi, receiving their tender endearments in silence, seemed to consider himself humiliated; that he had been wanting to himself as a Christian, and had evinced an unbecoming weakness as a man. Without further noticing their condolences, he bade them good night: blessed them, and extending his broad hand against

the wall, groped the way alone and in silence to his bed-room.

Reuben was then conducted by the son-inlaw to his humble dormitory; which, although it was but a loft, supplied with a pallet, presented the same air of neatness that he had observed in the little parlour, and seemed to prove propitious to the slumbers of its inmates; for he had scarcely laid himself down when he closed his eyes, and slept more soundly than he had ever done beneath the roof of Harpsden Hall.

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