of engagement with him nor sacrifice one of your own respectability even in the opinion of the world for his sake such a sacrifice would be to you and could be of little service to him for such are the necessary laws for the protection of the female character that should a woman descend but one step from her proper station to draw up a man who has fallen below his she is not only unable to assist him who will not assist himself but becomes inevitably involved in his degradation i was sitting with late one evening my sister having agreed to call for me on her return from a party when my friend closed to me more than she had ever done before of her past life and of fortune i do not like to dwell much upon this theme she said for when i speak of my parents and the home i once enjoyed i feel my failing health too keenly the want of those comforts which a weakly frame is apt to make us pine for the natural heart is affected by natural things and human tenderness ever human weakness thus while i weep too when i think of my own mother and turn too fondly to her past kindness when treated harshly by strangers my desire is to think more and more of that parent whose arm is still near to support me of that home where the weary may find everlasting rest and of those comforts which are provided for the helpless and the i replied that we did well to look to the rest that was eternal for this world had little to offer pictures of private ufe i believe she continued that the true christian may enjoy a degree of peace which almost deserves the name of rest even in this life it is not so much the fault of the world as of our own hearts that we are so tossed about by interests and worn by paltry cares and if we first love god and then the creatures he has formed his own image we shall be able to regard the world of which they form a part without either to it the importance that is ht only by minds or the contempt which h assumed along with a pretence to superior wisdom but if we first love the world we shall find neither time nor ability to devote our to the author of it and however faithful our service may be we must look to the world for our reward and to a jealous god for our punishment let me warn you my dear friend against too great a sacrifice the sake of pleasing it is an amiable desire which leads you on but you must have learned by this time the utter impossibility of gratifying all the wishes of all your friends and there is an economy of time and thought which is necessary in order that we may our powers for more purposes nothing can look more like virtue at first sight than to spend your time your thoughts and talents in the service of others but may not these valuable faculties and possessions be away in things of very trifling importance when they might with just the same degree of kind and generous be more employed the evening was now growing late and as hour hour passed on became more grave and silent until her cheerfulness entirely gave way and she could speak on no theme but one my said she you are with me now for the first time in my hour of weakness � the midnight hour � when my brother has not returned she was pacing to and fro in her narrow apartment and i had no consolation to offer except a few empty words of hope that he would soon be here he will i doubt not she answered � � but h v i had never beheld him except am a man of dignity and wait unable to picture him even to my imagination in any other character we are all that are left of a fallen family she went on the last of a name but this would be nothing if my poor brother could but lay down his head at night with the blessing of heaven upon his the midnight hour was now passed and was still pacing to and fro with weary and irregular steps help hollow cheeks had grown more pale and haggard from the want of natural repose and her dark eyes more bright and flashing with the fever burning in her veins her long locks had been thrown back from her forehead as if to the burden of her brain and it might be with a slight touch of impatience arising from her disorder and the many many times she had paced the floor at the same hour of night na eye was upon her save that which in darkness as at noon day oh t were it possible for man to penetrate the recesses of woman s heart to know all her fervent love her deep anxiety her burning hopes her aching fears her her zeal her of self he would surely sometimes tear himself away from that which is not of the heart to her anguish and snatch her from a premature but lingering death the brother of this woman came at last � aod howl we heard the tread of many feet and one rude laugh before the bell was wrung with a violence that made us start for had been so careful that all the inmates of the should be asleep and unconscious of what might pass that we had spoken softly and seldom for the last hour she took up the lamp in silence and beckoned me to follow did so and received it from her hand when we had reached the which she as i the pains of pleasing 