then the sight of her baby seemed to her and she bade me go but she gave me a strict charge that no one should come with you for she said she wished her memory buried with her in the grave when i left her to go to you i hoped you might speak some words of comfort to her that would be better than medicine for her and heal the body as well as the mind but when i came back there was a dreadful change � the poor little one had gone into a fit and she would take it from my wife into her arms and there it died more than an hour ago � and she sits up in the bed holding it yet � and she has not spoken a word nor turned her eyes from it � her cheeks look as if there was a living fire her oh miss jane it is awful to look upon such a fallen star now you are prepared � come in � may be the sight of you will rouse her jane followed john into his little habitation the old couple had kindly resigned their only bed to the sufferer she was sitting as john had described her fixed ad a statue her beautiful black glossy curls which had been so often admired and envied were and clustered in rich masses over her temples and neck a tear that had started from the fountain of feeling now sealed for ever hung on the dark rich eye lash that fringed her downcast eye jane wondered that any thing so wretched could look so lovely crazy bet was kneeling at the foot of the bed and apparently absorbed in prayer for her eyes were closed and her lips moved though they no sound the old woman sat in the corner of the fire place smoking a broken pipe to soothe the agitation she felt jane advanced towards the bed speak to her said john jane stooped and laid her hand gently on mary s a new england tale she raised her eyes for the first time and turned them on jane with a look of earnest inquiry and then shaking her head she said in a low mournful voice � no no we cannot be parted you mean to take her to heaven and you say i am guilty and must not go they told me you were coming � you need not hide your wings � i know you � there is none but an angel would look upon me with pity oh exclaimed jane can nothing be done for her at least let us take away thb dead child it is growing cold in her arms she attempted to take the child and mary relaxed her hold but as she did so she uttered a faint scream the of death her face and she fell back on the pillow ah she is gone exclaimed john crazy bet sprang on her feet and raised her hand � hush said she i heard a voice saying her sins are forgiven � she is one come out of great there were a few moments of as perfect stillness as if they had all been made dumb and motionless by the stroke of death jane was the first to break silence � did she she inquired of the old man express any � any hope john shook his head them things did not seem to lay on her mind and i did not think it worth while to disturb her about them ah miss the great thing is how we live not how we die jane felt the anxiety so natural to obtain some religious expression that should indicate preparation in the mind of the departed surely said she it is never too late to repent � to beg forgiveness no miss replied john who seemed to have religious notions of his own � especially when there has been such a m a new england tale short account as this poor child had but the work must be all between the creature and the creator and for m j part i don t place much dependence on what people say on a i have lived a long life miss jane and many a one have i seen and heard too when sickness and distress were heavy upon them and death staring them in the face and they could not sin any more � they would seem to repent and talk as beautiful as any saint but if the lord took his hand from them and they got well again they went right back into the old track no miss jane it is the life � it is the life we must look to this child he added going to the bed and laying his brown and hand upon her fair young brow now chill and this child was but sixteen she told me so the lord only knows what temptations she has had he it is miss jane that has put that in our hearts that makes us feel sorry for her now and can you think that he is less pitiful than we are i think she will be beaten with few but he continued solemnly covering his face with his hands � we are poor ignorant creatures it is all a mystery after this world we know nothing about it yes said jane we do know john that all will be right true he replied and it is that should make us lay our fingers on our mouths and be still jane had been so much absorbed in the mournful scene that the necessity of her return before the breaking of day had not occurred to her mind and would not perhaps if john had not after a few moments pause reminded her of it by saying i am sorry miss jane you have had such a walk for 