Year: 1859

saw her IN bis room, he still merely thought
Of her with regard to himself, and his sci.
fshuess seemed only to increase as his pow
ers decreased. Towards the close of sum-
mer the enfcebled old mau paid the debt Of
nature.


Heriha's apprehensions as to the state Of
her fathers affairs proved. on his death,
only to be too well founded The Chief
Director died a ruined man. The maternal
Inheritance of his daughters, Aunt Nela's
40 years savings, and his own property,
had all been swallowed up by the great
lawsuit, which was still going on at his
death, which he probably still hoped in his
last moments to win. During slight deliri.
um, which came on few days before his
death, he talked incessantly Of carrying his
cause before the supreme court. And he did
so-but before o much higher tribunal than
he had thought Of


Poor little Aunt Nella did not long sur
vive the death of her brother .in-law, and
the result of the great lawsuit During
the last few days of her life she was inces-
sanity searching among the papers of the
large portfolio, aud talking to herself about
| lilt llllSlhlu uOCulhCulo uiu lUSJ luWSuI.-
And thus also her confused but innocent
soul appeared before the Supreme tribunal,
where she had no cause to dread severe
verdict. Anna, the faithful old servant of
the family, soon followed her master


Hertha, left alone in her home, with her
sisters, was now possessed of nothing, ex.
ceptiDg what she herself had acquired by
her own labor, and the small sum of money
which was left her by Yngve. -s


we are now poor ? said she to her sis
ters, and she clasped them in her arms
but we ore able to work we can earn our
bread in the sweat Of our brows and never
complain, but on the contrary thank God.
1t will give US strength. Promise me, never
to say word in accusation of our father =


Hertha wrote in her Diary at this time
as follows =


'Yngve is gone, and with him all Joy on
earth. Work remains. And now-to work.
Work for daily bread, for the dear sisters
future, and for that calling which God has
given me. l shall not lay down my pill
grim's staff so long as this hand is able to
hold it. Butt feel it already tremble.-
God be my stay and strength, for the sake
of my motherless ones ?


Without complaint for that which was
past, Hertha turned with earnest zeal to
the object which would henceforward alone
support her and her sisters, as we'll as rem
der their future secure.


! But during the efforts which this requir-
ed, and consequence of the consuming agony
Of mind through which she had passed, she
soon became convinced, beyond doubt
that she would not long be able to devote
herself to her peculiar calling, and that her
career would be cut short.


There is malady which sezes upon wo-
men much more frequently than men, and
especially on those who have been stricken
by some sudden sorrow, or who have been, as
it is said, worn out by painfully laborious
life AS an inSiduouS parasite of the tropics
sezes upou'the glorious Ceiba-tree, fixes itself
in its soft bark, h grows. serpent-like, twin
ing itself around its stem and branches,
sucking up its sap, until it lives upon a
corpse, such is this malady 1t commonly
first seizeS upon those parts Of The body which
are most beautiful and tender those out
of which the fountains of life well forth,
and thence extends its secret poison to the
whole system.


The name of this malady is not mention
ed without a shuddeF, because it is known
to belong to the incurable; and that severe
suffering accompanies it.


Hertha was aware of her condition h
knowing it to be her duty to live and to
work for her sisters, and for the great OBJ
ect of her life's endeavors, besides the nat
ural horror which she had of the disease
whose symptoms she beIived she recognised
in herself, she consulted DR.. Hedermann.


He ecaed her maady 'heart-compaint,
but warned ber of its consequences, aud
prescribed what physicians always prescribe,
in such cases, rest from fatiguing labor; as
well as bathing, aud the water-cure. Her.
thd thanked him beSought him not to be-
tray her confidence on this subject and
he left her without any idea that what he
had prescribed for her, was precisely that
which her necessities prevented her making
use Of But she would not allow such a
confession to pass her pale lips


She told no one she allowed no QUE to
have an idea of the truth as regarded her.
self With calm, steady mien she az oSe,
and summoned all her powers to fulfil the
duties of each passing day, and left the fu-
ture in the hand of God, in whose fatherly
guidance she had firm trust-to whose in
spiration she necessarily listened With
ever watchful aud warm kindness, and with
eloquen, lips she stood among the young
who gathered around her she revived all
who came to her for counsel or consolation
with frankness and sympathy, and none
had any idea of the Nidhogg which gnaw-
ed at the root of her tree OF life. Some
times deep sigh would force itself from
her breast, which many fancied when they
heard iJ to be u sound of lamentation, but
the sigh and the lamentation were so speed
lily repressed, as TO he scarcely observable.
She went out commonly for an hour each
day, accompanied by one Of her pupils. for
the benefit of fresh air. Sometimes il hap
pened, on these occasions, that she would
suddenly pause, and stand for moment
perfectly Silent. This was when she felt
fantuess come on Afterwards she would
smlle kindly and resume her walk and her
conversation. B fore long, however, the
progress Of the destroyer became evident
10 all in the emaciated form, aud she was
no longer able To conceal from those who