Year: 1862

very sick. The best physicians were call
ed from far and near; but they could not
help him. Two of his children were taken
sick-they were sick few short days
and their poor, frail bodies sank beneath
the touch of the wasting disease-sank-
sank--and died


The steward came down one evening
and asked Stephen Bowler to go up and
watch with Mr.. Eustace. The poor bas-
ket-maker went and when he entered the
| sick chamber, and beheld the emaciated
| form upon the bed, he could not believe
that it was Mr.. Eustace. the portly, proud
ly-stepping man of wealth. But so it was.
The possession of gold and precious stones,
and of lands and houses, could not keep of
disease. The physician went away at ten
o'clock; and before he went he told Ste
phen he must be very watchful Said be :


" Mr.. Eustace may not live till morning.
If you observe any change, you will call
his wife, and she will see that necessary
help is provided"


Until midnight the sick man lay under
the effects of powerful opiate but short
ly after twelve o'clock he started up from
his stupor, and tried to raise himself upon
his elbow. He sank back exhausted by
the effort, and groaned aloud in his great
agony.


It was dreadful spasm, and when it
was over, remarkable change had taken
place.


g am cold :" The sick man could
only hoarsely whisper, {" am cold ! 0,
my God ! cannot die Where is nv
wife :"


Stephen called Mrs. Eustace, and when
she came, her daughter was with her.


9 l am dying dying -


+" No no! F." shrieked the wife, throwing
herself upon the bed.


A little while the sick man Law as though
unconscious. and then he started up again.
This was the death struggle. Stephen was
not acquainted with death, but still he felt
sure that no other power could work such
a mortal change.


q VIII he die ?" asked the wife.
| What could Stephen answer, but to tell
the truth


'' think he is dying ma am"


:" No +! no! +" again broke sharply upon
the air of the sick chamber


But the man of wealth was dying, and
no earthly power could save him. His
hands had grown cold, and his brow was
clammy.


80 won't die % he gasped "save
mel save me And then he called for
the doctor, and he sWore because his ply
sicians had not cured him! Then he call
ed for bis wife but she was powerless to
help him.


o, it was dreadful to see that man die .
He groaned, and cried for help. and cursed
the fate that had spared others but would
not spare him. His wife and daughter
were like women bereft of reason, and
could only moan and sob.


By and by the rawlings Of the struggling
man ceased, and Stephen turned and
spoke these words to the mother and
daughter


He is DYING"
But they would not come to the bedside
They dared not see the death. They only
sobbed more bitterly


In a little while the watcher spoke again:


He IS DEAD


A loud, wailing cry of keenest anguish
went up from the chamber of death, and
the widow and the fatherless sank beneath
the shock, bereft of all senge and reason
1t was cold, damp morning, and when
Stephen Bowler left that house of death,
his feelings were narrowed up as they had
never been narrowed before. And as be
walked thougbtfully down the slope, be
said to himself: -


Poor man How dreadful it was =
And to leave so much wealth behind him
wealth that he cannot carry away
Poor MAN %


On the evening of the second day after
the scene at the house of the wealthy man,
woman called at the humble cot and
asked Stephen if he would 60 and watch
With Mark Oliver.


with Mark Oliver" cried the basket
maker, starting up from his chair. "Of