id not
linger now. She sank rapidly. She made haste to leave us.
Yet, while physically she perished, mentally she grew
stronger than we had yet known her. Day by day, when I saw
with what a front she met suffering, I looked on her with an
anguish of wonder and love. I have seen nothing like it;
but, indeed, I have never seen her parallel in any thing.
Stronger than a man, simpler than a child, her nature stood
alone. The awful point was, that, while full of ruth for
others, on herself she had no pity; the spirit was
inexorable to the flesh; from the trembling hand, the
unnerved limbs, the faded eyes, the same service was exacted
as they had rendered in health. To stand by and witness
this, and not dare to remonstrate, was a pain no words can
render. Two cruel months of hope and fear passed painfully
by, and the day came at last when the terrors and pains of
death were to be undergone by this treasure, which had grown
dearer and dearer to our hearts as it wasted before our
eyes. Towards the decline of that day, we had nothing of
Emily but her mortal remains as consumption left them. She
died December 19, 1848. We thought this enough; but we were
utterly and presumptuously wrong. She was not buried ere
Anne fell ill. She had not been committed to the grave a
fortnight, before we received distinct intimation that it
was necessary to prepare our minds to see the younger sister
go after the elder. Accordingly, she followed in the same
path with slower step, and with a patience that equalled the
other's fortitude. I have said that she was religious, and
it was by leaning on those Christian doctrines in which she
firmly believed that she found support through her most
painful journey. I witnessed their efficacy in her latest
hour and greatest trial, and must bear my testimony to the
calm triumph with which they brought her through. She died
May 28, 1849. What more shall I say about them? I cannot and
need not say much more. In externals, they were two
unobtrusive women; a perfectly secluded life gave them
retiring manners and habits."

Though the above particulars be little more than the filling-up of an
outline already clearly traced and constantly present whenever those
characteristic tales recurred to us,--by those who have held other ideas
wi