sion. At
length she played the tune of "Home! sweet home," to which Frank
listened for some moments with intense agitation, till, clasping his
hands and bursting into tears, he exclaimed, in accents of powerful
emotion,

"Home! That happy home! Oh! never--never more,--_my_ home is in the
grave."

Laura wept convulsively while he added in broken accents, "I shall still
be remembered--still lamented--you must not love me too well,
Laura,--not as I love you, or your sorrow would be too great; but long
hence, when Harry and you are happy together, surrounded with friends,
think sometimes of one who must for ever be absent,--who loved you
better than them all,--whose last prayer will be for you both. Oh! who
can tell what my feelings are! I can do nothing now but cause distress
and anguish to those who love me best!"

"Frank, I would not exchange your affection for the wealth of worlds. As
long as I live, it will be my greatest earthly happiness to have had
such a brother; and if we are to suffer a sorrow that I cannot name, and
dare not think of, you are teaching me how to bear it, and leaving us
the only comfort we can have, in knowing that you are happy."

"Many plans and many hopes I had for the future, Laura," added Frank;
"but there is no future to me now in this world. Perhaps I may escape a
multitude of sorrows, but how gladly would I have shared all yours, and
ensured my best happiness by uniting with Harry and you in living to
God. If you both learn more by my death than by my life, then, indeed, I
do rejoice. With respect to myself, it matters but little a few years or
hours sooner, for I may say, in the words of Job, 'though He slay me,
yet will I trust in Him.'"

Frank's sufferings increased every day, and became so very great at
last, that the Doctor proposed giving him strong doses of laudanum, to
bring on a stupor and allay the pain; but when this was mentioned to
him, he said, "I know it is my duty to take whatever you prescribe, and
I certainly shall, but if we can do without opiates, let me entreat you
to refrain from them. Often formerly at sea I used to think it very sad
how few of those I attended in sickness were allowed by the physician to
die in possession of their senses, on account of being made to take
laudanum, which gave them false spirits and temporary ease. Let me
retain my faculties as long as they are mercifully granted to me. I can
bear pain,--at least, God grant me strength to do so,