my dear boy, in an
hour's time I will be with you.'

"As soon as dinner was over, I returned to Frederic: he looked so
pleased, I shall never forget the glow that overspread his fair
face, as I entered the berth, for he was really handsome; his eyes
were bright hazel, his hair auburn, and waving over his head in the
most graceful curls, while his complexion was the clearest and most
beautiful I had ever seen. I found a seat on a chest near his
hammock, and, telling him I was ready to attend to his narrative, he
began:--

"'The first impression I have of home was when I was about five
years old, and was surrounded by a little troop of brothers and
sisters, for I can remember when there was seven healthy, happy
children in my "boyhood's home." We lived at Feltham, Middlesex, in
the pretty parsonage-house. It was situated at the end of a long
avenue of elm-trees whose arching boughs, meeting over our heads,
sheltered us from the mid-day glare. Here in the winter we used to
trundle our hoops; and in the summer stroll about to gather bright
berries from the hedges to make chains for the adornment of our
bowers. But death came to our happy home, and made sad the hearts of
our good parents: the whooping-cough was very prevalent in the
village, and a child of one of the villagers, who occasionally came
to my father for relief, brought the contagion amongst us, and in a
short time we were all seized with it. Two sisters died in one day,
and the morning they were laid in the grave, sweet baby breathed his
last. Then my mother fell sick, and she was very ill indeed; my
brother and I were placed in a cot by her bedside, and when pain has
prevented me sleeping, I have been comforted by hearing this dear,
kind mother beseeching God to spare her boys. She seemed regardless
of her own sufferings, and only repined when she thought how useful
she might have been to us, had _she_ too not been laid on a bed of
sickness. But fever and delirium came on, and we were removed from
her chamber. The next day poor Frank died, and was buried by the
side of Clara and Lucy. The funeral service was read by my dear
father, who was enabled to stand under all these trials of his
faith, for God sustained him; and, having trained us up in the fear
and admonition of the Lord, he did not grieve as one without hope,
when his darlings were taken from him, for he knew they were gone to
a better world, and were happy in the bosom of their heavenly
Father. Hi