erience a better lesson than any body
can teach you. You have erred, you have suffered. And"--he took a letter
from his pocket--"I have something here to make you remember what you
have learned--I think, for always."

Frank had listened, humbly, tremblingly, full of tears which he did not
shed for the eyes that were about them. But now he started, and took the
letter eagerly. "What's it? any bad news?" for he felt an alarming
presentiment.

"I do not think it is bad. If you had seen what I saw, you would not
think so either." Mr. Egglestone's manner was exceedingly tender, and his
voice was liquid and low. "All is well with your folks at home; both with
those who are there as you left them, and with the one whose true home is
not there any longer, but in a brighter land, we trust."

"O!"--it was almost a cry of pain that broke from Frank. "Hattie?"

"Yes, Frank; it is of Hattie I am speaking. She has passed away. I was
present, and saw her depart. And she was very calm and happy, and her
last look was a smile, and her last words were words of hope and love.
The letter will tell you all about it. I recall one thing, however, which
I will repeat, since it so nearly concerns you. They were speaking of
you. And she said, 'Maybe I shall see him before any of you will! Yes!'
she added, her face shining already like a spirit's with the joyful
thought, 'tell him how I love him; and say that I shall be with him when
he does not know!' And I am sure that, if it is possible for souls that
have escaped from these environments of flesh to be near us still, she
will often be near you, loving you, influencing you. Perhaps she is
present now, and hears all we say, and sees how badly you feel, and
thinks you would not feel quite so badly if you knew that she is happy."

Frank would have spoken, to ask some earnest question which arose in his
heart; but his feelings were too much agitated, and he could not trust
his voice.

"We will believe such things are true of our lost ones," Mr. Egglestone
said, with a parting pressure of the boy's hand. "For, with that faith,
we shall surely try so to live that, when they approach us, they will not
be repelled; and thus we will be guarded from evil, if not by any direct
influence of theirs, then by our own reverence and love for them."

With this he took his leave. And Frank crept into his bunk, and turned
away his face, before he dared to open and read his mother's letter.

In that letter