ng them--"look; why I'll soon
have her as merry as a kid."

"But who were you in love with, William," asked Agnes.

"I was smitten first with Kate Sharp, the Applewoman, in consideration
of her charmin' method of giving me credit for fruit when I was a
school-boy, and had no money. I thought her a very interesting woman,
I assure you, and preferred my suit to her With signal success. I say
signal, for you know she was then, as she is now, very hard of hearing,
and I was forced to pay my suit to her by signs."

"Dear William," said she, "I see your motive, and love you for it;
but it is too soon--my spirits are not yet in tone for mirth or
pleasantry--but they will be--they will be. I know it is too bad to
permit an affliction that is merely sentimental to bear me down in this
manner; but I cannot help it, and you must all only look on me as a
weak, foolish girl, and forgive me, and pity me. Mamma, I will lie down
again, for I feel I am not, well; and oh, papa, if you ever prayed with
fervor and sincerity, pray for strength to your own Jane, and happiness
to her stricken heart."

She then retired, and for the remainder of that day confined herself
partly to her bed, and altogether to her chamber; and it was observed,
that from the innocent caprices of a sickly spirit, she called Agnes,
and her mother, and Maria--sometimes one, and sometimes another--and
had them always about her, each to hear a particular observation that
occurred to her, or to ask some simple question, of no importance to
any person except to one whose mind had become too sensitive upon the
subject which altogether engrossed it. Towards evening she had a long
fit of weeping, after which she appeared more calm and resigned.
She made her mother read her a chapter in the Bible, and expressed a
resolution to bear every thing she said as became one she hoped not yet
beyond the reach of Divine grace and Christian consolation.

After a second night's sleep she arose considerably relieved from the
gloomy grief which had nearly wrought such a dreadful change in her
intellect. Her father's plan of imperceptibly engaging her attention
by instruction and amusement was carried into effect by him and her
sisters, with such singular success, that at the lapse of a month she
was almost restored to her wonted spirits. We say almost, because it
was observed that, notwithstanding her apparent serenity, she never
afterwards reached the same degree of cheerfulness, nor