h her feelings and moral sentiments were
regulated. For a fortnight after this, she sank with such a certain
but imperceptible approximation towards death that the eyes even of
affection could, scarcely notice the gradations of its approach.

During this melancholy period, her father was summoned upon an occasion
which was strongly calculated to try the sincerity of his Christian
professions. Not a day passed that he did not forget his own sorrows,
and the reader knows how heavily they pressed upon him--in order to
prepare the mind of his daughter's destroyer for the awful change
which death was about to open upon his soul. He reasoned--he prayed--he
wept--he triumphed--yes, he triumphed, nor did he ever leave the
death-bed of Charles Osborne, until he had succeeded in fixing his heart
upon that God "who willeth not the death of a sinner."

A far heavier trial upon the Christian's fortitude, however, was soon to
come upon him. Jane, as the reader knows, was now at the very portals of
heaven. For hours in the day--she was perfectly rational; but again she
would wander into her chant of sorrow,--as much from weakness as from
the original cause of her malady; for upon this it is difficult if not
impossible to determine.

On the last evening, however, that her father ever attended Charles
Osborne, he came home as usual, and was about to inquire how Jane felt,
when Maria come to him with eyes which weeping had made red, and said--

"Oh papa--I fear--we all fear, that--I cannot utter it--I cannot--I
cannot--Oh papa, at last the hour we fear is come."

"Remember, my child, that you are speaking," said this heroic Christian,
"remember that you are speaking to a Christian father, who will not set
up his affections, nor his weaknesses, nor his passions against the will
of God."

"Oh! but papa--Jane, Jane"--she burst into bitter tears for more than a
minute, and then added--"Jane, papa, is dying--leaving us at last!"

"Maria," said he, calmly, "leave me for some minutes. You know not, dear
child, what my struggles have been. Leave me now--this is the trial I
fear--and now must I, and so must you all--but now must I----Oh, leave
me, leave me."

He knelt down and prayed; but in less than three, minutes, Agnes,
armed with affection--commanding and absolute it was from that loving
sister--came to him.

She laid her hand upon his arm, and pressed it. "Papa!"--

"I know it," said he, "she is going; but, Agnes, we must be Chri