Laura again broke
the silence.

"Oh, dear!" she exclaimed, "what a pain I have in my side!" And for a
moment she rested from her work, and straightened herself in her chair,
to afford a slight relief from the uneasiness she experienced. "I
wonder, mother, if I shall always be obliged to sit so steady?"

"I hope not, my child; but bad as our situation is, there are hundreds
worse off than we. Take Annie Carr, for instance--how would you like to
exchange places with her?"

"Poor Annie! I was thinking of her awhile go, mother. How hard it must
be for one so young to be so afflicted as she is!"

"And yet, Laura, she never complains; although for five years she has
never left her bed, and has often suffered, I know, for want of proper
nourishment."

"I don't think she will suffer much longer, mother. I stopped in to see
her the other day, and I was astonished at the change which had taken
place in a short time. Her conversation, too, seems so heavenly, her
faith in the Lord so strong, that I could not avoid coming to the
conclusion that a few days more, at the most, would terminate her
wearisome life."

"It will be a happy release for her, indeed, my daughter. Still, it will
be a sore trial for her mother."

It was near six when Mrs. Perry and her daughter finished the work upon
which they were engaged.

"Now Laura, dear," said the mother, "get back as soon as you can, for I
don't like you to be out after night, and more than that, if Mrs. Carr
comes, she won't want to wait."

About twenty minutes after the young girl had gone, Mrs. Carr called.
"Pray, be seated, my dear friend," said Mrs. Perry, "my daughter has
just gone to Mrs. Allison's with some work, and as soon as she returns I
can pay you."

"I think I had better call over again, Mrs. Perry," answered the poor
woman; "Mary begged me not to stay long."

"Is Annie any worse, then?"

"Oh, yes, a great deal; the doctor thinks she will hardly last till
morning."

"Well, Mrs. Carr, death can be only gain to her."

"Very true; still, the idea of losing her seems dreadful to me."

"How does Mary get on at Mrs. Owring's?"

"Not very well; she has been at work for her just one month to-day; and
although she gave her to understand that her wages would be at least a
dollar and a quarter a week, yet to-night, when she settled with her,
she wouldn't give her but three dollars, and at the same time told her
that if she didn't choose to work for that she could