e thanks for her constant
ministrations made the service sweet to his weary little daughter. No
doubt he passed many a sorrowful day during that long and painful
winter; but he suffered no murmur of his to add to the distress of those
dear to him. In the silence of many a long and wakeful night, he could
not but look in the face the possibility that his children might be left
orphans, and the thought could not be otherwise than one of great pain.
But he suffered no expression of doubt or fear to discourage them. He
wished to live for their sakes; and for a long time he believed that he
should live. But the hope passed away with the winter. As the days
began to grow long, and the time approached when his children hoped he
would be well again, the conviction gradually dawned upon him that the
summer air would bring no healing. He felt that he had taken his last
look of the snows of winter, that the willow buds and the pale spring
blossoms that his little ones brought to him so lovingly were the last
he should ever see. For himself it would be well; but for his
children--! None but He who knoweth all things knew the pang that rent
his heart at the thought of them! Orphans and strangers in a strange
land, what was to become of his young daughters? Some of those bright
May days were dark enough, as he groped amid the gloom of his great fear
for them.

But the faith of the Christian triumphed. Before the time came to speak
the words which were to chase all hope from their hearts, he could speak
them calmly and even hopefully. The voice that never speaks in vain had
said to the ear of faith, "Leave thy fatherless children with _Me_;" and
he was thenceforth at peace. He sometimes sighed when he noticed the
look of care that could not always be chased from the brow of his elder
girls; but almost always he was at peace about them and their future.

As for them, they were altogether hopeful. They never saw the cloud
that was growing darker and drawing nearer during those bright spring
days. In after days, they wondered at their strange unconcern, and said
to one another, "How could we have been so blind?" They were grave and
anxious many a time, but never with the fear of death. They held long
consultations together when Effie was at home; but it was always how
they might arrange their affairs so that they need not vex nor annoy
their father while he was not strong. They did not apprehend how near
was the time w