he added, smiling through her tears, "I will endeavor to be
more cheerful, and trust for better things."

"That's a good girl; I assure you I would rather hear you laugh once
than to see you cry a hundred times," said the old man, repeating a
witticism that Virginia had heard ever since her childish trials and
tears over broken dolls or tangled hair. The idea was so grotesque and
absurd, that the sweet girl laughed until she cried again.

"Besides," added her father, "I heard yesterday that that pestilent
fellow, Bacon, was in arms again, and it may be necessary for Berkeley
to use some harsh means to punish his insolence. I would not be at all
surprised if Hansford were engaged in this laudable enterprise."

"God, in his mercy, forbid," said Virginia, in a faint voice.

"And why, my daughter? Would you shrink from lending the services of him
you love to your country, in her hour of need?"

"But the danger, father!"

"There can be but little danger in an insurrection like this. Strong
measures will soon suppress it. Nay, the very show of organized and
determined resistance will strike terror into the white hearts of these
cowardly knaves. But if this were not so, the duty would be only
stronger."

"Yes, Virginia," said her mother. "No one knows more than I, how hard it
is for a woman to sacrifice her selfish love to her country. But in my
day we never hesitated, and I was happy in my tears, when I saw your
father going forth to fight for his king and country. There was none of
your 'God forbid' then, and you need not expect to be more free from
trials than those who have gone before you."

There was no real unkindness meant in this speech of Mrs. Temple, but,
as we have before reminded the reader, she took especial delight in
magnifying her own joys and her own trials, and in making an invidious
comparison of the present day with her earlier life, always to the
prejudice of the former. Tenderly devoted to her daughter, and deeply
sympathizing in her distress, she yet could not forego the pleasure of
reverting to the time when she too had similar misfortunes, which she
had borne with such exemplary fortitude. To be sure, this heroism
existed only in the dear old lady's imagination, for no one gave way to
trials with more violent grief than she. Virginia, though accustomed to
her mother's peculiar temper, was yet affected by her language, and her
tears flowed afresh.

"Cheer up, my daughter," said her father, "t