"Lord, Lord, please to take me along with my child. We were but two! two

orphan sisters! I have grown gray in taking care of her! She cannot do

without me, nor I without her! We were but two! Why should one be taken

and the other left? It is not fair, Lord! I say it is not fair!" raved

the mourner, in that blind and passionate abandonment of grief which is

sure at its climax to reach frenzy, and break into open rebellion

against Omnipotent Power.

And it is well for us that the Father is more merciful than our

tenderest thoughts, for he pardons the rebel and heals his wounds.

The sorrow of the young man, deepened by remorse, was too profound for

such outward vent. He leaned against the bedpost, seemingly colder,

paler, and more lifeless than the dead body before him.

At length the tempest of Hannah's grief raged itself into temporary

rest. She arose, composed the form of her sister, and turned and laid

her hand upon the shoulder of Herman, saying calmly: "It is all over. Go, young gentleman, and wrestle with your sorrow and

your remorse, as you may. Such wrestlings will be the only punishment

your rashness will receive in this world! Be free of dread from me. She

left you her forgiveness as a legacy, and you are sacred from my

pursuit. Go, and leave me with my dead."

Herman dropped upon his knees beside the bed of death, took the cold

hand of Nora between his own, and bowed his head upon it for a little

while in penitential homage, and then arose and silently left the hut.

After he had gone, Hannah remained for a few minutes standing where he

had left her, gazing in silent anguish upon the dark eyes of Nora, now

glazed in death, and then, with reverential tenderness, she pressed down

the white lids, closing them until the light of the resurrection morning

should open them again.

While engaged in this holy duty, Hannah was interrupted by the

re-entrance of Herman.

He came in tottering, as if under the influence of intoxication; but we

all know that excessive sorrow takes away the strength and senses as

surely as intoxication does. There is such a state as being drunken with

grief when we have drained the bitter cup dry!

"Hannah," he faltered, "there are some things which should be remembered

even in this awful hour."

The sorrowing woman, her fingers still softly pressing down her sister's

eyelids, looked up in mute inquiry.

"Your necessities and--Nora's child must be provided for. Will you give

me some writing materials?" And the speaker dropped, as if totally

prostrated, into a chair by the table.




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