MUSIC. The Bride's Farewell, The Angel's Whisper, Page 71 I Hear the Robin's Morning Lay, Page 216 Her Mighty Sails the Breezes Swell, 191 Christ in the Garden. 240 264 sick you called with another clergyman and had some conversation with her.' Recollection threw a gleam back on the page of memory, and soon brought up the scene. I had visited Mary. It was some It was a cold, bright evening in the two years before. I had seen her, the month of January—-one of those extremely young, the beautiful, the meek, in the earcold evenings which characterize our Newlier stages of convalescence after a dangerEngland winters, when the very timbers ous illness, and I remembered the touching of the house crack, as if they were crying pathos of her conversation-the deep piety out in agony at the severity of the frost, of her spirit on that occasion. She was and when the air cuts one's brow with the then a lamb of my Master's flock, just born into his hallowed fold, and her feelings sharpness of the sabre's edge. I had just taken my seat at my study table-my stove were replete with the soft, sweet influence threw out its genial warmth and produced of the young christian's earliest love.— that feeling of comfort so peculiar to a win-Shortly after that visit, I had left that part ter's night-my wife sat beside me plying of the country and new scenes and occuthe needle-the bright little needle, the pations had banished the image of Mary swift little needle'-and having looked far into the recesses of my memory. around with a feeling of perfect self-com- A few moments served to array me in placency and gratitude, I plunged deep into cloak and shawl, and to ensconce us both the glowing thoughts of a favorite author, in the sleigh, which was soon rapidly glidwhen tap, tap, tap,' was heard at my door.ing over the smooth, hard snow path, the A young man entered with solemn step merry bells jingling in strange contrast and saddened eye. His sorrowful features with the more melancholy vibrations of communicated their mysterious influence our feelings. On the way, I made some; to my heart, and, with all the sympathy or inquiries of the brother respecting the state manner I could muster, I offered him a of Mary's mind—but he was an impenitent chair. youth, and all I could gather from him was. 6 'No, sir,' said he, in reply to my wish that Mary was very unhappy! that he would sit down by our fire, my I entered the sick chamber. Affection, sister is very sick, and she wishes to see in the person of the mother, sat watching you,' and a shade passed over the brow of the pale form that slumbered, for a passing that brother as he paused for my reply. moment, on the bed. Silently and softly 'Your sister, Mr Woodbury!' I respond- I stole to the bedside, and watched the uned; which one?' easy breathings of the sleeper. There she lay, young and beautiful even in her sick Mary,' I replied musingly-have Iness. Her cheeks were colorless. Her ever seen her?' brow white as the snow flake, and her 'You saw her once,' said he' she was breathing low and difficult. The stamp of 2 Mary: or, The Maiden's Death. death was there, but the pained expression|sal love of the Messiah, but it was a vain of the lips shewed a mind ill at ease with-effort-despair had taken hold upon her, in. As I gazed, an unbidden tear stole and she would not be comforted. slowly down my cheek, and I sent a prayer to heaven for the safety of the fair sufferer's soul. Day after day I continued to visit her, and at last succeeded in removing the foundations of her unbelief, and in directing her to Christ. Then her fears fled, howling to their own native hell. Despair let She waked and recognized me at once. Her thin ghost-like hand was stretched slowly forth and placed in mine, while her go his fearful gripe, and joy, seated in her low, soft voice whispered, 'I am glad to see you, sir.' heart, radiated his beams from her glistening eyes. Still there were moments of A brief conversation ensued. She told doubt, but they were as the breath that me all that was in her heart of religion, dims the mirror for a moment and then hope and fear. The sum of her story was passes into air.. this: Two years before, she had been af About a fortnight subsequently to my flicted with a bitter affliction. But her bed first visit, I called in about seven o'clock of bodily pain had been strangely convert-in the evening. She was feeble and exed into a spiritual paradise, for in that sick-hausted; her voice was low and husky, ness she sought and found a Saviour.—and was only heard in hushed and broken Upon her recovery, she had felt a convic-notes. Her weakness was such she could tion that bade her make a public profession only say a word or two at a time. She of her love to Christ. Her timid spirit was dying! Standing by her side, I asked, shrunk from the holy task, and after a long 'Is the Saviour precious to you in this conflict she yielded to her fears and lost hour of trial?' her peace, with an impression fastened,|| Never shall I forget the beautiful expreswith the clutch of a vampyre, upon her sion of her lovely countenance at that momind that she should one day have to re-ment. All her remaining life kindled pent with agony and grief over the remem-up in her eye, and with a seraph's smile brance of her guilty neglect. That im-she gently raised her attenuated hand, and pression was now vivid as light upon her passing it gently to and fro upon the bed, heart, and it lay like an anvil there, cold she replied, and heavy. Looking up to me, with a glance of in- me. Jesus! Jesus is here, and I am happy.' tense interest, she asked, Nature gave way: it could bear no more, 'Oh, sir, Jesus is here. He is all around 'Do you think, sir, that after such a dar-and she fell back exhausted upon her piling resistance of the Spirit of God, I can low. For an hour she remained in a peacebe forgiven?' ful sleep, when opening her eyes she said Most certainly you can, for the Lord to her mother who stood watching at her Jesus Christ tasted death for every man,|| bedside, and he has declared himself able and wil- 'Dear mother, give me some drink.' ling to save all that will apply for his love." It was given her: to their surprise she True, sir, he is a great Saviour, but then asked for food. Her mother turned then I slighted him when in health, and to meet her wish, and she fell gently back now that I am about to die, it looks so like upon the pillow. Not a sigh escaped her. going to him out of the mere fear of de- Her mother brought food, but she heeded struction, and not out of that love which it not. She touched her, but her eyes did ought to draw us to Jesus'-and she burst not open. She leaned forward to catch into an agony of weeping as she spoke. the sound of her breath, but it was not I endeavored to soothe her wounded there. Her daughter was dead. Like the spirit by pouring in the balm of Gilead, grey mist of the morning, her pure spirit and by speaking of the unbounded, univer- had melted into the light of heaven. Thus ended my visits to Mary. She||always wore, and the short, repulsive anwas a lovely girl, beloved by all that knew swers which he gave to all, soon estranged her. Her fair fame was spotless as the vir-him from the kind regards, and even the passing notice, of his companions. He gin parchment; but still she felt the newas, however, statedly seen at his duties; cessity of the blood of the Lord Jesus passively and silently obedient to every Christ and the washing of regeneration to order, neglecting nothing that was assignfit her for the purity of the realms, where ed to him, and under all circumstances our great Father reigns. For though her appearing cold and unmoved and uninterested. fame with earth was pure, her soul had 'Never,' said his commander, have I sinned against heaven. The neglect of a seen such a personification of a statue.clearly understood duty indicated a diso- His features were as of chiselled marble bedient heart, and exposed her to the wrath-fixed and unrelaxing; and his eyes with of God. Of that she repented with bitter one amazing expression of sullen despair. In so large a ship's company, we were weeping and lamentation. The Saviour not often thrown into close or familiar saw her sorrow and flew to wipe away her contact, and when not in the act of obeytears, and then he sent his angel to bearing my immediate orders, he would alher to his own glory. There then she ways avoid me when I approached him. rests a seraph in that seraph land. The moral of our story is plain and affecting. It bids the young prepare for their death hour by seeking, while in health, such a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as shall produce faithfulness to duty in life and triumph in the last sad article of death. Will the reader learn this important moral? We trust he will. Though there was every thing in his air and conduct to repel inquiry, yet I several times ventured to ask him particulars of his health or history. His answers, though respectful, were short and unsatisfactory; and indeed he seemed possessed of a peculiar faculty of repulsing even his superiors. 'Nearly two months of the voyage had passed without any incident occurring worthy of note. I had remarked no change in him, except that he had become evidently much emaciated; and though no complaint escaped him, he was visibly and daily losing strength. When I told Several years since, the commander of him that I was willing to excuse him from a vessel on the eve of sailing for America his more laborious duties, he coldly refrom Calcutta, was applied to by a sea-plied: THE CONFESSION. A TRUE STORY. man for the purpose of being engaged in "I do not wish to be idle-I am not so his employ. He professed to be an Eng-strong as I might be, but I am well enlishman, and by his conversation appear-ough." ed to be above the class of ordinary sail- This was said in his usual repulsive ors. He was pale and thin; and withal tone, and as I saw his unwillingness to had such a dejected and care-worn coun-receive even the expression of kindness tenance, that he seemed hardly fitted to or interest, I forebore to molest him furundertake the duties of a long voyage.―ther. He produced, however, testimonials of 'About the time we experienced a sefaithfulness and industry from several re-vere hurricane, which required every one spectable employers, and as he declared at his post and at active duty. In the himself in good health, and stated that course of the day I missed the English the climate had caused his temporary em-seaman, and on asking for him, was told aciation, he was engaged and forthwith he was so feeble as to be unable to leave entered upon the duties of his new sta-his bed. Being myself constantly engagtion. ed in the duties of my station, I gave or After the vessel had set sail, he became||ders that he should be well taken care of; distinguished among his fellow-seamen and when I afterwards enquired about for his reserve and unwillingness to be him, I was always told, he was well enassociated with them, evidently not from ough, but was too cross and lazy to work pride, or personal dislike to them, but from—that it was no use to offer him any a peculiar sullenness of temper; and the kindness, as he would only answer anabstracted and unhappy look which hellgrily in return-and that he was of too bad a temper even to eat more than oc- enfeebled as you appear to be, should be casionally a sea-biscuit. Even if I had out of his bed. Come, I will take you had leisure to attend him, I own I had al-back." most conceived a dislike to the man, so ""No, no," and he gasped for breath as forbidding and disagreeable had been his he laid his hand upon my arm, "they-my whole behaviour; consequently I felt but mess-mates-whould hear what I have to little inclination to have more intercourse say, and it must not be." Or my soul is with him than was necessary. My en- "The thought instantly occurred to me gagements however, were too peremptory that he was not in his right mind, and I to admit of further attentions on my part, again said to him, "Come, come, you must than inquiries respecting him. For three go back; it is very wrong for you to be weeks we experienced such a continuance here-you will be better in bed." of boisterous and severe weather, that "Sir," said he in a solemn tone, "you every man in the ship was in almost con- must hear me. I rise from my death bed stant requisition. I was myself nearly to tell you what no other ears must hear, worn down with want of rest; and I should and which must be told before I die, or" have thought two hours of uninterrupted -he stopped, and a convulsive shudsleep a luxury. dering shook his whole frame. 'At length we were cheered with the "Or what?" I asked: return of fair weather, and never was rest lost forever!" he replied. more needed and welcomed by all. It I was, for a moment, subdued and awhad become almost a perfect calm, and a-ed by his unearthly appearance; and the bout midnight I had thrown myself across solemn stillness that reigned around, adda berth and fallen asleep. I had been ed effect to what he said. It again ocsleeping probably not more than half an curred to me that he might be raving, and hour, when I was awakened by a slight I endeavored to persuade him to go to noise, and standing up, I beheld, at the bed. But he stopped me with "As a foot of the cabin stairs, a tall strange dying man, I will be heard; and if you looking figure, wrapped in a sheet which will save my soul you will hear me." nearly touched the floor! One wasted 'Willing to soothe his increasing agitaarm was exposed, and as the emaciated tion, I told him to be brief, as if he hand grasped the sheet, it seemed as if wished to communicate any thing secretthrough the transparent skin every bone ly to me-we should soon be interrupted could be counted. The bright moonlight by the awaking of those sleeping near us. enabled me to discern every feature, and He looked suspiciously around, and apso intensely were the black sunken eyes proaching me closely, whispered, "But fixed upon me, that for an instant a feel- you must swear, swear solemnly, never, ing of awe came over me. The next never, to reveal what I shall confess." moment I was on my feet, and receiving 'I promised faithfully to keep his seno answer to my question of "Who are cret; and, as in broken sentences, he reyou?" I stepped forward and raised my lated the particulars of a dreadful crime hand as if to grasp the arm, when the man which he had committed several years replied in a low voice, before, I became almost as agitated as "Do me no harm, sir, I am Ned Wil-himself. As he concluded he seemed reson." It was the English sailor, whom I lieved of a fearful burthen. We were both had not seen for three weeks, and who silent for several minutes. had become so altered, that not until I "And now," said he, grasping my arm had looked fixedly at him, did I recog-and looking in my face, as if destiny denize his pallid features. pended on my answer, tell me if my soul is lost forever." 'I said to him in a stern tone, "And what has brought you here at such an hour? Come, go immediately to bed." He answered, but in a tone of voice so unlike his usual manner of speaking, that I was touched in a moment. "Don't speak harshly to me, sir, I beseech you." I replied, "Yours is a dreadful crime: but to the repentant sinner there is offered free forgiveness," ""Repentant!" he exclaimed, "GOD, who sees my heart, knows if I have repented or not; but I have never ventured to ask his forgiveness, convinced that He could have no mercy for me." "Well then," I said, as kindly as I ""Why have you presumed to set limits could, "tell me what has brought you here to His mercy?" I said. He paused, and at such an hour. It is not fit that one sol then answered, "For so many years I have |