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240 shawl about her, and by the faint beams of a lamp, bending over the hearth-stone, fan the expiring embers, in order to warm some dilution to moisten the lips and assuage the thirst of the unconscious innocent.

During her intervals of watchfulness and fatigue, Mrs. De Brooke, whilst elevating her soul in prayer, sometimes fell into a short repose. So passed the night, and the morning came without any visible amendment in the health of the child.

Mrs. De Brooke again urged on her husband the necessity of sending for a physician.

"If it will give any satisfaction to your mind", replied he, "send for one by all means; but you, who have courage, resolution, and fortitude, who have been taught to bend, and will doubtless again bow to the will of the Supreme, let that not too much afflict you, which I think it necessary to prepare you for,—death sits already depicted on the countenance of our dear child!"

Mrs. De Brooke started; the opinion of her husband was unsuspected, and conveyed, though undesignedly, vehement affliction to her delicate mind, in which, notwithstanding the shock, while her sweet sufferer sustained the lamp of life, the light of hope remained unextinguished. Robert was dispatched for Dr. Beckford, but hastily