Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/203



CHAPTER XII.

CONDOLENCE.

"No! had all earth decreed that doom of shame, I would have set, against all earth's decree, The inalienable trust of my firm soul in thee."

Among all the various members of the community that had been shocked and saddened by the tragical death of Rebecca Nurse, possibly no single individual out of the circle of her own immediate family felt it more keenly or sorrowed more deeply than Alice Campbell. The kind, cheerful, generous-hearted old woman had distinguished her by many little acts of affectionate kindness and many tokens of good-will, and the loving heart of the young girl had warmly responded. Alice was naturally affectionate and grateful, and the extremely limited circle of her personal friends had perhaps intensified the love she bore them.