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9 of the bell announced the approach of the funeral. They were the obsequies of poverty, with whieh pride had nothing to do. A eoffin of the plainest materials, without pall or covering, was borne by some of the villagers. The sexton walked before, with an air of cold indifferenee. There were no mock mourners in the trappings of affeeted woe ; but there was one real mourner, who feebly tottered after the corpse. It was the aged mother of the deceased-the poor old woman whom I had seen seated on the steps of the altar. She was supported by a humble friend, who was endeavouring to comfort her. A few of the neighbouring poor had joined the train, and some of the ehildren of the village were running hand in hand, now shouting with unthinking mirth, and now pausing to gaze, with ehildish curiosity, on the grief of the mourner.

As the funeral train approaehed the grave, the parson issued from the ehureh poreh, arrayed in tho surplice, with prayer book in hand, and attended by the elerk. The serviee, however, was a mere aet of charity. The deceased had been destitute, and the surviver pennyless. It was shuffled through, therefore, in form, but eoldly and unfeelingly. The well fed priest moved but a few steps from the ehureh-door ; his voice eonld searcely be heard at the grave, and never did I hear the funeral service, that sublime and touching eeremony, turned into sueh a frigid nummery of words.

I approaehed the grave. The coffin was plaeed on the ground. On it were inseribed the name and age of the deceased-" George Somers, aged 26 years." The poor mother had been assisted to kneel down at the head of it. Her withered hands were elasped, as if in prayer ; but I eould pereeive by a feeble roeking of the body, and a convulsive motion of the lips, that she was gazing on the last relics of her son, with the yearnings of a mother's heart.