tion, and when she was not more than fourteen, she lost her mother, to whom she was most tenderly attached. Long and keenly did she feel this sorrow, but the impression slowly wore away, and fears of unclouded sunshine succeeded-the idol of her surviving parent, beloved and admired by all, life wore to her its fairest aspect; Providential dealings had been different with her friend-most graciously different, for better far is the sanctified trial, than the dazzling glare of earth, unmellowed by the softenin influence of Gospel truth. The dissimilarity of feeling thus produced between us, did not chill our youthful friendship, rather perhaps, knit us more closely together; for though occasionally exposed to a little playful bantering, about my great grandmother notions," Charlotte could not be unkind, and in graver moments she acknowledged she loved me better, as I seemed more like her dear Mamma.

I feel self-abased, when I recal how little I exerted my influence to win my dear young friend, to compare the worthlessness of the things of time, with the value of the soul; but we probably all experience at times, a great difficulty in dilating on new-found truths, however precious to ourselves, with those who have known us when we prized them not. I believe this false timidity chained my tongue, and I easily persuaded myself she had yet a long life before her, that better opportunities would occur, and that when the dispensations of Providence should speak around her, would be the most propitious time to enforce the solemn realities of eternity. Oh! could we always bear in mind that we have only the present moment, and no assurance of the next, either for ourselves, or those we love, what

earnestness would it give to our desires, what activity to our efforts! Still, though imperfectly attempted, the endeavour to interest Charlotte in the sacred truths of the Bible, was not altogether neglected, but the world was all a fairy scene to her, and while at times she listened to me with gentleness, she more frequently managed to divert me from my purpose, by recurring to our early studies, and roaming through the bright fields of literature; while, charmed with her sparkling fancy, I too often felt satisfied when she said, 66 By and bye, you know, I shall be more accustomed to all those novelties which fascinate me now so much, and then I will give undivided attention to all your grave sayings, but oh! not now."

It may be supposed that the different paths we trod, tended in some degree to keep us apart from each other, but our affection knew no shadow of estrangement; by degrees, Charlotte grew weary of the heartless dissipation of the world, she felt its frivolity, and insufficiency to satisfy her intellectual nature, and withdrew from many of the glittering scenes in which she had been hitherto a gay participator. I hailed this change joyfully, as a token for good, but soon found, revolt of taste is widely removed from change of heart, and that the world might be worshipped, not less devotedly, though in a purer form.

"Charlotte," I once asked, as I found her engrossed with all the injurious devices fashion furnishes, to flitter away in busy nothingness the fleeting moments, "do you ever find time to pray?"

"Oh! yes," she replied quickly, "I would not leave my room in the morning, or lie down at night without saying my prayers, on any account; I always

repeat the prayer Mamma taught me when a little girl."

"And do you find this childish form enough to express your wants now? do you never ask anything out of your own mind?" She looked serious for a moment, and then said, " I did not think of this before, but I fear if I were to ask what I wish, it would be quite wrong; so it is safest to do what dear Mamma taught, indeed I must consider this when I have more leisure, but I cannot just now."

A short period passed away, and Charlotte was about to become the bride of the elegant and attractive Captain C—. I found her one morning surrounded with gay attire, half arrayed in nuptial robes; she complained of fatigue, and though her eyes sparkled with unusual lustre, the flittering colour on her cheek faded at times to ashy paleness, and again deepened to unnatural hectic; she had a short dry cough too, that grated on my ears, and a quickness of breathing which really startled me. For the first time a thought of the uncertainty of her life glanced painfully through my mind, “you are not well," dear Charlotte, I exclaimed, “ you want care and quiet-oh! do postpone for a little time your marriage, and do not think of leaving your home at present."

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Nay, nay," she replied, with a bright and sunny smile. "It is only the flurry and agitation of the change; look at the way I am teased with those French modistes, but the affair once over I shall have time to rest, and to attend to various things as well as my cough, but I can do nothing now."

The marriage took place; and Captain C, bore away his lovely wife to be caressed by his

friends, and hurried from one scene of excitement to another, and three months elapsed before we met again. Then she had become suddenly and dangerously ill-the hollow cough-the rapid respiration, the wasting form, all bespoke confirmed consumption; I saw it at once; and now many were ready to speak to her of those precious truths, kept back, while health and strength were hers. At times, when she was full of childish hope, she would not listen, but would wander from one plan to another of enjoyment when she should get well again-at other times drowsiness and languor overpowered her, and she lacked energy to exert her thoughts on the simplest matters-sometimes she would weep long and bitterly—and then, her father and husband would refuse admittance to all, but those who would amuse her with stories of idle gossip. Winter drew on, and change of climate was prescribed as the sole hope of amendment; once again before she left her home, I spoke to her of Jesus, "the way, the truth, and the life"-of his finished work, his tender love-his mighty power; and she flung her arms round my neck and sobbed, “ my own dear Friend, I am too ill and weak to be able to think of these solemn subjects. Change of scene will do a great deal for me, and then, will you not come to me and

tell me all, but not now."

I was intimately acquainted with a faithful and pious minister, to whose neighbourhood she was removing, and I wrote to him at once, asking his ministrations for my friend, and requesting him to let me know the progressive state of both mind and body. Seven long weeks passed away, ere an answer came, it was sad and brief, and ran as follows:

'I have delayed writing, in the hope that I might have a more satisfactory account to give of the interesting friend you commended to my pastoral care -not of the dying body, evidently decaying day by day, but of the “inner man” which can never perish. 'It was some time before I was permitted to see her, those about her feared the effect of excitement from the introduction of religious topics, especially by a stranger; at length in a moment of brief amendment I obtained access, and became thenceforth a frequent and most anxious visitor. She seemed

always glad to see me, but a weight of torpor overpowered her very often, and took from her the ability of freely exercising her powers of thought. She assented to all I said, and bore her illness with resignation, almost passive. Yesterday I observed a manifest change for the worse, and as my sympathy became more than usually awakened for the sufferer, and her afflicted family, I spoke very plainly of her hopeless state, and with great freedom of Jesus the "friend of sinners;" she listened with evident emotion, while slow gathering tears oozed through her closed eyelids; after a short and fervent prayer, I rose to depart, and as she extended her hand, she said in a faint voice, "It is well for those who have a tried friend to trust-but very hard to confide in a new one." Towards evening she became rapidly worse, and early this morning passed away in quiet slumber, without having uttered an intelligible sentence. Let us trust, that she found Jesus, if a new, still an Almighty friend; and let us, earnestly endeavouring to attain that assurance of faith, which may impart to us a hope full of immortality, cling to the belief, that when the Lord makes up his jewels, she may be