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ed slowly towards the house. was heard at the kitchen door.

Presently a gentle knock
It was impossible for Alice

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to summon courage to attend the stranger herself; but she whispered to the nurse, who, upon unlocking the door, inquired the reason for so late and unreasonable an intrusion. "Does Mrs. Grant still reside here?" inquired the stranger, in a kind but earnest tone. "She does," replied the nurse, "but she is dangerously ill, and we fear she cannot live many hours-you cannot see her." "O God, have mercy!" exclaimed the stranger; and so audibly were the words pronounced that the sound fell on the ears of Alice, and her heart beat with strong and distressing emotion. "I must see her," continued the stranger; "do not deny me, madam-quick, quick!" and he gently pressed the door, still held by the surprised and even terrified nurse. Alice listened to the sounds without being able to decide their import; but at length, fearing that her mother might be disturbed, she stole softly out of the room, for the purpose of ascertaining what the stranger wished. 'Alice, Miss Alice," said the nurse as she approached; but before she had finished what she was going to say, the stranger inquired, with his countenance wild with emotion, "Is this Alice Grant? and the next moment he swooned and fell on the floor. "Miss Alice!" exclaimed the agitated nurse, "what does this all mean? who can it be? what shall we do?" Alice herself stood amazed; but as the light fell upon the features of the apparently lifeless stranger, a thought flashed across her mind, and the following moment she was nearly falling beside him. "Nurse," said she, softly but quickly, "bring me some water." This she applied liberally to the temples of the stranger, who slowly recovered his consciousness, and at length sat up. He looked round, and presently fastened his eyes most intently and inquiringly on the pale and motionless Alice. "Yes, yes," he exclaimed "it is she; it is my own beloved Alice!" "CharlesCharles, my brother,!" uttered Alice, as she fell upon his

bosom. "Oh, God be praised! Charles, is it, is it you? Oh, mother, mother!" The sound of the voice reached the dying mother, and she inquired, “Alice, my child what— what did I hear, Alice?" Alice, scarcely able to stand, hastened to her bed-side; and taking her mother's hand, already cold with death, spoke in accents tremulous—for her whole frame was agitated—tremulous, but kind. "What did I hear, Alice?" the mother softly whispered; “I thought I heard something: I thought he had come. Did I dream, Alice?" "Mother, dear Mother," said Alice, putting her face close to the cold face of her dying Mother, scarcely able to draw a breath, "whom did you think had come?" "Why, Charles; it seemed as if he had come. But I dreamt-did I Alice?" "Mother," said Alice, "could you see him? could you sustain it if you could see him?" 66 'Surely, child; why, I long to see him, and I did think to see him once more before I died." At that instant, the door softly opened, and Charles approached, cautiously -inquiringly. "Mother," said Alice, "here; can you look up? do you know who this is?” Who is it, Alicewho is it" inquired the half-wild but still conscious mother. "Mother," softly whispered Charles, as he kneeled down and kissed her cold cheek" mother, my dear mother! Oh, will you, can you forgive your long-lost but repenting, broken-hearted child?" "Charles, my dear Charles, is it indeed you?" said the now dying mother, at the same time endeavouring to put her wan and feeble arm around his neck. My dear boy, you have come; yes, I said you would come-you have: yes, I can now praise God. One question, Charles, and I die in peace: Has my boy found pardon and peace in Jesus?" Mother," said Charles, his tears nearly choking his utterance, "that Bible and a mother's prayers have saved me. I have come in season to ask forgiveness. Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.' Mother, my dear mother, and will you forgive me

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also?" Enough, enough," said the departing mother; yes, it is enough," her countenance beaming, as it were, with seraphic joy. I am nearly through; but go, my son-go, my dear Alice, and publish it to the mothers of the land, what I have found true-and will continue true as long as praying mothers exist—

'His loving kindness changes not."'

For a few moments following, it was thought she had ceased to breathe; but she revived sufficiently to press once more gently the hands of Charles and Alice; and then she was heard singing, in a faint and scarcely audible tone, those beautiful lines which she had often expressed a wish that she might have occasion to sing :

"Soon shall I pass the gloomy vale;
Soon all my mortal powers must fail;
Oh, may my last expiring breath
His loving kindness sing in death !”

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The prayer was answered. "His loving-kindness' were the last sounds which were heard. They ceased here only to be resumed, and to be sung by the glorified and triumphant saint before the throne of God-Christian Treasury.

THE BIBLE.-There is no altar for this divine Book superior to the dusty table of the poor, where, amid foul air and smoke, and fouler hearts, it lies day and night, gradually clearing away the atmosphere and changing the natures around it.

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Mount Ebal and Mount Gerisim.

DEUTERONOMY XXVII.

OSES gave instructions to the Israelites that when they should have taken possession of the land of Canaan, certain of the priests should stand on or by Mount Gerizim to pronounce blessings on the obedient, and that others should stand by Mount Ebal to pronounce curses on the trangressors of God's laws, and that at the utterance of every blessing and curse all the people should say, Amen! It is worthy of notice that Gerizim abounds with springs, gardens, and orchards, and is covered with a beautiful verdure, while Ebal is naked and fruitless as a rock. These are fit emblems of the good which the righteous shall realize, and of the troubles which shall accompany the wicked, for "the way of transgressors is hard."

It is said by Jewish writers that six tribes went towards the top of Gerizim, and six towards the top of Ebal, and the priests and Levites stood beneath in the midst. The priests encompassed the ark, and the Levites stood round about the priests, and all Israel stood on this side and on that. Then the priests turned their faces toward Gerizim and pronounced the blessings, and afterwards towards Ebal pronouncing the curses. But alas! after the people had uttered their solemn Amen, we find that they continued to sin against God, and that, in consequence, the threatened punishments continued to follow them.

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Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings; woe unto the wicked, for the reward of his hands shall be given him." Isaiah, iii. 10 and II.

T. B.

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