Her voice, low as its tones were, was always cheerful, and varied musically and pleasantly with her varying thoughts.

On her days of weakness, when she suffered much under her malady, she was accustomed to be quite still and quiet, and to keep her room darkened--these being the only signs by which any increase in her disorder could be detected by those about her.

She never complained when the bad symptoms came on; and never voluntarily admitted, even on being questioned, that the spine was more painful to her than usual.
She was dressed very prettily for the opening night of the Drawing Academy, wearing a delicate lace cap, and a new silk gown of Valentine's choosing, made full enough to hide the emaciation of her figure.

Her husband's love, faithful through all affliction and change to the girlish image of its first worship, still affectionately exacted from her as much attention to the graces and luxuries of dress as she might have bestowed on them of her own accord, in the best and gayest days of youth and health.

She had never looked happier and better in any new gown than in that, which Mr.Blyth had insisted on giving her, to commemorate the establishment of the domestic drawing school in her own room.
Seven o'clock had been fixed as the hour at which the business of the academy was to begin.