Dear, darling mamma, kiss me good-bye." "My darling! my darling!" Elsie cried, pressing a kiss of passionate love upon the sweet lips.
"Dear mamma," they faintly whispered--and were still.
Kneeling by the bedside, Elsie gathered the little wasted form in her arms, pillowing the beautiful golden head upon her bosom, while again and again she kissed the pale brow, the cheeks, the lips; then laying it down gently she stood gazing upon it with unutterable love and mingled joy and anguish.
"It was well with the child," and no rebellious thought arose in her heart, but ah, what an aching void was there! how empty were her arms, though so many of her darlings were still spared to her.
A quiet step drew near, a strong arm was passed about her waist, and a kind hand drew her head to a resting-place on her husband's breast.
"Is it so ?" he said in moved tones, gazing through a mist of tears upon the quiet face of the young sleeper.

"Ah, darling, our precious lamb is safely folded at last.

He has gathered her in his arms and is carrying her in his bosom." There was no bitterness in the tears that were shed to the memory of little Lily; her short life had been so full of suffering, her passing away was so joyful that they must rejoice for her even while they wept for their own heavy loss.
They laid her body in the family burialground and mamma and the children went very often to scatter flowers upon the graves, reserving the fairest and sweetest for the little mound that looked so fresh and new.
"But she is not here," Rosie would say, "she's gone to the dear home above where Jesus is.

And she's so happy.

She'll never be sick any more because it says, 'Neither shall there be any more pain.'" Lily was never spoken of as lost or as dead; she had only gone before to the happy land whither they all were journeying, and where they should find her again blooming and beautiful; they spoke of her often and with cheerfulness, though tears would sometimes fall at the thought that the separation must be so long.
Elsie was much worn out with the long nursing, which she would not resign to other hands, and, as Mr.and Mrs.Daly were well pleased to have it so arranged, they still retained their posts in the household.
But the children again enjoyed the pleasant evening talks, and the prized morning half hour with mamma.