At last, while it was yet dark, and when I seemed to have been sleeping and waking, waking and falling asleep again in my crib for weeks, my father came in with a strange look upon his face, and took me up in his arms, and wrapped a blanket round me, saying mamma wanted to kiss me, but I must be very good and make no noise.

There was little fear of that! I gazed in utter silence at the sweet face that was whiter than the sheet below it, the hair that shone brighter than ever in the candlelight.

Only when I kissed her, and she had laid her wan hand on my head, I whispered to my father, "Why is mamma so cold ?" With a smothered groan he carried me back to bed, and I cried myself to sleep.

It was too true, then.

She was too good and too pretty for this world, and before sunrise she was gone.
Before the day was ended Sister Alice left us also.