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rich and healing balm had been strangers to her heart. A new world opened before her, a new hope, calm and delicious, dawned in her soul, a hope based on a rock, and with immortality for its object. Her health grew delicate, and the smile in her blue eyes was quenched, but a spirit of more than mortal beauty looked out from their clear depths; her merry and sweet laughter was no more heard within the walls of the cottage, or on the still lake re-echoed from the hills around; but the "peace which passeth all understanding" shone in undisturbed serenity over her lovely countenance.

A presentiment that she would not long tread the fields of earth became rooted in Geraldine's mind, though she carefully concealed it from her husband. She felt that a blow had been given to the frail thread of her life, which it could never recover; and sometimes, as this thought dwelt on her mind, she would take Antonio's loved hand in both hers, and gaze with yearning and mournful tenderness on his

face. She felt that his grief for her loss would be overwhelming, and she ardently prayed that the child which stirred within her, might be spared to prove a blessing and consolation to its bereaved father, should it be God's will to take her from his arms.

Antonio observed the change which had come over Geraldine with fear and trembling; but so intolerable to his soul was the bare idea of danger, that he repulsed it with firmness, and resolved to think it impossible. Geraldine's

death was an event he felt he could not endure, and, therefore, he never allowed his thoughts for a moment to glance that way. So young, so beautiful, it was impossible.

At length, after severe and long-protracted suffering, Geraldine presented her husband with a little girl; but no throb of joy stirred in Antonio's heart, no ray of light beamed in his dark eyes, when his infant was placed in his arms, for its precious mother lay almost insensible, and in imminent danger.

The little stranger entered this world under

the gloomiest auspices, and sorrow, and silence, and torturing suspense, reigned throughout the dwelling. Antonio neither eat nor slept, but passed the long dreary hours either in pacing up and down his apartment, or attempting to pray, or listening to the slightest sound which might be to him the harbinger of endless misery or unspeakable bliss.

His hurried and distracted prayers were answered, for God is merciful, and Geraldine was at length pronounced out of danger. The transition from anguish to joy was almost too much for Antonio's reason, and it was some time before he was sufficiently calm to see his adored wife.

Geraldine's recovery was slow, and the delicacy of her constitution became confirmed; but she was sincerely grateful that Providence had fulfilled her earnest desire in sparing her child, and the thought of her own death lost all its terrors. She was determined to make one more effort to soften her father's resentment towards

her, and accordingly composed a letter calcu

lated to move the most stubborn feelings; she told him of her child's birth, and her own fragile health; she implored him to grant his blessing to them before it should be too late, and ended by painting her unceasing remorse for her disobedience. She despatched this epistle unknown to her husband; should the answer prove favourable to her wishes, it would then be time to inform him of the step she had taken; but should her father continue implacable, she resolved to bury the whole transaction within her own breast.

her

Geraldine was by no means sanguine respecting the result of her letter, but had made up mind to the worst. Day after day stole away, and week after week, and no answer came. She had anticipated perhaps a cold, unkind letter, but this long silence was cruel to bear, and in her lonely moments, many were the tears that coursed each other down her pallid cheeks, and fell unheeded on her baby's sleeping face, as she brooded over her father's inhuman conduct; yet her gentle spirit gave him prayers

for his cutting neglect, and though there were times when bodily weakness bowed her down, and dark gloom overshadowed her mind, moments in which not even Antonio's cherished voice had power to cheer her fainting energies, and when a vast pall seemed to overspread the face of nature, yet they soon passed away, and the remembrance, that Jesus, her dear and gracious Saviour, was ever at hand, and watching each change of her faith, had power to disperse the thick clouds, and check the repining thought, and dry the hot tear of earthly

woe.

Geraldine's mind was partly relieved when she found that her father and brother had left Stone Abbey shortly after the death of Mrs. Arbuthnot, and were at present travelling in Italy, whither her letter had been forwarded. She also heard that considerable anxiety had been entertained for the health of young Arbuthnot, and it was on his account they had sought change of scene.

The little Teresa grew in strength and beauty,

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