'And that to-night thou must watch with me
To win the treasure of the tomb.'

SCOTT.

Some seasons seem to be peculiarly marked, as if Death did indeed
walk forth in them.

Old Mr. Frith died in the spring of 1841, and it proved that he had
shown his gratitude to Clarence by a legacy of shares in the firm
amounting to about 2000 pounds. The rest of his interest therein
went to Lawrence Frith, and his funded property to his sister, Mrs.
Stevens, a very fair and upright disposition of his wealth.

Only six weeks later, my father had a sudden seizure, and there was
only time to summon Clarence from London and Martyn from Oxford,
before a second attack closed his righteous and godly career upon
earth.

My mother was very still and calm, hardly shedding a tear, but her
whole demeanour was as if life were over for her, and she had
nothing to do save to wait. She seemed to care very little for
tendernesses or attentions on our part. No doubt she would have
been more desolate without them, but we always had a baffled
feeling, as though our affection were contrasted with her perfect
union with her husband. Yet they had been a singularly
undemonstrative couple; I never saw a kiss pass between them, except
as greeting or farewell before or after a journey; and if my mother