"
Seeing that my tears agitated my mother, I succeeded in checking them,
and assumed an air of composure, which I was far from feeling. After the
above conversation with me, my mother enjoyed a night of tranquil
repose. I now felt the certainty of her death, and prayed for strength
to meet the sorrow which that event would bring to me.
So calm and peaceful were the last days of my mother's life that we
could hardly recognize the presence of the King of Terrors, till the
damps of death were gathering upon her brow. She died at sunset on a
mild evening in September. She had passed the day almost entirely free
from pain. Toward evening she slept for an hour; on waking, she said to
me,--
"My dear child, I think the hour of my departure has arrived. I feel
that I am dying."
I now observed that look upon the countenance of my mother which tells
us that a loved friend is no longer ours. She requested me to call Aunt
Patience, which I instantly did. I also sent a hasty summons to her
physician, although it was needless, for she was even then entering the
dark valley. The physician soon arrived, and after one look at my
mother, said to me, in a low voice,--
"My dear Miss Roscom, as a physician, I can be of no further use, but as
a friend, I will remain with you.
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