SUSAN GRAY. 129

and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I
will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God
of my salvation. (Habakkuk iii. 17, 18.)

So I took up my basket and my weeding-
knife, with the intent to go back to the village.
But when I arose from my knees, I found it
difficult to stand; and I was forced to sit down
upon the stone step before the house-door, to
recover myself a little. Here I had sat many
times when I was a child, and amused myself
with shells and stones, and other such trifles
as children love, while my dear father and mo-
ther were busied in the garden. And here I
called to mind a thousand little events long
time forgotten. I remembered how my dear
mother used often to leave her work, to look
after her little Susan; how sweetly she used to
smile when she saw me coming towards her; and
how anxiously she watched me, if, by chance,
I ran, with heedless steps, by the side of the
river, I remembered the wood-strawberries,
strung like threads of beads upon a blade of
long grass, the acorn cups, and the blackber-
ries, which my father used to give me when, at
evening, he returned home from market through
the wood which is beside our garden.

*©O! my loved parents,” I said, *« how ten-
derly did you guard me from evil in my infant
days! Not less tenderly has my heavenly Fa-
‘ther watched over me since I have been de-
prived of you! He left me not comfortless. I
went in the strength of the Lord God. J will
make mention of thy righteousness, and of thine
only.” (Psalm Ixxi. 16.)