78 The Story of the Hamiltons.

you only can determine. May the remem
brance of these youthful days, with their joys
and sorrow, be a source of pleasure to you,
my dear girls; and may you in your several
vocations, think often of the principles I have
endeavoured to inculcate in you. Believe me,
you will be often in our thoughts and prayers,
and it will give me great gratification to see,
or hear, that you are following that straight
but narrow road which leads to everlasting
life. To those who will return, I must add
one word; it is that they will endeavour to
use the holidays profitably, whether in gaining
health, or knowledge, and that we may meet
again at the close of them with minds and
desires strengthened, to perform our several
duties; and if it should not please God to
grant us all to meet again in this world, may
we, through His grace, meet in that better
land, to which I earnestly hope we are now
journeying."
 Grave faces, and tearful ones, too, left the
class; but the bustle and commotion, and
the happy home thoughts that ensued, soon
drove away the temporary sadness. There
was packing to be done, books to be looked
over, last words to be said; and, amidst it
all, such a rushing about, everybody running