74 ROBERT DAWSON.

brands, when anything occurred to discompose his
mind.

This autumn found my father increasingly feeble:
his cough grew harder, and the hectic flickered brightly
upon his cheek. His voice was low and hollow, and
yet there was so much of cheerfulness in all his inter-
course with us, that no one but the family realized how
fast he was travelling towards the grave,

The 5th of November, as I said, was the appointed
time of my departure. One day, as Jane was studying
the almanac, she all at once exclaimed,

“Oh, Robert! I have discovered something—a piece
of good news for you—oh!” And she gave several
mysterious nods, quite peculiar to her.

“What is it?” we all asked.

“Tt is only for Robert.” And she took me by the |
hand and led me into the bed-room, closing the door.

«Oh, Robert! it is only three weeks from Thanks-
giving that you go. Now you must not go until after -
Thanksgiving. Why, everybody stays till after Thanks

giving. Iam in earnest. You——?