On the 7th of December, taking my hand in her’s, she said, “My precious, my invaluable friend, I have prayed that light and wisdom may guide you in all, in every difficulty, and it will be so, I know it will; my prayer for thee is heard, my choice friend.” This afternoon Mrs. Harper called to see her, but finding her much inclined to doze, she soon left the room: when Mrs. Fletcher opened her eyes, and found she was gone, she said, “O! she’s gone, without a parting word; I should have taken leave of her.” As Mrs. H. was but just gone, I called her back: she then took her by the hand, and said, “May the Lord be abundantly with you, and your daughter; and I pray for your son too.” All this day, at every waking interval, she would be saying, “What mercies! Surrounded with mercies! how full of mercies I am!” All her soul seemed lost in love and praise. The day following, the 8th, was as the day before, a day of praise for fullness of blessing; after saying, “What mercies I am surrounded with! the use of my hands, what a comfort! how different would it be if I was not able to help myself; and with how many this is the case, who have illnesses that take away the power of helping themselves with their own hands; but I can use mine, and what a mercy!”—then, affectionately looking at me, she continued, “and what a comfort art thou, my choice friend! and the love of Jesus, O how precious!” Mrs. Perks was this evening in the room with her, but she was too heavy to converse; on Mrs. Perks going, however, she came quite to herself, and said, “The Lord bless you, your partner, and children.” Mrs. Perks kindly offered to sit up, but she would never hear of any one sitting up with her till (she said) she felt the need of more help than I could give. My sister, also, was desirous of being in the room, but this she would not admit of. All this day her breathing was exceedingly difficult: in the morning she had walked into the other room, as usual, with only the help of my arm; at the middle of the day she wished to go into the chamber again, and I led her, as at other times; but she was now weaker, and I could scarcely keep her from falling: I therefore asked her to sit down in a chair, which she did, and I wheeled her back again: with this she was much pleased, and said, the exercise had done her good. At dinner she eat a small bit of light pudding, with as much appetite as usual, but she had taken very little for some time. All the afternoon she was extremely ill, either hot to a great degree, shivering with cold, or very drowsy.