"When sorrow shrunk before the piercing wind, And famine, shelterless, in suffering pined; When sickness drooped in solitary pain, Mid varying misery's relentless reign; Oh, then tumultuous rose the plaints of grief, And loud and strong the clamors for relief! Then active charity, with boundless care, From gloomy faces chased the fiend Despair, Dispelled the horrors of the wintry day, And none that asked went unrelieved away. "Yet there are some who sorrow's vigils keep, Unknown that languish, undistinguished weep; Behold yon ruined building's shattered walls, Where drifting snow through many a crevice falls; Whose smokeless vent no blazing fuel knows, But drear and cold the widow's mansion shows; Her fragile form, by sickness deeply riven, Too weak to face the driving blasts of heaven, Her voice too faint to reach some pitying ear, Her shivering babes command her anguished tear: Their feeble cries in vain assistance crave, And expectation 'points but to the grave.' "But lo, with hasty step a female form Glides through the wind and braves the chilling storm, With eager hand now shakes the tottering door, Now rushes breathless o'er the snow-clad floor. Her tongue soft comfort to the mourner speaks, Her silver voice with soft emotion breaks; Round the drear hovel roves her moistened eye, Her graceful bosom heaves the lengthened sigh. "I know thee now--I know that angel frame-- O that the muse might dare to breathe thy name: Nor thine alone, but all that sister-band Who scatter gladness o'er a weeping land; Who comfort to the infant sufferer bring, And 'teach with joy the widow's heart to sing.' "For this, no noisy honors fame shall give, In your own breasts your gentle virtues live; No sounding numbers shall your names reveal, But your own hearts the rich reward shall feel. "ALBERT." In the month of August, 1805, Mrs. Graham paid another visit to her friends in Boston, of whom she spoke with much affection and esteem. She used to mention, with peculiar approbation, a society of pious ladies there, who met once in every week for prayer and mutual edification. On returning to New York, she again wrote to her friend Mrs. C----, renewing her endeavors for her consolation and establishment in the faith of Christ; and soon after informed her of the dangerous illness of two of her grandchildren, one of whom, in the righteous dispensations of an unerring Providence, was taken, and the other left.