"I am going to leave you, Mr. Hamilton, and I want to thank you for all your kindness to poor blind Effie; I shall not be blind much longer, for I am going out of the darkness into the blessed light of Heaven; but I want to tell you, that weak and timid as I am, I am not afraid to die; my trust is in Jesus, and he never leaves me, nor forsakes me. I love you, Mr. Hamilton, because you are Madeline's father, and I want you to be just as happy as I am--warnings have come to you, my good, kind friend, for these many months, and I want you to promise me, dying Effie, that you will seek the Saviour, ere it is forever too late." Mr. Hamilton bowed his head upon his hands, and replied, "I often feel, Effie, as if my days would not be very many in this world, for I am much worse than Madeline dreams of. I have not your blessed hope, my dear child, but I know that yours is real, is divine, and I promise you, Effie, to seek your Saviour; does that make you happy?" and Mr. Hamilton stooped down to kiss the pale cheek of the child. "Happy! yes, Mr. Hamilton, I should be perfectly happy, if I could hope to meet you all up there," and she pointed upward, while a look of seraphic blessedness dwelt upon her face. "Now, send Miss Matilda." Miss Matilda had avoided being alone with Effie, for she was afraid of death. Thoughts of the dark grave, the judgment and eternity, were all that she ever associated with the subject. She entered the room, and took her seat by the couch. "You are not so very ill, Effie; I have seen persons weaker than you recover." Effie smiled, as she replied, "I have no fears of death, Miss Matilda; my Saviour has taken them all away; I have no desire to live, but for Roland's sake; but I sent for you to tell you how blessed is the Christian's state. My trust is all in my Saviour; and he will not prove untrue to his word. You have been very good to poor orphan Effie, and I want to see you happy. I know you are not happy now--no one can be who does not love God best of all; you will not be offended at me, Miss Matilda, for I shall soon be gone; but I want you to seek the Saviour." "I am a member of the church, Effie; I don't know what you mean, exactly." "I mean, dear Miss Matilda, that I want you to have real heart faith in Jesus; faith that makes you love him, trust him, follow him as your best friend." "Effie, I do believe in him, but not as you do." "That is what I mean, Miss Matilda; I don't mean just to be a member of the church, and no more; that is not all; I want you to be a member of Christ himself, and that is by faith." "'Tis like Heaven below, My Redeemer to know, The angels can do nothing more, Than to sit at his feet And the story repeat, And the dear friend of sinners adore." Miss Matilda sat bathed in tears, for she had a warm affectionate heart, and could not but love the little lamb who was pleading so sweetly the cause of her Master.