"'Now, my children, for our texts.' The father and mother reverently repeated theirs; Lord N----, and Lady Alice followed, then each of the children repeated seriously the Sunday text. It was a touching lesson; this reverence for God's holy word! This was practical obedience to the command which says, "'And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.' "As I listened, I could easily understand how much they must learn in a whole year. "'Our children are very anxious to remember all these texts, Miss Hamilton,' said the earl; 'they also learn a daily text with their instructors, and once a month repeat all to me; all who remember them perfectly, are rewarded with a handsome book; you have no idea how their library grows in this way, and what a stock of Scripture knowledge they obtain.' "Soon upon the quiet Sabbath air, stole the sweet chimes of the village-bells; and when we started, in every direction might be seen the villagers in their best attire, crowding to the house of God. It was a pleasant picture to see the dear children of the Manor in their simple white dresses, straw-hats, and white ribbon, with the daintiest little rosebuds for face trimmings; and the lowly, gentle reverence with which they all joined in the service of the Church of England, did touch my heart so deeply. Then so many of the earl's tenants were there, and all his domestics excepting such as were positively necessary at home, who took their turn at the afternoon-service. The services were delightful in that quiet country church, and the sermon earnest, faithful, Christlike. After church, the family of the earl remained a short time; many of the parishioners received his friendly greetings, and the kind salutations of the good countess; but it was not for this that they remained. The earl took my hand, and led me to that part of the church where a marble slab pointed out the final resting-place of the earl's family. "Among other inscriptions, I read: 'Sacred to the memory of Augusta, eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of N----, aged eighteen--Asleep in Jesus.' "The parents stood awhile in silence by the vault; the mother wiped a silent tear, and the earl, turning to me said,-- "'My dear Miss Hamilton, I brought you here to impress the lessons of mortality; there is much around you, my dear young lady, to draw your thoughts to earth; but here you see the young, the gifted, the rich, the beautiful must lie down at last in the silent grave; let this moderate your estimate of the things of time and sense, and teach you to set your young affections chiefly on things above. The dear one who lies there had early learned the lesson; she was a Christian, she died in the Lord, and we shall meet her again.'