5

on what they called those nice-clean tables--
when they saw William, begin his solitary task, they all
eagerly ran, with youthful curiosity to enquire whose grave
he was digging, and to lend their assistance in removing
the branches of the fallen tree, which they carried off
in triumph, to make a rousing fire as they said in the
school house.--[The shrill voice of their Master, recalled
them to their tasks, and left William to his own sad thoughts.
["Poor Allan," thought he, "will soon lie like this old tree,
storm-stricken, and broken hearted in this cold ground!
And you sweet Lucy, will wither, like this michael-
mas daisey, that I have turned up with my spade, and
die perhaps in some lonely spot, as unknown and unnoticed!
Dear Lucy--who will dig thy grave? But who knows if
you are not already buried? But oh, as your Mother feared
you may be lying among the rocks, and the cold water run-
ning over you! But no, no--you would not be so cruel,
you would not drown your own dear self, and our
unborn babe.--Oh Lucy, my wife--my own dear wife
would to God, we lay here, together in this long and narrow
bed!" [The spade fell from his hands, and he threw himself
on the half dug grave. [He was roused from this
stupefaction of grief, by the sounds of the boys, whose tasks
were done, and who wonder'd to find that his, was not
yet finished.--He started up, at their approach, and putting
back the hair which had fallen over his face, wiped
his eyes with his shirt-sleeve, snatch'd up his spade and
resumed his work. [The tender hearted children, forgot their
sports, and hushed their noisy mirth, when they saw
the red eyes, from which the big tears were still rol-
ling over the cheeks of the wretched William.
One little fellow, who had stood watching him, perceiving
the feeble and ill directed strokes of his spade, ran to the
school-house to tell the master--"that a poor young man
was digging a grave, that looks so sick, he could hardly
stand"--[The kind master, followed where the boy led, and
------------------------------[words too faint to read}