THE LOVERS EVINCE THEIR GRATITUDE. 397 



" Your thoughts are mine also, dear William," she replied, 

 rising and placing her hand in his; "let me kneel by your side." 



Happy they who, like Blanche and Beauchamp, " remember 

 now their Creator in the days of their youth " — who acknow- 

 ledge with thankfulness (despising the sneers and sarcasms of 

 the worldly-minded) that source from which all true blessings 

 flow ; and as they set out to thread this devious earthly path 

 below, keep steadfastly in view the home to which it leads. 

 "Who does not join in that prayer of Balaam : " Oh, may I die 

 the death of the righteous, and may my latter end be like his 1 " 

 But how few bear in mind that to die the death, they must also 

 live the life of the righteous. Tell men of an Australian 

 land where gold, silver, diamonds, and precious stones abound, 

 even with hard toil and trouble to be acquired ; see the eager- 

 ness with which they listen, the increasing anxiety displayed in 

 searching out every particular concerning this earthly paradise. 

 Tell them of another far better, more glorious land, to which all 

 the countries of the earth are in comparison like a stagnant 

 pool of water to the ocean ; tell them of a city whose walls are 

 built of jasper, and her streets paved with gold ; whose build- 

 ings glitter with rubies, amethysts, and pearls ; tell them of a 

 second Eden, where man shall regain his lost innocence and 

 dignity ; tell them of a newly-created world, in which all 

 animal and vegetable nature shall far surpass in magnitude and 

 magnificence what we behold here below ; where God himself 

 shall reign as king, with angels for his ministers ; whence 

 death, and pain, and sorrow are for ever banished, and the lion 

 shall lie down with the lamb — tell them this land, with all its 

 happiness and joys unspeakable, may be, nay, must be theirs, if 

 they seek, as they would the hidden treasures of this, with 

 diligence and care ; — and what will they say in return ? " Go 

 thy way for this time ; when I have a convenient season, I will 

 call for thee." Oh, fools ! with all your worldly wisdom, blind, 

 besotted fools ! who barter a few quickly passing years, with all 

 their short-lived, unsatisfactory pleasures and enjoyments, for 

 eternity ! 



As Blanche and Beauchamp were kneeling side by side, 



pouring out their thanks to their Maker, and imploring his 



protection and blessing through their wedded life, Mrs. Gordon, 



unperceived, passed noiselessly by, and the devout aspiration 



of Jabez escaped her lips : " Oh, that Thou wouldest bless them 



indeed ! " 



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