^59. 



CHAPTER XII. 



VALE ! 



"Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory !" 



" Wrong not the dead with tears ! 



Think not the spirit fears 

 To cast away its earthly bonds of clay, 

 To rise from death to everlasting day ! 

 Wrong not the dead with tears ! 

 A glorious bright to-morrow 

 Endeth a weary life of pain and sorrow." 



WYKE BAYLISS. 



THE tidings of George Wilson's death spread next day 

 with mournful speed. As often happens, his long struggle 

 with disease had led to the hope that again he would 

 triumph over it. " We had begun to fancy that he possessed, 

 not a charmed, but a blessed life, which was to be prolonged 

 for further usefulness." The illness, also, had been of such 

 short duration, that many knew not of it. A gentleman, 

 who had written to him a few days before, and received no 

 reply, went on the morning after his death to the University, 

 unaware of the state of things, to make inquiry about him, 

 and addressed to the first student he met, the question, 

 whether he knew if Professor Wilson would be at the College 

 that day. The sole reply was a burst of tears. 



Professor Balfour met the class, according to previous 

 arrangement, and announced to them the death of their 

 much-loved teacher. A student, in reply, expressed the 



