

xiii.] THE CLOSE. 447 



myself all received it with him. He answered to all the 

 responses, and those who heard will remember, while 

 they live, his last Amen. 



'After that he called his two sons, and told them he 

 could give them handfuls of advice, but that they knew 

 all his wishes so well he would not. After giving them 

 a few last directions about his watch and other things, 

 -ked them if they would like to consult him about 

 anything, for he was still able to listen and to advise 

 th m. When I came into the room, he said, "1 leave 

 you two good boys, keep them so, and don't leave me. 

 It won't be long now." A few days before this he told 

 me "he had not a doubt or a fear/' 



' The 30th of December was a day of sad suffering from 

 thlessness, but of clear consciousness. He was sen- 

 sible of myself and his children, and watched with a 

 silent look of love all the efforts to help him. 



' On the morning of the 31st he took the hand of his 

 eldest boy, as he stood beside him, and five minutes 

 i 'Is, at eight of that Thursday morning, the last 

 day of the year, he passed away, still holding his son's 

 hand. To the last moment he was perfectly conscious, 

 and seemed to prolong his latest breath that he might 

 have us a little longer with him. On January 5th he 

 was buried in the Dean Cemetery, in a lovely spot 

 chosen by himself the last time he was in Edinburgh. 

 before he went on that last journey to Cannes. Jlis 

 grave is shadowed by the yew tree which overhung his 

 window when his home was in the old house of Dean. 

 In little more than four months his eldest daughter was 

 1 beside him in the Dean Cemetery. A year and a 

 months passed, and his second daughter, who had 

 spent her last strength in nursing the two dear ones 

 gone before her, followed them to the same i^rave. The 

 sisters, one in life, in death were not divided; and 

 wnr.ls, used by a friend in writing of the elder, are 

 true of l.nili, they "l>.-in<r made perfect in a 

 shor t'ullill'-.l a Inn-- time, fur their souls pl 



Lord." 1 



