28o THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



I think she must have been saying the lines as 

 much to herself as to me, and they had some touching 

 association, for they were spoken with tears. 



Then she took from my hand a razor-shell, and 

 talked about it, and about some wild-flowers I had 

 laid in her lap, while still her tears were falling, though 

 her words were sweet and her smile bright. 



Whenever I look on a sea-pink or a razor-shell, 

 that scene on the sands o' Cloogan comes before me, 

 and I wish that I could once again look on Nature 

 with my mother's faith, and with the hope of child- 

 hood. 



Presently Mam-Willa joined us again, and gently 

 suggested that " it was ower late ta be sittin' oot ; " so, 

 leaning on her arm, and talking earnestly of holy 

 things, our mother returned to the house. 



Long afterwards I was recalling that time to Mam- 

 Willa's recollection, and she said, "I mind it weel. 

 Your dear mother was coming through deep waters at 

 that time, and she was that like an angel I maist 

 lippened that she wad leave the earth a'together." 



But for Mam-Willa's watchful tendance and womanly 

 sympathy our mother might indeed have left the earth 

 during some of her many moments of trial ; but the 

 strong good sense and composure of her faithful nurse 

 sustained the more nervous, imaginative temperament, 

 and helped it to rise above pain and tribulation, when 

 without such timely aid it might have sunk. 



Although Mam-Willa abjured aU the superstitious 

 rites which her sisterhood practised, and though she 



