Another Sorroiv. 423 



opened the meeting with his short, but fervent 

 praj^er. The little children gathered around him 

 to kiss the aged cheek and nestle near the cherished 

 form." 



On the 12th of June, a blow came to the heart of 

 Joh.n Bachman, from which heiiever rallied — the 

 death, after t^^enty-four hours' illness, of his son-in- 

 law, Mr. William E. Haskell, who, like a devoted 

 son, had watched over his declining years. He did 

 not murmur, but his mind seemed utterly over- 

 whelmed by the mysterious Providence that had left 

 the aged man, who earnestly longed to depart, and 

 had removed the younger— the active worker, upon 

 v;hom so man}^ depended. 



John Haskell rose from a bed of sickness, and, with 

 the strength of unselfish lovC; endeavored to fill up 

 the gap. With a tenderness akin to angel ministry, 

 he sought, and not in vain, to soothe and support 

 the aged sufferer, who looked up to and leaned upon 

 him — for " iJie almond irrc " was beginning " tojlour- 

 wh and desire to fail." Tiie notes of the singing bird 

 no longer .attracted his attention — all was a blank 

 now — save the voice of a friend, and the name of 

 Jesus. 



Another birthday (Itli February), and again 

 another, was quietly celebrated in his home, and the 

 love-offerings called forth grateful smiles. His de- 

 cline was so gradual that his family were scarcely 

 conscious of it, until the twelfth of Fel^ruary, 1874. 



