For The Children To The Last

Dtiving the prevalence of the plague in Italy a poor woinaii living in Uie villaje at Oaresfgl, the wii'e oía labor er and the mother of two Iittle boys, feit uerself attickoJ by the fatal d"i.soase. it was during tiio absence of lier husband, who worued atadistauceaiid only retui-ned 011 the Saturday uight. Frighteuod by the example ofa neylibormg ïUmily, wliich liad buen, uno aiïer anothur, cntirely svveft oli', oud moved by tiie foudest love tbr her children, slio detenniued uut to comtnauicatc the dise.tse to tliiiiii, and formed the hcroic resolution ot'leaviug her home and goin elsewnere to die. Havinj' lucked tlieni in a room and sacnlicod to their satety even the last sole comfort ofa partinj embrace, she ran down-staira carryiii witli her tiie sheets and eoverlet, tiiat slie might leave no meaos of eont:igion. Öhethen shut the door vvith a sijfh and went away, but the elde.st of the ehildren, hearing the door shut, went to thé window and eried out '"Good-by liiiulior', in ;i voicc .o tendel tJlat shc turuedand stopped. "Good-by motheiy' repeated the youiyest eiiild, Stretch ïug its Iittle hcad out of tho window. ïhus the alllicted mothcr wa.s coinpelled fora time to endure tüe dreadt'ul conflict betwecu the yearuiugi which called her botkand the pity and love which urg'ed her on. At length tlie latter conquered and amid a tiood oi' toara and the tarewells ot' lier oiiildren, who knew not the fata] cause and meauing of those tears, she reached the house ot thosc wlio were to bury lier. To thein she recummeuded herhusbaud and chiidrcn and in two ilays had ceased to eiist.