Isn?t it what we are made for? If I didn?t love John and the baby, I should not know how to feel for herCome, now do tell her,?do!? and she laid her hands persuasively on Rachel?s arm?Take her into thy bed-room, there, and let me fry the chicken while thee does it Rachel came out into the kitchen, where Eliza was sewing, and opening the door of a small bed-room, said, gently, ?Come in here with me, my daughter; I have news to tell thee The blood flushed in Eliza?s pale face; she rose, trembling with nervous anxiety, and looked towards her boy ?No, no,? said little Ruth, darting up, and seizing her hands?Never thee fear; it?s good news, Eliza,?go in, go in!? And she gently pushed her to the door which closed after her; and then, turning round, she caught little Harry in her arms, and began kissing him ?Thee?ll see thy father, little oneDoes thee know it? Thy father is coming,? she said, over and over again, as the boy looked wonderingly at her Meanwhile, within the door, another scene was going onRachel Halliday drew Eliza toward her, and said, ?The Lord hath had mercy on thee, daughter; thy husband hath escaped from the house of bondage The blood flushed to Eliza?s cheek in a sudden glow, and went back to her heart with as sudden a rushShe sat down, pale and faint ?Have courage, child,? said Rachel, laying her hand on her head?He is among friends, who will bring him here tonight ?Tonight!? Eliza repeated, ?tonight!? The words lost all meaning to her; her head was dreamy and confused; all was mist for a moment When she awoke, she found herself snugly tucked up on the bed, with a blanket over her, and little Ruth rubbing her hands with camphorShe opened her eyes in a state of dreamy, delicious languor, such as one who has long been bearing a heavy load, and now feels it gone, and would restThe tension of the nerves, which had never ceased a moment since the first hour of her flight, had given way, and a strange feeling of security and rest came over her; and as she lay, with her large, dark eyes open, she followed, as in a quiet dream, the motions of those about herShe saw the door open into the other room; saw the supper-table, with its snowy cloth; heard the dreamy murmur of the singing tea-kettle; saw Ruth tripping backward and forward, with plates of cake and saucers of preserves, and ever and anon stopping to put a cake into Harry?s hand, or pat his head, or twine his long curls round her snowy fingersShe saw the ample, motherly form of Rachel, as she ever and anon came to the bedside, and smoothed and arranged something about the bedclothes, and gave a tuck here and there, by way of expressing her good-will; and was conscious of a kind of sunshine beaming down upon her from her large, clear, brown eyesShe saw Ruth?s husband come in,?saw her fly up to him, and commence whispering very earnestly, ever and anon, with impressive gesture, pointing her little finger toward the roomShe saw her, with the baby in her arms, sitting down to tea; she saw them all at table, and little Harry in a high chair, under the shadow of Rachel?s ample wing; there were low murmurs of talk, gentle tinkling of tea-spoons, and musical clatter of cups and saucers, and all mingled in a delightful dream of rest; and Eliza slept, as she had not slept before, since the fearful midnight hour when she had taken her child and fled through the frosty starlight She dreamed of a beautiful country,?a land, it seemed to her, of rest,?green shores, pleasant islands, and beautifully glittering water; and there, in a house which kind voices told her was a home, she saw her boy playing, free and happy childShe heard her husband?s footsteps; she felt him coming nearer; his arms were around her, his tears falling on her face, and she awoke! It was no dreamThe daylight had long faded; her child lay calmly sleeping by her side; a candle was burning dimly on the stand, and her husband was sobbing by her pillow The next morning was a cheerful one at the Quaker house?Mother? was up betimes, and surrounded by busy girls and boys, whom we had scarce time to introduce to our readers yesterday, and who all moved obediently to Rachel?s gentle ?Thee had better,? or more gentle ?Hadn?t thee better?? in the work of getting breakfast; for a breakfast in the luxurious valleys of Indiana is a thing complicated and multiform, and, like picking up the rose-leaves and trimming the bushes in Paradise, asking other hands than those of the original motherWhile, therefore, John ran to the spring for fresh water, and Simeon the second sifted meal for corn-cakes, and Mary ground coffee, Rachel moved gently, and quietly about, making biscuits, cutting up chicken, and diffusing a sort of sunny radiance over the whole proceeding generallyIf there was any danger of friction or collision from the ill-regulated zeal of so many young operators, her gentle ?Come! come!? or ?I wouldn?t, now,? was quite sufficient to allay the difficultyBards have written of the cestus of Venus, that turned the heads of all the world in successive generationsWe had rather, for our part, have the cestus of Rachel Halliday, that kept heads from being turned, and made everything go on harmoniouslyWe think it is more suited to our modern days, decidedly While all other preparations were going on, Simeon the elder stood in his shirt-sleeves before a little looking-glass in the corner, engaged in the anti-patriarchal operation of shavingEverything went on so sociably, so quietly, so harmoniously, in the great kitchen,?it seemed so pleasant to every one to do just what they were doing, there was such an atmosphere of mutual confidence and good fellowship everywhere,?even the knives and forks had a social clatter as they went on to the table; and the chicken and ham had a cheerful and joyous fizzle in the pan, as if they rather enjoyed being cooked than otherwise;?and when George and Eliza and little Harry came out, they met such a hearty, rejoicing welcome, no wonder it seemed to them like a dream At last, they were all seated at breakfast, while Mary stood at the stove, baking griddle-cakes, which, as they gained the true exact golden-brown tint of perfection, were transferred quite handily to the table Rachel never looked so truly and benignly happy as at the head of her tableThere was so much motherliness and full-heartedness even in the way she passed a plate of cakes or poured a cup of coffee, that it seemed to put a spirit into the food and drink she offered It was the first time that ever George had sat down on equal terms at any white man?s table; and he sat down, at first, with some constraint and awkwardness; but they all exhaled and went off like fog, in the genial morning rays of this simple, overflowing kindness This, indeed, was a home,?home,?a word that George had never yet known a meaning for; and a belief in God, and trust in his providence, began to encircle his heart, as, with a golden cloud of protection and confidence, dark, misanthropic, pining atheistic doubts, and fierce despair, melted away before the light of a living Gospel, breathed in living faces, preached by a thousand unconscious acts of love and good will, which, like the cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple, shall never lose their shop reward

Isn?t it what we are made for? If I didn?t love John and the baby, I should not know how to feel for herCome, now do tell her,?do!? and she laid her hands persuasively on Rachel?s arm?Take her into thy bed-room, there, and let me fry the chicken while thee does it Rachel came out into the kitchen, where Eliza was sewing, and opening the door of a small bed-room, said, gently, ?Come in here with me, my daughter; I have news to tell thee The blood flushed in Eliza?s pale face; she rose, trembling with nervous anxiety, and looked towards her boy ?No, no,? said little Ruth, darting up, and seizing her hands?Never thee fear; it?s good news, Eliza,?go in, go in!? And she gently pushed her to the door which closed after her; and then, turning round, she caught little Harry in her arms, and began kissing him ?Thee?ll see thy father, little oneDoes thee know it? Thy father is coming,? she said, over and over again, as the boy looked wonderingly at her Meanwhile, within the door, another scene was going onRachel Halliday drew Eliza toward her, and said, ?The Lord hath had mercy on thee, daughter; thy husband hath escaped from the house of bondage The blood flushed to Eliza?s cheek in a sudden glow, and went back to her heart with as sudden a rushShe sat down, pale and faint ?Have courage, child,? said Rachel, laying her hand on her head?He is among friends, who will bring him here tonight ?Tonight!? Eliza repeated, ?tonight!? The words lost all meaning to her; her head was dreamy and confused; all was mist for a moment When she awoke, she found herself snugly tucked up on the bed, with a blanket over her, and little Ruth rubbing her hands with camphorShe opened her eyes in a state of dreamy, delicious languor, such as one who has long been bearing a heavy load, and now feels it gone, and would restThe tension of the nerves, which had never ceased a moment since the first hour of her flight, had given way, and a strange feeling of security and rest came over her; and as she lay, with her large, dark eyes open, she followed, as in a quiet dream, the motions of those about herShe saw the door open into the other room; saw the supper-table, with its snowy cloth; heard the dreamy murmur of the singing tea-kettle; saw Ruth tripping backward and forward, with plates of cake and saucers of preserves, and ever and anon stopping to put a cake into Harry?s hand, or pat his head, or twine his long curls round her snowy fingersShe saw the ample, motherly form of Rachel, as she ever and anon came to the bedside, and smoothed and arranged something about the bedclothes, and gave a tuck here and there, by way of expressing her good-will; and was conscious of a kind of sunshine beaming down upon her from her large, clear, brown eyesShe saw Ruth?s husband come in,?saw her fly up to him, and commence whispering very earnestly, ever and anon, with impressive gesture, pointing her little finger toward the roomShe saw her, with the baby in her arms, sitting down to tea; she saw them all at table, and little Harry in a high chair, under the shadow of Rachel?s ample wing; there were low murmurs of talk, gentle tinkling of tea-spoons, and musical clatter of cups and saucers, and all mingled in a delightful dream of rest; and Eliza slept, as she had not slept before, since the fearful midnight hour when she had taken her child and fled through the frosty starlight She dreamed of a beautiful country,?a land, it seemed to her, of rest,?green shores, pleasant islands, and beautifully glittering water; and there, in a house which kind voices told her was a home, she saw her boy playing, free and happy childShe heard her husband?s footsteps; she felt him coming nearer; his arms were around her, his tears falling on her face, and she awoke! It was no dreamThe daylight had long faded; her child lay calmly sleeping by her side; a candle was burning dimly on the stand, and her husband was sobbing by her pillow The next morning was a cheerful one at the Quaker house?Mother? was up betimes, and surrounded by busy girls and boys, whom we had scarce time to introduce to our readers yesterday, and who all moved obediently to Rachel?s gentle ?Thee had better,? or more gentle ?Hadn?t thee better?? in the work of getting breakfast; for a breakfast in the luxurious valleys of Indiana is a thing complicated and multiform, and, like picking up the rose-leaves and trimming the bushes in Paradise, asking other hands than those of the original motherWhile, therefore, John ran to the spring for fresh water, and Simeon the second sifted meal for corn-cakes, and Mary ground coffee, Rachel moved gently, and quietly about, making biscuits, cutting up chicken, and diffusing a sort of sunny radiance over the whole proceeding generallyIf there was any danger of friction or collision from the ill-regulated zeal of so many young operators, her gentle ?Come! come!? or ?I wouldn?t, now,? was quite sufficient to allay the difficultyBards have written of the cestus of Venus, that turned the heads of all the world in successive generationsWe had rather, for our part, have the cestus of Rachel Halliday, that kept heads from being turned, and made everything go on harmoniouslyWe think it is more suited to our modern days, decidedly While all other preparations were going on, Simeon the elder stood in his shirt-sleeves before a little looking-glass in the corner, engaged in the anti-patriarchal operation of shavingEverything went on so sociably, so quietly, so harmoniously, in the great kitchen,?it seemed so pleasant to every one to do just what they were doing, there was such an atmosphere of mutual confidence and good fellowship everywhere,?even the knives and forks had a social clatter as they went on to the table; and the chicken and ham had a cheerful and joyous fizzle in the pan, as if they rather enjoyed being cooked than otherwise;?and when George and Eliza and little Harry came out, they met such a hearty, rejoicing welcome, no wonder it seemed to them like a dream At last, they were all seated at breakfast, while Mary stood at the stove, baking griddle-cakes, which, as they gained the true exact golden-brown tint of perfection, were transferred quite handily to the table Rachel never looked so truly and benignly happy as at the head of her tableThere was so much motherliness and full-heartedness even in the way she passed a plate of cakes or poured a cup of coffee, that it seemed to put a spirit into the food and drink she offered It was the first time that ever George had sat down on equal terms at any white man?s table; and he sat down, at first, with some constraint and awkwardness; but they all exhaled and went off like fog, in the genial morning rays of this simple, overflowing kindness This, indeed, was a home,?home,?a word that George had never yet known a meaning for; and a belief in God, and trust in his providence, began to encircle his heart, as, with a golden cloud of protection and confidence, dark, misanthropic, pining atheistic doubts, and fierce despair, melted away before the light of a living Gospel, breathed in living faces, preached by a thousand unconscious acts of love and good will, which, like the cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple, shall never lose their shop reward

"Dear Sirs,--We beg to acknowledge 10 pounds received and to return cheque of 1 pound, 17s, 9d, amount of overplus, as shown in receipted account herewithGoods are delivered in exact accordance with instructions, and keys left in parcel in main hall, as directed "We are, dear Sirs, Yours respectfully, Pro CARTER, PATERSON

"Dear Sirs,--We beg to acknowledge 10 pounds received and to return cheque of 1 pound, 17s, 9d, amount of overplus, as shown in receipted account herewithGoods are delivered in exact accordance with instructions, and keys left in parcel in main hall, as directed "We are, dear Sirs, Yours respectfully, Pro CARTER, PATERSON

Hawkins has died very suddenlySome may not think it so sad for us, but we had both come to so love him that it really seems as though we had lost a fatherI never knew either father or mother, so that the dear old man's death is a real blow to meJonathan is greatly distressedIt is not only that he feels sorrow, deep sorrow, for the dear, good man who has befriended him all his life, and now at the end has treated him like his own son and left him a fortune which to people of our modest bringing up is wealth beyond the dream of avarice, but Jonathan feels it on another accountHe says the amount of responsibility which it puts upon him makes him nervousHe begins to doubt himselfI try to cheer him up, and my belief in him helps him to have a belief in himselfBut it is here that the grave shock that he experienced tells upon him the mostOh, it is too hard that a sweet, simple, noble, strong nature such as his, a nature which enabled him by our dear, good friend's aid to rise from clerk to master in a few years, should be so injured that the very essence of its strength is goneForgive me, dear, if I worry you with my troubles in the midst of your own happiness, but Lucy dear, I must tell someone, for the strain of keeping up a brave and cheerful appearance to Jonathan tries me, and I have no one here that I can confide inI dread coming up to London, as we must do that day after tomorrow, for poor MrHawkins left in his will that he was to be buried in the grave with his fatherAs there are no relations at all, Jonathan will have to be chief mournerI shall try to run over to see you, dearest, if only for a few minutesForgive me for troubling youWith all blessings, "Your loving "Mina Harker" DRSEWARD'S DIARY 20 September-Only resolution and habit can let me make an entry tonightI am too miserable, too low spirited, too sick of the world and all in it, including life itself, that I would not care if I heard this moment the flapping of the wings of the angel of deathAnd he has been flapping those grim wings to some purpose of late, Lucy's mother and Arthur's father, and now? Let me get on with my work I duly relieved Van Helsing in his watch over LucyWe wanted Arthur to go to rest also, but he refused at firstIt was only when I told him that we should want him to help us during the day, and that we must not all break down for want of rest, lest Lucy should suffer, that he agreed to go Van Helsing was very kind to him"Come, my child," he saidYou are sick and weak, and have had much sorrow and much mental pain, as well as that tax on your strength that we know ofYou must not be alone, for to be alone is to be full of fears and alarmsCome to the drawing room, where there is a big fire, and there are two sofasYou shall lie on one, and I on the other, and our sympathy will be comfort to each other, even though we do not speak, and even if we sleep Arthur went off with him, casting back a longing look on Lucy's face, which lay in her pillow, almost whiter than the lawnShe lay quite still, and I looked around the room to see that all was as it should beI could see that the Professor had carried out in this room, as in the other, his purpose of using the garlicThe whole of the window sashes reeked with it, and round Lucy's neck, over the silk handkerchief which Van Helsing made her keep on, was a rough chaplet of the same odorous flowers Lucy was breathing somewhat stertorously, and her face was at its worst, for the open mouth showed the pale gumsHer teeth, in the dim, uncertain light, seemed longer and sharper than they had been in the morningIn particular, by some trick of the light, the canine teeth looked longer and sharper than the rest I sat down beside her, and presently she moved uneasilyAt the same moment there came a sort of dull flapping or buffeting at the windowI went over to it softly, and peeped out by the corner of the shop blind