old woman curtsied as ; she thought it St Peter himself who spoke to her " poor old woman," she said, "without my family old Margaret, that lived house dyke "

"Well, and what done- what great deed performed down below ? "

" nothing at all that could claim these doors open ," she said "It only through mercy that allowed to slip in gate "

"In what manner did you leave the world ? " he asked, just sake of saying something; made him feel very weary to stand there and wait

"How I left the world ? " she replied; "why, scarcely tell you years life sick and miserable, and unable to bear creeping out of bed suddenly frost and cold Last winter was hard winter, but got over it all now There were few mild days, honor, , knows The ice lay thickly lake, as far one The people came town, and walked upon it, say there were dancing and skating upon it, I believe, and great feasting The sound of beautiful music came into my poor little room where I lay Towards evening, moon rose beautifully, though not yet in her full splendor, I glanced from my bed over the wide sea; and there, just where the sea and sky met, rose curious white cloud I lay looking cloud till I observed little black spot middle of it, which gradually grew larger and larger, and then what it meant- old and experienced; and although this token often seen, it, and shuddering seized me Twice in my life had I seen this same thing, and that there an awful storm, with spring tide, which would overwhelm the poor people who were now out ice, drinking, dancing, and making merry Young and old, the whole city, were there; who was to warn them, if no one noticed the sign, or knew what it meant as ? so alarmed, that more strength and life than I had done for I got out of bed, and reached the window; crawl any farther from weakness and exhaustion; but I managed to open the window the people outside running and jumping about ice; the beautiful flags waving wind; I heard the boys shouting, 'Hurrah ! ' lads and lasses singing, and everything full of merriment and joy But the white cloud black spot hanging over them I cried out as loudly as , but no one heard me; too far off people Soon would the storm burst, the ice break, and all who were be irretrievably lost hear me, and was quite out power Oh, if only get them safe on land ! Then came the thought, from heaven, that rather set fire to my bed, and let the house be burnt down, than that people should perish miserably I got light, and in the red flames leaped up as beacon I escaped fortunately as far threshold door; but there I fell down and remained: go no farther The flames rushed out towards me, flickered window, and rose high above the roof The people ice became aware fire, and ran as fast as possible to help poor sick woman, who, thought, was being burnt to death not one who run I heard them coming, and I also same time was conscious of rush of air and sound like the roar of heavy artillery The spring flood was lifting the ice covering, which brake into thousand pieces But the people had reached the sea-wall, where the sparks were flying round I had saved them all; but I suppose survive the cold and fright; so up here gates of paradise told open to poor creatures such as , and now no house left on earth; but claim admitted here "

Then the gates were opened, and an angel led the old woman in She had dropped one little straw out of her straw bed, when she set it on fire to save the lives of It changed purest gold- into gold that constantly grew and expanded into flowers and fruit of immortal beauty

"See," said the angel, pointing wonderful straw, " what the poor woman has brought What dost thou bring ? thou hast accomplished nothing, not even made single brick Even if thou couldst return, and produce , very likely, when made, the brick useless, unless done with good will, always something But thou canst not return to earth, and do nothing for thee "

Then the poor soul, the old mother who had lived house dyke, pleaded for him She said, "His brother made all the stone and bricks, and sent them to build my poor little dwelling, great deal for poor woman like me all these bricks and pieces be as wall of stone to prevail for him ? an act of mercy; wanting it now; and very fountain of mercy "

"Then," said the angel, "thy brother, he who looked upon meanest of you all, he whose honest deeds to thee appeared so humble,- he who has sent you this heavenly gift Thou shalt not be turned away Thou shalt have permission to stand without the gate and reflect, and repent of thy life on earth; but thou shalt not be admitted here until thou hast performed one good deed of repentance, which will indeed for thee be something "

" expressed that better," thought the critic; but it aloud, which for him was SOMETHING, after all

THE END