—— / DEATH COMING AS A FRIEND. 179 to make room for the Book which has been his companion through his long pilgrimage; for a pilgrim who travels farther and faster than ever he had done has come to be his companion. The city may be all ablaze, but his horn hangs idly on its nail ; he will never blow it more. His pigeon lure lies upon the chair, he will never waft it gain to call his old companions, and the gentle eo be heard by mortal ears. Death tolls silently, as feet are shod with felt. Soon the people in the town will begin to wonder that the bell does not ring out at its usual hour. One will come up to inquire the reason, perhaps to rate the old man for his want of punctuality, and will find him there alone with death, while the sparrow, now seated Mh NN \ 1H) NY NA ALY y th L tiyggue birds will miss him. The keys hang useless by his side, for The Shadow, cloak’d from head to foot, That keeps the key of all the creeds, has joined him, and is tolling his death-knell with a steadfast countenance, confronted by the figure of the crucified Redeemer, who conquered him by dying. Not that the knell which Death rings can he walks stealthily; his bells are muffled, as } 1 | pertly upon the parapet, startled by the opening door, will fly off in the sunshine with a merry chirrup. The messenger will ring the neglected bell, and then come down with the news that the old man is dead, and every body will say that it is just what they expected, that he had got quite an old man, and had changed very much of late. So he will be put into his grave, and will be forgotten, while N 2