“I know it, mother.  You have always taught me that, and I firmly believe it.  God, who sees and notes the fall of even a sparrow, will not let me fall, except it be His gracious will.  No, mother, I feel that I must go, and you must consent and give me your best blessing.  It is strange that we see no account of ministers or members of any denomination but the Roman Church volunteering to go to the stricken city.  All seem to stand aloof but them.  How noble are those truly Christian and devoted women, the Sisters of Mercy!  And shall I be idle and listless when I might be saving life, or at least trying to do so.  O, mother dear, I must go.  I will come back safely to you.  You must give me your consent.”

Mrs. Arnold was herself a truly brave and Christian lady, and a firm believer in the care that God exercises over all who serve Him.  And therefore, after a short consideration, she gave the required consent to her daughter Agnes, to go to Shreveport as a nurse.

During the late war, fond fathers sent their sons to the battle-field, not that they wished to have them slaughtered, but willing that, for the sake of their cause, they should take the risk.

So now, with much the same motive, Mrs. Arnold gave Agnes her approbation to go and perform her Christian duty to the sufferers at Shreveport.

Yet when the parting really came, it seemed as though Mrs. Arnold could never unclasp her arms from about the form of her daughter.

“God will bring me safely back to you, dear mother,” urged Agnes, gently untwining those loving arms; “Good-by.”

“Good-by, darling, good-by.”

It was over—­the parting was over—­Agnes was gone.  Mrs. Arnold was alone—­for evermore in this life.  Not until the sea and earth give up their dead—­not until the Book of Life might be opened and mankind summoned before the White Throne on high, were these two destined to look into each other’s face again.  Mrs. Arnold could not foresee the solemn significance of her words as, for the last time, she murmured: 

“Agnes, my darling, my angel, good-by!”

IN THE MIDST OF DEATH.

In due course of time Agnes approached Shreveport.  While in the cars she had formed the acquaintance of three Sisters of Mercy, who were bound upon a similar errand of kindness and peril to her own.

At first, upon learning whither she was going, and what her object was, these pious ladies were thoroughly astonished; but when they found by interrogation that she was really in earnest, their friendly admiration became equal to their previous astonishment.

“Your services will be most welcome, Miss Arnold, I assure you,” said the eldest of the Sisters.  “This is the third time I have been summoned to nurse in yellow fever, and I know that there are never one-half the number of nurses necessary.”

A little short of the stricken city they were all stopped, and it required the positive statement of the Sisters of Mercy that their youthful, lovely companion was really going into the place for the purpose of nursing the sick.