"My Billy
is no more!" said she; "do you weep for my Billy? Blessings on your
tears! I would weep too, but my brain is dry; and it burns, it
burns, it burns!"--She drew nearer to Harley.--"Be comforted, young
lady," said he, "your Billy is in heaven."--"Is he, indeed? and
shall we meet again? and shall that frightful man (pointing to the
keeper) not be there!--Alas! I am grown naughty of late; I have
almost forgotten to think of heaven: yet I pray sometimes; when I
can, I pray; and sometimes I sing; when I am saddest, I sing: --You
shall hear me--hush!
"Light be the earth on Billy's breast,
And green the sod that wraps his grave."
There was a plaintive wildness in the air not to be withstood; and,
except the keeper's, there was not an unmoistened eye around her.
"Do you weep again?" said she. "I would not have you weep: you are
like my Billy; you are, believe me; just so he looked when he gave
me this ring; poor Billy! 'twas the last time ever we met! -
"'Twas when the seas were roaring--I love you for resembling my
Billy; but I shall never love any man like him."--She stretched out
her hand to Harley; he pressed it between both of his, and bathed it
with his tears.--"Nay, that is Billy's ring," said she, "you cannot
have it, indeed; but here is another, look here, which I plated to-
day of some gold-thread from this bit of stuff; will you keep it for
my sake? I am a strange girl; but my heart is harmless: my poor
heart; it will burst some day; feel how it beats!" She pressed his
hand to her bosom, then holding her head in the attitude of
listening--"Hark! one, two, three! be quiet, thou little trembler;
my Billy is cold!--but I had forgotten the ring.
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