Before her towered, in their majestic glory, Miss Janet’s favorite mountains, yet were the peaks alone distinctly visible; the twilight only strong enough to disclose the mass of heavy fog that enveloped them.  The stars had nearly all disappeared, those that lingered were sadly paling away.  How solemn was the stillness!  She thought of the words of Jacob, “Surely God is here!”—­the clouds were flying swiftly beneath the arch of Heaven, as if from God’s presence.  Many thoughts were suggested to her by the grandeur of the scene, for my reader must remember, that an admiration of the glories of nature is not unfrequently a characteristic of an uneducated mind.  Many verses of Scripture occurred to her, “From the rising of the sun, unto the going down of the same, the Lord’s name be praised.  The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.  Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high?  Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven, and in the earth.”  The soul of the slave-woman rejoiced in the Lord, her Maker and her Redeemer.

Gradually a soft light arose above the mountains; the fog became transparent through its influence.  A red hue gilded the top of the mist, and slowly descended toward it, as it sank away.  All the shadows of the night were disappearing, at the command once given, “Let there be light,” and re-obeyed at the birth of every day.  Phillis’s heart warmed with gratitude to God who had given to her a knowledge of himself.  She thought of her many mercies, her health, her comforts, and the comparative happiness of each member of her family; of the kindness of her master and the ladies; all these considerations affected her as they never had before, for gratitude and love to God ever inspires us with love and kindness to our fellow creatures.

Her thoughts returned to Alice, but all superstitious dread was gone; Aunt Peggy’s strange wanderings no longer oppressed her; her mind was in its usual healthy state.  “The good Lord is above us all,” she said, “and Miss Alice is one of his children.”  She saw the house door open, and William coming toward her on his way to the stable.  It was without any agitation that she asked what was the matter?  “Miss Alice is very sick,” said William, “and I am going for the doctor.”

“I am glad I happened to be here,” said Phillis, “may be they want me.”

“You better not go in now,” said William, “for she’s asleep.  Miss Anna told me to walk very easy, for she would not have her waked for all the world.”

So Phillis, seeing Aunt Peggy’s door open, thought she would step over and find out if the old lady had slept off her notions.

Aunt Peggy’s cabin had two rooms, in one of which, she and her granddaughter slept, in the other Nancy cooked and washed, and occupied herself with various little matters.  Nancy had been up a short time and was mixing some Indian bread for their breakfast.  She looked surprised, at having so early a visitor.