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BIOGRAPHY. 95
It makes itself not known within the world’s
And chance’s ever-shifting, changing forms,
But it reveals itself in hearts of mortals,
And thus in them expresséd is its spirit:
‘That sons of earth in greatest earthly need
May then on “ bread of life ’’ from heaven feed ;’
And when [ hear them tell how fate ungentle
Has acted ’gainst some mortal good and noble,
Fate is to me a darkling cloud no more,
A cloud which hides the sun of light and beauty;
Praise be to God! I know now how it is, —
I know that in the sufferer’s meek submission
Lies strength concealed to feed and nourish gladness ;
J know that in the martyr’s crown of thorns,
When borne with patience, there is not one point,
Which or in time or in eternity,
Blooms not into a rose.”
Although fully prepared and joyfully looking forward to
a better life, Fredrika yet believed that she was destined
to remain longer in this world, in which she fancied that a
great deal still remained for her to do, while leading a life
full of love for mankind and wandering in the paths of our
Saviour: to help, solace, and comfort the destitute, the suf-
fering, the unhappy, the abandoned, who from all quarters
turned to her for assistance and consolation.
But this belief was not to be realized. Although Fre-
drika, after having taken up her abode in the country, had
regained health and strength, she yet felt a something
within her foreboding the great removal, — arising either
from the prophetic element in her nature, or from a con-
sciousness of physical decline; probably from both. She
communicated her thoughts and feelings on this subject to
an old friend in Sweden and to a friend in America; but
as she never was in the habit of paying much attention to
her bodily ailments or dangers to life or health, she did not
attach any particular importance to these forebodings, not
suspecting that the solemn hour was so near.
It was in the beginning of September when Fredrika,
for the last time, visited us in the country. On the 30th
of December we received two letters from Arsta: one, a
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