of ,florida4      ,illustration3 ,,the  
,,widow',s ,,pot ,,of ,,oil4  ,,small   
,,means ,,and ,,great ,,ends4  ,,edited 
,,by ,,mrs4 ,m4,h4 ,,adams     ,word of 
,truth1 and ,gift of ,love1             
,waiting hearts now need thee2          
,faithful in thy mission prove1      ,on
 that mission speed thee4     #ahea4    
,,preface4   ,from the encouragement    
extended to our worthy publisher on the 
presentation of the first and second    
volumes of the ,annual1 we conclude that
 the experiment of #ahde may be regarded
 as a successful one1 and the           
preparation of a little work of this    
kind an acceptable offering to the      
young4  ,the present year1 our kind     
contributors have afforded us a much    
more ample supply of interesting        
articles than could possibly appear4 ,we
 regret that any who have so generously 
labored for us and our young friends1   
should be denied the pleasure of        
greeting their articles on the pages of 
the ,annual4 ,let them not suspect that 

it is from any disapproval or rejection 
of their labors4 ,be assured1 dear      
friends1 we are more grateful than can  
properly be expressed in a brief        
preface4 ,our warmest thanks are due our
 old friends1 who1 in the midst of other
 arduous duties1 have willingly given us
 assistance4 ,let our new correspondents
 be assured they are gratefully         
remembered1 although we have not the    
pleasure or opportunity to present their
 articles to our readers in the present 
volume4 ,they are at the publisher's    
disposal for another year4  ,may the    
blessing of our ,father in heaven rest  
upon the little book and all its mends4 
,m4,h4,a4       ,,contents4             
99       99       99       99       99  
,small ,means and ,great ,ends     ,mary
 ,ellen     ,the ,dead ,child to its    
,mother     ,hope     ,the ,young       
,soldier     ,the ,stolen ,children     
,my ,grandmother's ,cottage     ,the    
,first ,oath     ,the ,fairy's ,gift    
,a ,lesson taught by ,nature            

,florence ,drew     ,shechem     ,the   
,little ,candle     ,are we not all     
,brothers and ,sisters8                 
,fortune-,telling     ,the ,boy who     
,stole the ,nails     ,the ,childless   
,mother     ,the ,motherless ,child     
,faith    ,,small ,,means ,,and ,,great 
,,ends2  ,,or1  ,,the ,,widow',s ,,pot  
,,of ,,oil4  ,,by ,,julia ,a4           
,,fletcher4  ,oh6 how ,i do wish ,i was 
rich6 said ,eliza ,melvyn1 dropping her 
work in her lap1 and looking up         
discontentedly to her mother2 why should
 not ,i be rich as well as ,clara       
,payson8 ,there she passes in her       
father's carriage1 with her fine        
clothes1 and haughty ways2 while ,i sit 
here--sew--sewing--all day long4 ,i     
don't see what use ,i am in the world6  
,why should it be so8 ,why should one   
person have bread to waste1 while       
another is starving8 ,why should one sit
 idle all day1 while another toils all  
night8 ,why should one have so many     
blessings1 and another so few8  ,eliza6 

said ,mrs4 ,melvyn1 taking her          
daughter's hand gently within her own1  
and pushing back the curls from her     
flushed brow1 my daughter1 why is this8 
why is your usual contentment gone1 and 
why are you so sinfully complaining8    
,have you forgotten to think that ',god 
is ever good8'  ,no1 mother1 replied the
 young girl1 but it sometimes appears   
strange to me1 why he allows all these  
things4  ,wiser people than either you  
or ,i have been led to wonder at these  
things1 said ,mrs4 ,melvyn2 but the     
,christian sees in all the wisdom of    
,god1 who allows us to be tried here1   
and will overrule all for our good4 ,the
 very person who is envied for one      
blessing perhaps envies another for one 
he does not possess4 ,but why would you 
be rich1 my child8  ,mother1 ,i went    
this morning through a narrow1 dirty    
street in another part of the city4 ,a  
group of ragged children were collected 
round one who was crying bitterly4 ,i   
made my way through them and spoke to   

the little boy4 ,he told me his little  
sister was dead1 his father was sick1   
and he was hungry4 ,here was sorrow     
enough for any one2 but the little boy  
stood there with his bare feet1 his     
sunbleached hair and tattered clothes1  
and smiled almost cheerfully through the
 tears which washed white streaks amid  
the darkness of his dirty face4 ,he led 
me to his home4 ,oh1 mother6 if you had 
been with me up those broken stairs1 and
 seen the helpless beings in that       
dismal1 dirty room you would have       
wished1 like me1 for the means to help  
them4 ,the dead body lay there unburied1
 for the man said1 they had no money to 
pay for a coffin4 ,he was dying himself1
 and they might as well be buried       
together4  ,are you sure1 ,eliza1 that  
you have not the means to help them8    
asked ,mrs4 ,melvyn4 ,put on your       
bonnet1 my dear1 and go to our sexton4  
,tell him to go and do what should be   
done4 ,the charitable society of which  
,i am a member will pay the expense4    

,then call on ,dr4 ---- the dispensary  
physician1 and send him to the relief of
 the sick one4 ,then go to those of your
 acquaintance who have1 as you say1     
'bread to waste1' and mention to them   
this hungry little boy4 ,if you have no 
money to give these sufferers1 you have 
a voice to plead with those who have2   
and thus you may bless the poor1 while  
you doubly bless the rich1 for ',it is  
more blessed to give than to receive4'  
,eliza obeyed1 and when she returned    
several hours after1 her face glowing   
with animation1 and eagerly recounted   
how much had been done for the poor     
family2 how their dead had been humanely
 borne from their sight2 how the sick   
man was visited by the physician1 and   
his bitterness of spirit removed by the 
sympathy which was sent him2 how the    
room was to be cleaned and ventilated1  
and how she left the little boy eating a
 huge slice of bread1 while others of   
the family were half devouring the      
remainder of the loaf2 her mother       

listened with the same gentleness4 ,it  
is well1 my daughter1 said she2 ,i      
preferred to send you on this errand of 
sympathy1 that you might see how much   
you could do with small means4  ,i have 
a picture here1 she continued1 which ,i 
wish you to keep as a token of this     
day's feelings and actions4 ,it is      
called ',the ,widow's ,pot of ,oil4'    
,will you read me the story which       
belongs to it8  ,eliza took her little  
pocket ,bible1 the one that she always  
carried to the ,sabbath school1 and1    
turning to the fourth chapter of the    
second book of ,kings1 read the first   
seven verses4 ,turn to them now1        
children1 and read them4  ,you can see  
in this picture1 said her mother1 how   
small was the 'pot of oil1' and how     
large were some of the vessels to be    
filled4 ,yet still it flowed on1 a      
little stream2 still knelt the widow in 
her faith1 patiently supporting it2     
still brought her little sons the empty 
vessels2 the blessing of ,god was upon  

it1 and they were all filled4 ,she      
feared not that the oil would cease to  
flow2 she stopped not when one vessel   
was filled2 she still believed1 and     
labored1 and waited1 until her work was 
done4  ,take this picture1 my daughter1 
and when you think that you cannot do   
good with small means1 remember 'the    
widow's pot of oil1' and perseveringly  
use the means you have2 when one labor  
is done1 begin another2 stitch by stitch
 you have made this beautiful garment2  
very large houses are built of little   
bricks patiently joined together one by 
one2 and 'the widow's small pot of oil' 
filled many large vessels4  ,oh1 mother1
 said ,eliza1 ,i hope ,i shall never be 
so wicked again4 ,i will keep the       
picture always4 ,but1 mother1 do you not
 think ,mr4 ,usher would like this      
picture to put in the ',sabbath ,school 
,annual8' ,he might have a smaller one  
engraved from this1 you know1 and       
perhaps cousin ,julia will write        
something about it4 ,i mean to ask them4

     ,,mary ,,ellen2  ,a ,,sketch ,,from
 ,,life4  ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,margaret ,m4    
,,mason4     ,o1 lightly1 lightly tread6
    ,a holy thing is sleep    ,on the   
worn spirit shed1    ,and eyes that wake
 to weep2    ,ye know not what ye do1   
,that call the slumberer back    ,from  
the world unseen by you1    ,unto life's
 dim faded track4  ,how beautiful1 calm1
 and peaceful is sleep6 ,often1 when ,i 
have laid my head upon my pillow happy  
and healthful1 ,i have asked myself1 to 
what shall ,i awaken8 ,what changes may 
come ere again my head shall press this 
pillow8 ,ah1 little do we know what a   
day may unfold to us6 ,we know not to   
what we shall awaken2 what joy or       
sorrow4 ,i do not know when ,i was      
awakened to more painful intelligence1  
than when aroused one morning from      
pleasant dreams by the voice of a       
neighbor1 saying that ,mary ,ellen1 the 
only daughter of a near neighbor1 was   
dying4 ,she was a beautiful little girl1
 about three years of age1 unlike most  

other children4 ,she was more serious   
and thoughtful2 and many predicted that 
her friends would not have her long4    
,she would often ask strange questions  
about heaven and her heavenly ,father2  
and many of her expressions were very   
beautiful4  ,one day she asked          
permission of her mother to go and      
gather her some flowers4 ,her mother    
gave her permission1 but requested her  
not to go out of the field4 ,after      
searching in vain for flowers1 she      
returned with some clover leaves and    
blades of grass4 ,mother1 said she1 ,i  
could find you no flowers1 but here are 
some spires of grass and clover leaves4 
,say that they are some pretty1 mother4 
,,god made them4 ,often1 when she woke  
in the morning1 she would ask her mother
 if it was the ,sabbath day4 ,if told it
 was1 ,then1 she would say1 we will read
 the ,bible and keep the day holy4 ,her 
mother always strove to render the      
,sabbath interesting to her1 and to have
 her spend it in a profitable manner4   

,nor did she fail2 for little ,mary     
,ellen was always happy when the        
,sabbath morning came4 ,the interest she
 took in the reading of the ,scriptures1
 in explanations given of the plates in 
the ,bible1 and the accuracy with which 
she would remember all that was told    
her1 were truly pleasing4 ,her kind and 
affectionate disposition1 her love for  
all that was pure and holy1 and her     
readiness to forgive and excuse all that
 she saw wrong in others1 made her      
beloved by all who knew her4 ,if she saw
 children at play on the ,sabbath1 or   
roaming about1 she would notice it1 and 
speak of it as being very wrong1 and it 
would appear to wound her feelings2 yet 
she would try to excuse them4 ,it may   
be1 she would say1 that they do not know
 that it is the holy ,sabbath day4      
,perhaps no one has told them4 ,she     
could not bear to think of any one doing
 wrong intentionally4  ,whenever she    
heard her little associates make use of 
any language that she was not quite sure

 was right1 she would ask her mother if 
it was wrong to speak thus2 and if      
wrong1 she would say1 ,then1 ,i will    
never speak so1 and ,i shall be your own
 dear little girl1 and my heavenly      
,father will love me4 ,we often ask     
children whom they love best4 ,such was 
the question often put to ,mary ,ellen4 
,she would always say1 ,i love my       
heavenly ,father best1 and my dear      
father and mother next4 ,her first and  
best affections were freely given to her
 ,maker1 not from a sense of duty alone 
did it seem1 but from a heart           
overflowing with love and gratitude2 and
 never1 at the hour of retiring1 would  
she forget to kneel and offer up her    
evening prayer4 ,thus she lived4  ,now  
,i will lead you to her dying pillow    
,many friends were around her4 ,no one  
had told her that she was dying2 yet she
 herself felt conscious of it4 ,she     
wished to have the window raised1 that  
she might see the ocean and trees once  
more4 ,oh6 said her mother1 bending over

 her1 is my dear little girl dying8 ,i  
want to go1 said ,mary ,ellen2 ,i want  
my father and mother to go with me4     
,will you not stay with us8 said the    
stricken father2 will you not stay with 
us8 ,she raised her little hands and    
eyes--,oh no1 said she2 ,i see them6 ,i 
see them6 't is lighter there2 ,i want  
to go2 get a coffin and go with me1     
father4 ',t is lighter there6 ,she died 
soon after she ceased speaking4 ,her    
pure spirit winged its way to the blest 
home where we shall all have more light1
 where the mortal shall put on          
immortality4  ,she died when flowers    
were fading2 fit season for one of so   
gentle and pure a nature to depart4     
,in the cold1 moist earth they laid her 
,when the forest cast the leaf1    ,and 
we wept that one so beautiful           
,should have a life so brief4    ,and   
yet 't was not unmeet that one1         
,like that young friend of ours1    ,so 
gentle and so beautiful1      ,should   
perish with the flowers4  ,but ,oh6 when

 that little form was laid in the cold  
grave1--when the childless parents      
returned to their lonely home1 once made
 so happy by the smile of their departed
 child1--,oh6 who can express or        
describe their anguish6 ,in her they had
 all they could ask in a child2 she was 
their only one4 ,everything speaks to   
their hearts of her2 but her light step 
and happy voice fall not upon their     
ears2 to them the flowers that she loved
 have a mournful language4 ,the voice of
 the wind sighing in the trees has to   
them a melancholy tone4 ,the light laugh
 of little children1 coming in at the   
open window1--the singing of birds which
 she delighted to hear1--but speak to   
their hearts of utter loneliness4 ,they 
feel that the little form they had      
nursed with so much care and tenderness1
 so often pressed to their bosoms1 is   
laid beneath the sod4 ,yet the sweet    
consolation which religion affords1     
cheered and sustained the afflicted     
parents in their hours of deepest       

sorrow4 ,they would not call their child
 back4 ,they feel that she has reached  
her heavenly home4 ,happy must they have
 been in yielding up to its ,maker a    
spirit so pure4  ,two years ,mary ,ellen
 has been sleeping in the little        
grave-yard4 ,since then another little  
daughter has been given her parents1--a 
promising little bud1 that came with the
 spring flowers1 to bless and cheer the 
home which was made so desolate4 ,the   
best wish ,i have for the parents1 and  
all ,i ask for the child1 is1 that it   
may be like little ,mary ,ellen4 ,i have
 an earnest wish1 too that all little   
children who read this sketch may be led
 to love and obey ,god as much as ,mary 
,ellen4  ,illustration     ,,the ,,dead 
,,child ,,to ,,its ,,mother4  ,,by      
,,mrs4 ,e4,r4,b4 ,,waldo4               
,mother1 mourn not for me2         ,no  
more ,i need of thee2    ,call back the 
yearning which would follow where       
,no mortal grief can go2         ,all   
thine affection throw    ,around thy    

living ones2 they need thy care4        
,let not my name still be         ,a    
word of grief to thee1    ,but let it   
bring a thought of peace and rest2      
,shed for me no sad tear1               
,remember1 mother dear6    ,that ,i am  
with the perfect and the blest4         
,yes1 let my memory still         ,with 
joy thy bosom fill2    ,for1 though thou
 dost along life's desert roam1         
,my spirit1 like a star1         ,bright
 burning and afar1    ,shall guide thee1
 through the darkness1 to thy home      
,,hope4  ,,by ,,rev4 ,h4,b4 ,,nye4      
,expectation is not desire1 nor desire  
hope4 ,we may expect misfortune1        
sickness1 poverty1 while from these     
evils we would fain escape4 ,bending    
over the couches of the sick and        
suffering1 we may desire their          
restoration to health1 while the hectic 
flush and the rapid beating of the heart
 assure us that no effort of kindness or
 skill can prolong their days upon the  
earth4 ,hope is directed to some future 

good1 and it implies not only an ardent 
desire that our future may be fair and  
unclouded1 but an expectation that our  
wishes will1 at length1 be granted1 and 
our plans be crowned with large success4
 ,hence hope animates us to exertion and
 diligence1 and always imparts pleasure 
and gladness1 while our fondest wishes  
cost us anxiety and tears4  ,there are  
false and delusive hopes1 which bring   
us1 at last1 to shame4 ,there are those 
who expect to gain riches by fraud and  
deceit1 in pursuits and traffics on     
which the laws of truth1 love1 and      
justice1 must ever darkly frown4 ,they  
forget that wealth1 with all its        
splendor1 can only be deemed a good and 
desirable gift when sought as an        
instrument to advance noble and         
beneficent aims1--when we are the       
almoners of ,god's bounty to the lonely 
children of sorrow and want4  ,if we    
seek wealth1 let us not forget that pure
 hearts gentle affections1 lofty        
purposes1 and generous deeds1 can alone 

secure the peace and blessedness of the 
spiritual kingdom of ,god4  ,there are  
some who have a strong desire for the   
praise and stations of men1 yet are     
often careless of the means by which    
they accomplish their ends4 ,remember1  
my young friends1 that no station1 no   
crown1 or honor1 will occupy the        
attention of a good and noble heart1    
except it opens a better opportunity for
 philanthropic labor1 and is conferred  
as the free offering of an intelligent  
and grateful people4  ,there are many1  
especially among the young1 who seek    
present pleasure in foolish and sinful  
deeds1 vainly believing the wicked may  
flourish and receive the blessing of the
 good4 ,believe me1 young friend1 such  
hopes are delusive1 and such            
expectations will suddenly perish4 ,let 
fools laugh and mock at sin1 and live as
 if ,god were not2 but consider well the
 path of your feet6 ,when your weak arm 
can hold back the globes which circle in
 space above us in solemn grandeur and  

beauty forever1 then may you hope to    
arrest the operation of those laws which
 preserve an everlasting connection     
between obedience and blessedness1 sin  
and sorrow4  ,in the spring-season of   
life1 how beautiful are the visions     
which ,hope spreads out to our admiring 
view1 as we go forth1 with gladsome     
heart and step1 amid the duties of life1
 its trials and temptations4 ,it begets 
manly effort by its promises of success1
 and leads us to virtue and self-denial1
 in our weakness and sin4 ,when our     
heads are bowed to the earth in         
despondency and gloom1 hope putteth     
forth her hand1 scattereth afar the     
clouds1 dispelleth our sorrow2 and      
again1 with a firmer step and a more    
trustful heart1 we go forth on the      
solemn march of life6 ,it is our solace 
and strength in the hours of woe and    
grief1 when those in whose smile we have
 rejoiced pass from our presence and    
homes to the valley and shadow of death4
 ,and if we weep that they are not1 and 

can never return1     ,hope1 like the   
rainbow1 a creature of light1    ,is    
born1 like the rainbow1 in tears1  and  
we rest in the calm and blest assurance 
that we shall ultimately go to them1 and
 with them dwell forever in a land      
without sorrow4  ,it may be said that we
 scarcely live in the present4 ,memory1 
in whose mysterious cells are treasured 
the records of the past1 carries us back
 to our earlier years1 and all our      
pursuits1 and sports1 and joys1 and     
griefs1 pass rapidly in review before   
us2 and ,hope leads us onward1 investing
 future years with charms1 and bidding  
us strive with brave and manly hearts in
 the conflicts and duties that remain4  
,the former years--sorrowful            
remembrance6--may have been passed in   
luxury1 indolence1 or flagrant sin2 the 
fruits of our industry and skill may    
have wasted away2 friends1 whose love   
once cast a golden sunshine on the path 
of life1 may have proved false and      
treacherous2 our fondest desires1       

perchance1 have faded1 and sorrows may  
encompass us about2--yet above us the   
voice of ,hope crieth aloud1 ,press     
on6--through tears and the cross must   
thou win the crown2 be patient1         
trustful1 in every duty and grief2 press
 on1 and falter not2 and its words      
linger like the music of a remembered   
dream in our ear1 until1 at the borders 
of the grave1 we lay down the burden of 
our sinfulness and care1 and1 through   
the open gate of death1 pass onward to  
that world where hope shall be exchanged
 for sight1 and we1 with unveiled eye1  
shall look upon the wondrous ways and   
works of ,god4     ,,the ,,young        
,,soldier  ,,by ,,rev4 ,j4,g4 ,,adams4  
,a soldier6 a soldier6      ,i'm longing
 to be2    ,the name and the life       
,of a soldier for me6    ,i would not be
 living      ,at ease and at play3      
,true honor and glory      ,i'd win in  
my day6     ,a soldier6 a soldier6      
,in armor arrayed2    ,my weapons in    
hand1      ,of no contest afraid2       

,i'd ever be ready      ,to strike the  
first blow1    ,and to fight my good way
      ,through the ranks of the foe4    
,but then1 let me tell you1      ,no    
blood would ,i shed1    ,no victory seek
 o'er      ,the dying and dead2    ,a   
far braver soldier      ,than this would
 ,i be2    ,a warrior of ,truth1     ,in
 the ranks of the free6     ,my helmet  
,salvation1      ,strong ,faith my good 
shield4    ,the sword of the ,spirit    
,i'd learn how to wield4    ,and then   
against evil      ,and sin would ,i     
fight1    ,assured of my triumph1       
,because in the right4     ,a soldier6 a
 soldier6      ,o1 then1 let me be6     
,young friends1 ,i invite you--         
,enlist now with me4    ,truth's bands  
will be mustered--      ,love's foes    
shall give way6    ,let's up1 and be    
clad      ,in our battle array6         
,illustration     ,,the ,,stolen        
,,children4  ,,by ,,mrs4 ,m4,a4         
,,livermore4   ,not many years ago1 the 
beautiful hills and valleys of ,new     

,england gave to the wild ,indian a     
home1 and its bright waters and quiet   
forests furnished him with food4 ,rude  
wigwams stood where now ascends the hum 
of the populous city1 and council-fires 
blazed amid the giant trees which have  
since bowed before the axe of the       
settler4 ,between that rude age and the 
refinement of the present day1 many and 
fearful were the strifes of the red     
owner of the land with the invading     
white man1 who1 having crossed the      
waters of the ,atlantic1 sought to drive
 him from his hitherto undisputed       
possessions4 ,the recital of deeds of   
inhuman cruelty which characterized that
 period2 the rehearsal of bloody        
massacres of inoffensive women and      
innocent children1 which those cruel    
savages delighted in1 would even now    
curdle the blood with horror1 and make  
one sick at heart4  ,it was in this     
period of fearful warfare that the      
events occurred which form the          
foundation of the following story4  ,not

 far from the year #afhj1 a small colony
 was planted on the banks of the        
beautiful ,connecticut4 ,a little       
company from the sea-side found their   
way1 through the tangled and pathless   
woods1 to the meadows that lay sleeping 
on the banks of this bright river2 and  
here1 after having felled the mighty    
trees whose brows had long been kissed  
by the pure heavens1 they erected their 
humble cottages2 and began to till the  
rich alluvial soil4 ,the colonists were 
persevering and industrious2 and soon a 
little village grew up beside the       
shining stream1 fields of ,indian corn  
waved their wealth of tasselled heads in
 the breezes1 the rudely-constructed    
school-house echoed with the cheerful   
hum of the little students1 and a rustic
 church was dedicated to the ,god of the
 ,pilgrims4 ,he who officiated as the   
spiritual teacher of this new parish1   
also instructed the children during the 
week4 ,a man he was of no inferior mind1
 or neglected education2 of fervent1 but

 austere piety1 possessing a bold spirit
 and a benevolent heart4 ,his family    
consisted of a wife and two daughters2  
,emma1 the elder1 was a girl of eight   
summers1 and ,anna1 the younger1 was    
about five4  ,never were children so    
frolicsome and mirth-loving as were     
,emma and ,anna ,wilson1 the daughters  
of the minister4 ,not the grave         
admonitions of their mother1 or the     
severe reproofs of their stern father2  
not their many confinements in dark and 
windowless closets1 or the memory of    
afternoons1 when1 supperless1 they had  
been sent to bed while the sun was yet  
high in the heavens2 not the fear of    
certain punishment1 or the suasion of   
kindness1 could tame their wild natures1
 or force them into anything like       
woman-like sobriety4 ,hand in hand1 they
 would wander amid the aisles of        
mossy-trunked trees1 plucking the       
flowers that carpeted the earth2 now    
digging for ground-nuts1 now turning    
over the leaves for acorns2 sometimes   

they would watch the nibbling squirrel  
as he nimbly sprang from tree to tree1  
or overpower1 with their boisterous     
laughter1 the gushing melody of the     
bobolink2 they mocked the querulous     
cat-bird and the cawing crow1 started at
 the swift winging of the shy blackbird1
 and stood still to listen to the sweet 
song of the clear-throated thrush2 now  
they bathed their feet in the streamlets
 that went singing on their way to the  
,connecticut1 and then1 throwing up     
handfuls of the running water1 which    
fell again upon their heads1 they       
laughed right merrily at their          
self-baptism4 ,they were happy as the   
days were long2 but wild as their       
playfellows1 the birds1 the streams1 and
 the squirrels4  ,one beautiful ,sabbath
 morning in ,july1 their mother dressed 
them tidily in their best frocks1 and   
tying on their snow-white sun-bonnets1  
she sent them to church nearly an hour  
before she started with their father1   
that they might walk leisurely1 and have

 opportunity to get rested before the   
commencement of services4 ,but it was   
not until near the middle of the sermon 
that the little rogues made their       
appearance4 ,with glowing faces1 hair   
that had strayed from its ungraceful    
confinement to float in golden curls    
over their necks and shoulders1--with   
bonnets1 shoes and stockings tied       
together and swinging over each         
arm1--with dresses rent1 ripped1 soiled 
and stained1 and up-gathered aprons     
filled with berries1 blossoms1 pebbles1 
fresh-water shells and bright sand1 they
 stole softly to where their mother was 
sitting1 much to her mortification1 and 
greatly to the horror of their pious    
father4  ,for this offence1 they were   
forbidden to accompany their parents1 on
 the next ,sabbath1 to church1 but were 
condemned to close confinement in the   
house during the long1 bright1 summer   
day--a severer punishment than which1   
could not have been inflicted4 ,when the
 hour of assembling for worship was     

announced by the old ,english clock that
 stood in the corner1 the curtains were 
drawn before the windows2 two bowls of  
bread and milk were placed on the       
dresser for their dinner2 a lesson in   
the ,testament was assigned to ,emma1   
and one in the ,catechism to ,anna2 a   
strict injunction to remain all day in  
the house was laid upon both1 and ,mr4  
and ,mrs4 ,wilson departed1 locking the 
door1 and taking the key4 ,the children 
soon wiped away the tears that their    
hard fate had gathered in their eyes1   
and applied themselves to their tasks1  
which were speedily committed4 ,then the
 forenoon wore slowly away2 they dared  
not get their playthings1--they were    
forbidden to go out doors1--and the only
 books in the room were the ,bible1     
,watts' ,hymns1 and the ,pilgrim's      
,progress1 which lay on the highest     
shelf in the room1 far beyond their     
reach4 ,noon came at last2 the sun shone
 fully in at the south window1          
betokening the dinner hour1 and then    

their dinner of bread and milk was      
eaten4 ,what were they next to do8      
,sorrowfully they gazed on the smiling  
river1 the green corn-fields1 the large 
potato-plats1 the grazing cattle1 the   
blooming flower-beds1 and the shady     
walks which led far into the cool       
recesses of the forest2 and earnestly   
did they long for liberty to ramble out 
in the glorious sunshine4 ,as they were 
gazing wistfully through the window1    
they saw their playful little kitten1   
,fanny1 dart like lightning from her    
hiding-place in the garden1 where she   
had long lain in ambush1 and fasten her 
sharp claws in the back of a poor little
 ground-bird1 which had been hopping    
from twig to twig1 chirping and         
twittering very cheerfully4 ,the little 
bird fluttered1 gasped1 and uttered     
wailing cries1 as it ineffectually      
labored to free itself from the power of
 its captor1 until ,emma and ,anna1     
unable longer to witness its distress1  
sprang out the window1 and1 rushing down

 the garden1 liberated the little       
prisoner1 and with delight saw it fly   
away towards the woods4  ,delighted to  
find themselves once more in the open   
air1 the joyful children forgot the     
prohibition of their parents1 and       
leaping over the dear little brook with 
which they loved to run races1 they     
filled their aprons with the blue-eyed  
violets that grew on its margin4 ,on    
they bounded1 further and further1 and a
 few moments more found them in the     
dense wood1 where not a sunbeam could   
reach the ground4 ,but suddenly the     
leaves rustled behind them1 and the     
twigs cracked1 and there sprung1 from an
 ambuscade in the thicket1 the tall     
figure of an ,indian1 who laid a strong 
hand on the arm of each little girl1    
and1 despite the cries1 tears1 and      
entreaties of the poor children1 hurried
 them deeper into the forest1 where they
 found a large body of these cruel      
savages1 clad in moose and deer skins1  
armed with bows and arrows1 tomahawks1  

and muskets4 ,the children were         
questioned concerning the village1 the  
occupation of the inhabitants on that   
day1 and the number of men at home1 and 
they replied correctly and intelligibly4
 ,a consultation was then held among the
 ,indians1 which resulted in a          
determination to attack the village2 and
 forthwith1 leaving but one behind to   
guard the little prisoners1 they made a 
descent on the quiet settlement1 burning
 and ravaging buildings on their way to 
the church4 ,but they did not find the  
body of worshippers unarmed1 as they    
doubtless expected2 for1 in those days  
of peril and savage warfare1 men        
worshipped ,god armed with musket and   
bayonet1 and the hand that was lifted in
 prayer to heaven would often1 at the   
next moment1 draw the gleaming sword    
from its sheath4 ,at the meeting-house1 
the savages met with a warm repulse2 and
 were so surprised and affrighted that  
they retreated back into the wild woods1
 after wounding but one or two          

colonists1 among whom was ,mr4 ,wilson1 
,emma's and ,anna's father4  ,the       
,indians commenced1 about dark1 a       
journey to the settlement where they    
belonged1 taking the stolen children    
with them2 they reached their           
destination early on the second day of  
their travel4 ,rough1 indeed1 seemed the
 ,indian village to the white children3 
the houses were only wigwams1 made by   
placing poles obliquely in the ground1  
and fastening them at the top1 covered  
on the outside with bark1 and lined on  
the inside with mats2 some containing   
but one family1 others a great many4    
,the furniture consisted of mats for    
beds1 curiously wrought baskets to hold 
corn1 and strings of wampum which served
 for ornaments4 ,into one of the        
smallest of these wigwams ,emma and     
,anna were carried1 and were given to   
the wife of one of the chief warriors1  
who had but one child of her            
own1--,winona was her name1 which       
signifies the first-born1--a            

bright-eyed1 pleasant1 winning little   
girl of two years of age4 ,the mother   
scrutinized them closely1 but the child 
appeared overjoyed to see them1 and     
wiped away their tears with her little  
hand1 and1 jabbering in her unknown     
language1 seemed begging them not to    
cry4 ,this interested the mother1 and   
she soon looked more kindly upon them1  
and set before them food4 ,but they were
 too sorrowful to eat1 and were glad to 
be shown a mat1 where they were to      
sleep4 ,locked in each others' arms1    
cheek pressed to cheek1 they lay and    
wept as if their hearts were broken4    
,let us pray to ,god1 whispered ,emma1  
after the inmates of the wigwam were    
reposing in slumber1 and ask ,him to    
bring us again to our father and mother4
  ,so they rose1 and knelt in the dark  
wigwam1 with their arms about one       
another's necks1 and their tears flowing
 together1 and offered to ,god their    
childish prayer3  ,our ,father in       
,heaven1 love us poor children2 take    

care of us2 forgive us for doing wrong1 
and help us be good2 take care of our   
dear parents2 comfort them1 and bring us
 again to meet them4  ,then1 more       
composed1 and trusting in the blessed   
,father of us all1 they fell asleep1 and
 sweet were their slumbers1 though far  
from their dear parents and home1 for   
angels watched over them1 and gave to   
them happy dreams4  ,a few days'        
residence among these untutored red men 
made ,emma and ,anna great favorites    
among them2 their pleasant dispositions1
 their good nature1 and1 above all1     
their love for the little ,winona1 which
 was fully reciprocated1 endeared them  
to the father and mother of the ,indian 
girl4 ,though sad at being separated    
from their parents1 and though they     
often wept until they could weep no     
longer when they thought of home1 yet   
their hearts1 like those of all         
children1 were easily consoled1 and     
their spirits were so elastic that they 
could not long be depressed4 ,winona    

loved them tenderly2 at night she slept 
between them1 and during the day she    
would never leave them4 ,she wore       
garlands of their wreathing1 listened to
 their ,english songs1 stroked their    
rosy cheeks1 and frolicked with them in 
the woods1 and beside the running       
brooks4  ,two months passed away2 all   
the ,indian women in the village were   
speaking of the love that had sprung up 
between the little white girls and the  
copper-colored ,winona2 and many a hard 
hand smoothed the golden curls of the   
little captives in token of affection4  
,then ,winona was taken sick2 her body  
glowed with the fever-heat1 her bright  
eyes became dull1 and day and night she 
moaned with pain4 ,with surprising care 
and tenderness1 ,emma and ,anna nursed  
the suffering child1--for to them were  
her glowing and burning hands extended  
for relief1 rather than to her mother4  
,they held her throbbing head1 lulled   
her to sleep1 bathed her hot temples1   
moistened her parched lips1 and soothed 

her distresses2 but they could not win  
her from the power of death--and she    
died6  ,oh1 it was a sorrowful thing to 
them to part with their little          
playmate1--to see the damp earth heaped 
upon her lovely form1 and to feel that  
she was forever hidden from their sight6
 ,they wept1 and1 with the almost       
frantic mother1 laid their faces on the 
tiny grave1 and moistened it with their 
tears4 ,hither they often came to       
scatter the freshest flowers1 and to    
weep for the home they feared they would
 never again see2 and here they often   
kneeled in united prayer to that ,god1  
who bends on prayerful children a loving
 eye1 and spreads over them a shadowing 
wing4  ,the childless ,indian woman now 
loved them more than ever2 but the death
 of ,winona had opened afresh the       
fountains of their grief1 and often did 
she find them weeping so bitterly that  
she could not comfort them4 ,she would  
draw them to her bosom1 and tenderly    
caress them2 but it all availed not1 and

 when the month of ,october came1 with  
its sere foliage and fading flowers1    
,emma and ,anna had grown so thin1 and  
pale1 and feeble1 from their wearing    
home-sickness1 that they stayed all day 
in the wigwam1 going out only to visit  
,winona's grave4 ,they drooped and      
drooped1 and those who saw them said1   
,the white children will die1 and lie   
down with ,winona4  ,the ,indian mother 
gazed on their pallid faces1 and wept2  
she loved them1 and could not bear to   
part with them2 but she saw they would  
die1 and calling her husband1 she bade  
him convey them to the home of their    
father4 ,many were the tears she shed at
 parting with them2 and when they       
disappeared among the thick trees1 she  
threw herself1 in an agony of grief1    
upon the mats within the wigwam4  ,it   
was ,sabbath noon when the children     
arrived in sight of their father's      
house2 here the ,indian left them1 and  
plunged again into the depths of the    
forest4 ,they could gain no admittance  

into the house1 and they hastened to the
 meeting-house1 where they hoped to find
 their parents4 ,they reached the       
church2 the congregation was singing2   
silently1 and unobserved1 they entered1 
and seated themselves at the remotest   
part of the building4 ,the singing      
ceased2 there was a momentary pause1 and
 their father rose before them4 ,oh1 how
 he was changed6 ,pale1 very pale1 thin 
and sad was his dear face2 and ,emma's  
and ,anna's hearts smote them1 as being 
the cause of this change4 ,they leaned  
forward to catch a glimpse of their     
mother1 but in her accustomed seat sat a
 lady dressed in black1 and this1 they  
thought1 could not be her2 they little  
supposed that their parents mourned for 
them as for the dead1 believing they    
should see them no more4  ,mr4 ,wilson  
took his text from ,psalms3 ,it is good 
for me that ,i have been afflicted4     
,with a tremulous voice1 he spoke of    
their recent afflictions2 of the sudden 
invasion of the colony1 the burning of  

their dwellings1 the wounding of some of
 their number1 and then his tones became
 more deeply tremulous1 for he spoke of 
his children4 ,the sobs of his          
sympathizing people filled the house1   
and the anguish of the father's feelings
 became so intense1 that he bowed his   
head upon the ,bible and wept aloud4    
,the hearts of the children palpitated  
with emotion2 their sobs arose above all
 others2 and1 taking each other by the  
hand1 the wan1 emaciated1 badly-dressed 
little girls hastened to the pulpit1    
where stood their father1 with his face 
bowed upon the leaves of the ,holy      
,book1 and laying their hand upon his   
passive arm1 they sobbed forth1 ,father6
 ,father6 ,he raised his head1 gazed    
eagerly and wildly upon the children1   
and comprehending at once the whole     
scene1 the revulsion of feeling that    
came over him was so great1--the sorrow 
for the dead being instantly changed    
into joy for the living1--that he       
staggered backwards1 and would have     

fallen but for the timely support of a  
chair4  ,the whole house was in instant 
confusion2 in a moment they were clasped
 in their mother's arms1 and kisses and 
tears and blessings were mingled        
together upon their white1 thin cheeks4 
,let us thank ,god for the return of our
 children1 said the pastor2 and all     
kneeling reverently1 he thanked our     
merciful heavenly ,father1 in the warm  
and glowing language of a deeply        
grateful heart1 for restoring to his    
arms those whom he had wept as lost to  
him forever4  ,oh1 there was joy in that
 village that night again and again the 
children told their interesting story1  
and those who listened forgot to chide  
their disobedience1 or to harshly       
reprove4 ,need ,i tell you how they were
 pressed to the bosoms of the villagers2
 how tears were shed for their          
sufferings1 and those of the little lost
 ,winona1 whom they did not forget2 how 
caresses were lavished upon them1 and   
prayers offered to ,god1 that their     

lives1 which he had so wonderfully      
preserved1 might be spent in usefulness 
and piety8 ,no1 ,i need not1 for you can
 imagine it all4  ,the sermon which was 
so happily interrupted by the return of 
the children was the first ,mr4 ,wilson 
had attempted to preach since the day   
they were stolen2 the wounds he that day
 received1 and the illness that         
immediately afterwards ensued1 with his 
unutterable grief for the loss of his   
children1 had confined him mostly to his
 bed during their absence4 ,on the next 
,sabbath1 ,emma and ,anna accompanied   
their father and mother once more to    
church1 when ,mr4 ,wilson preached from 
these words3 ,oh1 give thanks unto the  
,lord1 for he is good1 and his mercy    
endureth forever4  ,illustration3 ,my   
,grandmother's ,cottage     ,,my        
,,grandmother',s ,,cottage4  ,,by ,,rev4
 ,j4,g4 ,,adams4  ,of all places in the 
wide world1 my own early home excepted1 
none seem to me more pleasing in memory 
than my grandmother's cottage4 ,very    

often did ,i visit it in my boyhood1 and
 well acquainted with its appearance    
within1 and with almost every object    
around it1 did ,i become4 ,it stood in a
 quiet nook in the midst of the woods1  
about five miles from the pleasant      
seaport where ,i was born4 ,the cottage 
was not a spacious one4 ,it had but few 
rooms in it2 but it was amply large for 
my aged grandparents1 ,i remember4 ,they
 lived happily there4 ,my grandfather   
was somewhat infirm2 my grandmother was 
a very vigorous person for one of       
seventy-five2 this was her age at the   
time of my first recollection of her4   
,she used to walk from her cottage to   
our home2 and once ,i walked with her1  
but was exceedingly mortified that ,i   
could not endure the walk so well as she
 did4  ,i used to love this cottage     
home1 because it was so quiet1 and in   
the summer time so delighting to me4 ,i 
believe ,i received some of my very     
first lessons in the love of nature in  
this place4 ,it was a charming summer or

 winter retreat4 ,if the sun shone      
warmly down anywhere1 it was here4 ,if  
the wind blew kindly anywhere1 it was   
around the snug cottage1 sheltered as it
 was on every side by the tall old      
pines4 ,if the robin's note came        
earliest anywhere in the spring-time1 it
 was from the large spreading apple-tree
 just at the foot of the little garden  
lot4 ,how often has my young heart been 
delighted with his song there6 ,and     
then1 what sweet chanting ,i have heard 
in those woods all the day from the     
thrush and sparrow1 yellow-bird and     
oriole6 ,how their mellow voices would  
seem to echo in the noon-silence1 or at 
the sunset hour1 as though they were    
singing anthems in some vast cathedral6 
,they were2 and what anthems of nature's
 harmony and praise6 ,god heard them1   
and was glorified4  ,it seemed to me    
that every animate thing was made to be 
happy4 ,i loved to stand beneath a tall 
old hemlock in a certain part of the    
wood1 and watch the squirrels as they   

skipped and ran so swiftly along the    
wall1 or from branch to branch1 or up   
and down the trees4 ,their chattering   
made a fine accompaniment to the        
bird-songs4 ,and here ,i learned to     
indulge a fondness for the very crows1  
which to this day ,i have never         
outgrown4 ,though they have been        
denounced as mischievous1 and bounties  
have been set upon them1 ,i never could 
find it in my heart to indulge in the   
warring propensity against them4 ,they  
always seemed to me such social         
company--issuing from some edge of the  
woodland1 and slowly flapping their     
black wings1 and flocking out into the  
clearing1 huddling overhead1 and sailing
 away1 chatting so loudly and heartily  
all the while1 and reminding the whole  
neighborhood that when we have life1 it 
is best to let others know it6 ,yes--the
 cawing crows have been company for me  
in many a solitary ramble2 and whenever 
,i hear them1 ,i inwardly pay my        
respects to them4 ,all these1 and other 

familiar sights and sounds1 did ,i      
richly enjoy at the old cottage in the  
woods4  ,i loved to sit at the          
shed-door1 and watch my grandfather at  
his slow work2 for he had been a        
mechanic in his day1 and was able to do 
a little very moderately at his trade   
now4 ,he would tell me the history of   
the old people in the neighborhood1 and 
of the customs and fashions when they   
were boys and girls2 and my eyes and    
ears were open to hear him4 ,i used to  
wish ,i could see them just as they     
looked when they were children4 ,it was 
very difficult then for me to imagine   
how those who had become so wrinkled    
could ever have had the smooth faces of 
infants and children4 ,but my           
grandfather could remember when he was a
 boy2 and his father had told him what  
things were done when he1 too1 was a    
boy4 ,and so ,i concluded that wrinkles 
were no disgrace1 nor the fairest faces 
of the young any protection against     
them4  ,my grandmother was very fond of 

me1 and took great pleasure in having me
 read to her1 as her eyesight had become
 somewhat dim4 ,and so ,i used to load  
myself with story-books and newspapers1 
when ,i became older1 to carry and read 
to her4 ,and such times as we had with  
them6 ,voyages1 travels1 discoveries1   
adventures1 perils1--the wonders of the 
world1 the wonders of science1 the      
wonders of history1--all came in for    
their share of reading4 ,though ,i      
should read myself tired and sleepy1 my 
grandmother would still be an interested
 listener4 ,since ,i have been a        
minister1 ,i have often wished that many
 hearers would as eagerly listen to what
 ,i had to say especially to them1 as   
did my aged grandmother to my young     
words then4  ,those sunny days have     
departed4 ,the old cottage is not there 
now4 ,years ago it was taken down4 ,my  
grandfather died when ,i was yet a boy1 
and ,i followed him to the grave with a 
heavy heart4 ,my grandmother lived to be
 almost a hundred years old1--her powers

 all gone1 and she helpless4 ,it would  
sometimes1 even in my manhood1 deeply   
affect me to have her look into my face 
with no sign in hers that she knew me1  
when she had once loved her talkative   
and delighted grandchild so fondly4 ,but
 she1 too1 found her resting-place at   
last beside her companion4 ,peace to    
them6 ,they blest me with their kindly1 
cheering words when most ,i needed them1
 and ,i will bless their memories4 ,and 
peace to the spot where once stood their
 quiet home6 ,wherever in life ,i may   
be1--however brightly its pleasures may 
shine1 or heavily its cares and         
afflictions press upon me--never would  
,i outgrow the inspiration of these     
early enjoyments2 never forget1 that1   
however the great1 proud1 and           
contentious world may distract and      
dishearten1 there will yet be peace to  
the humble and virtuous soul in many a  
nook like that which sheltered and blest
 my grand mother's cottage4     ,,the   
,,first ,,oath  ,,by ,,rev4 ,,eben      

,,francis4  ,it is now many years since 
a near friend of mine uttered his first 
oath4 ,we were very intimate in our     
youthful days4 ,i have thought that ,i  
would write a little story about him1   
for some of the little folks of these   
times to read1 hoping that it will not  
only be interesting1 but do them good2  
for ,i am indeed sorry to know that     
swearing is a very common sin among the 
boys of our times4  ,the parents of my  
young playfellow were of the humbler    
class in society2 they were industrious 
and prudent1 and took great pains to    
teach him what was right4 ,they lived in
 the metropolis of ,new ,england1 where 
my schoolmate was born4 ,his father     
wrought with the saw1 the plane1 the    
hammer1 and such tools as carpenters use
 about their business4 ,his home was a  
neat1 wooden two-story house1 in one of 
the streets of that part of ,boston     
which was generally known1 when we were 
boys1 by the name of the ,,mill-,,pond4 
,i suppose that most of my little       

readers who live in the city can tell   
where it is4 ,many changes have taken   
place there since my childhood4 ,when ,i
 was a small boy it was called the      
town1--now we never hear of it but as   
the city of ,boston4 ,its population has
 increased rapidly2 its territory has   
been extended2 it has grown in wealth1  
in splendor1 in its means for mental and
 moral improvement2 in the number and   
convenience of its public schools1--the 
pride and ornament1 or the disgrace1 of 
any place4 ,yes1 ,boston is not1 in     
appearance or in fact1 what it once was4
  ,but ,i am getting off from my story4 
,i was saying that my young friend      
resided on the new-land--no2 the        
,mill-,pond2--well1 it's all the        
same--for when they dug down old ,beacon
 ,hill1 they threw the dirt into the    
,mill-,pond1 and when it was filled up1 
or made land1 the spot was still known  
as the ,mill-,pond1 and oftentimes was  
called the new-land4 ,in later years1   
there have been other portions added to 

the city1 by making wharves1 and filling
 up where the tide used to ebb and flow1
 and where large vessels could float4   
,but again ,i am digressing too far from
 the story4  ,so soon as my friend was  
old enough1 he was sent to one of the   
primary schools1 and was a pretty       
constant scholar at that1 and afterwards
 at a grammar school1 till he was about 
twelve years old4 ,he was1 of course1   
much with other lads of his own age1 and
 some who were older and younger than   
himself4 ,he was1 also1 often in the    
streets1 and as there were a great many 
people who used profane language in     
those days1--as there are at the present
 time1--he heard much of it2 yet he had 
been so carefully trained that he did   
not for years utter wicked words4  ,it  
is always painful to most persons1 old  
as well as young1 to hear profanity1    
even though it be very common in their  
hearing1 if they are never accustomed to
 its use4  ,my young friend had been    
taught to reverence the name of that    

great ,being who made heaven and earth  
and all things4 ,he was a member of a   
,sabbath school1 and thus had much      
valuable advice from his faithful       
teacher to govern his conduct in word   
and deed4 ,for a while he heeded this1  
and was careful of his moral character4 
,but by-and-by1 he overstepped the      
bounds of right4  ,it is very true that 
evil communications corrupt good        
manners2 and that if one would not be   
bad1 one means of safety is to keep out 
of bad company4  ,my friend was1 in a   
few years1 placed in a store1 where     
there was a large business carried on4  
,he came in contact with persons who    
were not so carefully instructed as he  
had been4 ,they made no hesitation in   
pronouncing the names of ,god and ,jesus
 ,christ in a blasphemous and profane   
manner4 ,he resisted the pernicious     
influence of their example for a while1 
but at last it became so familiar to his
 ears1 that he could hear wicked words  
spoken without even a thrill of horror  

in his bosom4  ,he1 however1 had not the
 disposition to speak them1 till one    
day1 when some little thing in the store
 did not suit him1 his passion was      
aroused1 and1 in the angry excitement of
 the moment1 he spoke out1--and in that 
unguarded expression there was          
profanity1--a miserable1 blasphemous1   
wicked word4 ,he had uttered his first  
oath4 ,the disposition had been lurking 
in his heart for several days to do     
this2 but he had not been able to so far
 lower his moral sense as to do it      
before4 ,now he felt as though he had   
done a brave act1--that he had achieved 
something very grand4 ,but soon1 very   
soon1 conscience whispered her gentle   
yet severe rebuke4 ,she complained sadly
 of the wickedness that was done4 ,the  
blush of shame mantled his cheek4       
,remorse took hold on his spirit4 ,he   
looked about to see who was upbraiding  
him2 but none seemed to notice it4 ,he  
resolved that he would not again give   
occasion for such feelings of regret and

 sorrow to himself as he then felt4     
,could you have then looked into his    
heart1 you would have pitied him4 ,this 
resolution he kept a few weeks1 when1   
being a little irritated1 he a second   
time profaned the holy name of ,deity4  
,this time he felt some compunctions of 
conscience1 but they were not as        
powerful as before2 the first step had  
been already taken1 and a second was    
much easier4  ,i need not go on to tell 
you how he1 not long after1 broke a     
second resolution1 and so on1 till1 ere 
many months1 he had become really a     
swearing young man4  ,it all sprang from
 the first sinful act2 and when at last 
he did break himself of the habit1 it   
was not done without a serious struggle4
  ,i have told you this story1 my young 
readers1 because ,i thought it might be1
 not only interesting to you1 but       
because ,i hoped it might be the means  
of leading you to reflect upon the      
uselessness and wickedness of           
,,profanity2 and that it might aid in   

impressing on your minds the importance 
of governing your passions and keeping  
your tongues free from evil speaking4   
,i see my friend1 about whom ,i have    
written1 quite often4 ,he is now a      
parent1 and occupies an eminent position
 in the community2 but he often thinks  
of his former life1 and says he has not 
yet ceased to lament his ,,first ,,oath4
 ,let this fact1 then1 teach you how a  
recollection of the sins of boyhood1    
even though you may call them little    
sins1 will be cherished through life1   
and poison many moments that would      
otherwise be happy ones4 ,how important 
that childhood be pure and righteous in 
the sight of ,god1 and to our own       
consciences1 in order to insure a happy 
manhood and old age6  ,illustration     
,,the ,,fairy',s ,,gift4  ,,by ,,rev4   
,j4 ,,wesley ,,hanson4     ,it was a    
quiet summer's day1      ,the breeze    
blew cool and fair1    ,and blest ten   
thousand happy things      ,of land1 and
 sea1 and air1    ,and played a thousand

 merry pranks      ,with ,,mary',s      
golden hair4     ,,mary was not a happy 
girl2      ,her face was sad and sour1  
,and on her little pretty brow          
,dark frowns did often lower1--    ,and 
she would scold1 and fret1 and cry1     
,full fifty times an hour4     ,she sat 
and wept with grief and pain1      ,and 
did not smile at all1--    ,and when her
 friends and mates came near      ,she  
shunned them1 great and small1--    ,and
 then upon the ,fairy ,queen      ,she  
earnestly did call4     ,oh1 hither1    
hither1 good ,fairy1      ,i pray thee  
come to me6    ,and point me out the    
,path of ,peace1      ,that ,i may happy
 be1    ,for ,i cannot1 in all the      
world1      ,a moment's pleasure see6   
,i try my work1 my play ,i try1      ,my
 little playmates1 too2    ,help me to  
find true happiness1      ,i sadly1     
humbly sue2--    ,oh6 my lot is a       
darksome one1--      ,fairy6 what shall 
,i do8     ,a humble-bee comes riding   
by1      ,no bigger than my thumb1      

,and on his browny1 gold-striped back1  
,behold the ,fairy come6    ,one look   
upon her loveliness      ,makes little  
,,mary dumb4     ,she wore a veil of    
gossamer1      ,her tunic was of blue1  
,a golden sunbeam was her belt1         
,and bonnet of crimson hue1    ,and     
through the net of her purple shawl     
,clear silver stars looked through4     
,her slippers were of sunflower seeds1  
,and tied with spider's thread1    ,a   
rein of silkworm's finest yarn          
,passed round the bee's brown head2     
,an oaten straw was her riding whip1--  
,oh how her courser sped6     ,she      
beckoned to the sighing maid1      ,and 
led her a little way1    ,and showed a  
hundred fountains bright      ,that     
bubbled night and day1    ,and flashed  
their waves in the glad sunlight1       
,and showers of crystal spray4     ,she 
said3 ,each stream has secret power     
,upon the human heart1    ,and1 as you  
drink1 the mystic draught      ,shall   
joy or woe impart2    ',t will give you 

pleasant happiness1      ,or sorrow's   
painful smart4     ,the founts were     
labelled every one1      ,with titles   
plainly seen1--    ,the fountains       
,pride1 and ,sin1 and ,wrong1      ,and 
,hate1 and ,scorn1 and ,spleen1         
,goodness and ,love1 and many more1     
,sparkled along the green4     ,and     
,,mary drank at each bright fount1      
,to draw her grief away2    ,but1 spite 
of all the water's power1      ,her     
sorrows they would stay4    ,and still  
she mourned1 and still was sad1         
,through all the livelong day4     ,one 
morn she saw a little spring      ,she  
never saw before1    ,down in a still   
and shady vale1      ,covered with      
blossoms o'er1--    ,and when she 'd    
drunk1 and still would drink      ,she  
thirsted still for more4     ,she gladly
 quaffed its cooling draught1      ,and 
found what she had sought2    ,no more  
her heart with sorrow grieved4      ,she
 thirsted now for nought2    ,she'd     
found a blessed happiness1      ,beyond 

her highest thought4     ,and when she  
moved the vines aside      ,that hid the
 fount from sight1    ,in loveliest1    
brightest characters1      ,like stars  
of silver light1--    ,goodness of      
heart1 and speech1 and life1      ,she  
read in letters bright4     ,and ,,mary 
drank the liquid waves1      ,and soon  
her little brow    ,became as pure1 and 
clear1 and white1      ,as bank of      
whitest snow2    ,and when she drank of 
that blest fount1      ,she purest joy  
did know4     ,then ,,mary learned this 
highest truth4      ,beyond all human   
art1--    ,that there are many things in
 life      ,can pain and woe impart2--  
,but ,goodness alone of act and deed    
,can make a happy heart4     ,a ,,lesson
 ,,taught ,,by ,,nature4  ,,by ,,miss   
,,louisa ,m4 ,,barker4  ,when ,i was a  
little child1 younger than those for    
whom this book is written1 my home was  
in a valley4 ,the usual appendages to a 
farm-house1 the garden1 orchard and     
small pasture grounds1 lay very near it2

 and ,i was as familiar with these      
enclosures as with the rooms of the     
house4 ,a little further off there was a
 mimic river1 which1 as it wound about1 
divided itself into different streams1  
and surrounded little islands1 shaded   
with the tall plane tree and the        
flexible willow4 ,here1 too1 with those 
who were old enough to be careful in    
crossing the rustic bridges1 ,i         
sometimes played on summer              
afternoons2--gathered the prettiest     
flowers in the sweetest little woods1   
and dipped my feet into the clear       
running water4  ,beyond these there lay 
less frequented fields1 which rose      
gradually1 at no very great distance1   
into a range of hills as green as the   
valley below4 ,one of them was covered  
all over its summit1 and a little way   
down its sides1 with some dark old      
woods4 ,the trees which grew there were 
very tall1 and so large that their thick
 and heavy tops seemed to crowd         
together1 so that you might have walked 

on them almost as well as upon the hill 
itself4 ,i loved sometimes1 when the air
 was full of the bright sunshine1 to    
look at the rich shades of green upon   
those tree-tops2 but if ever my eye     
rested1 for a moment only1 upon the dark
 and mysterious avenues which led into  
the depths of the wood beneath them1    
there would creep such a chill to my    
heart1--such a feeling of dread would   
come over me1--that ,i turned quickly to
 the glad-looking homestead1 that ,i    
might again grow warm and happy4  ,at   
first it was probably no more than the  
idea that those woods formed a limit to 
the world of light and gladness in which
 ,i lived4 ,my eye could not penetrate  
their dimness1 and with a childish1     
human feeling ,i shrank from the        
undiscovered and unknown4 ,but as ,i    
grew older1 and read the stories in the 
small books which were given to me for  
presents1 or lent by my little friends1 
,i had other and plainer reasons for the
 apprehensive feeling with which ,i     

looked at the woods4 ,i found that      
children had been so lost among their   
thickets as hardly to be found again2   
and that two poor little orphans1 left  
there on purpose1 had lain down and died
 of hunger and weariness2 and the birds 
covered them over with leaves4 ,strange 
birds ,i thought there were in the      
woods4 ,then the fairies that dwelt     
there1 and the strange elfin creatures1 
and the perils that travellers fell into
 with robbers and wild beasts2 and still
 ,i referred the scene of every story ,i
 read directly to those very woods upon 
the hill-side1 although they were so    
near that ,i could see them plainly     
enough from the windows of the cheerful 
rooms at home4  ,time passed along in   
its usual way2 but before ,i had        
acquired knowledge or strength of mind  
enough to correct my early impressions  
of the woods1 ,i had permission1 one    
bright afternoon in ,june1 to go with an
 older sister to a strawberry meadow    
across the creek4 ,we were accompanied  

by some little maidens1 who were older  
and more adventurous than me2 and so it 
happened that when we did not find the  
fruit so abundant as we could wish1 they
 persuaded us to go into another field1 
and then into another1 ,i little thought
 where1 until ,i became suddenly        
sensible of a shaded light around me1 of
 a breeze a little cooler than that     
which tempered the warm air of the      
valley1 and a low1 wild music that ,i   
had never heard before2 and looking up1 
,i saw that we were actually upon the   
ascent of the hill which led up to the  
dreaded woods4  ,strange and almost     
horror-struck as ,i felt1 ,i did not    
scream out1 7perhaps ,i should not have 
had breath to do so17 but ,i gathered up
 all the wisdom that my little heart    
could boast1 into the resolution not to 
look at the woods1 not to think of them2
 for we should soon go back again1 ,i   
thought1 and nothing would happen4 ,and 
my young friends can judge how terrified
 ,i must have grown1 when ,i heard one  

of the girls begin to talk of the       
beautiful flowers her brother had       
brought her from the woods1 and end by  
proposing that we should go there1 and  
get some for ourselves4 ,i waited       
breathlessly to hear the objections     
which ,i doubted not would be urged     
against this plan1 but none were        
offered2 and when ,i ventured to        
remonstrate1 they paid so little        
attention to me1 that my pride was hurt 
at the thought of saying any more4      
,there was another way in which my pride
 was at work4 ,i was ashamed1 among     
those who were so brave1 to own that ,i 
was afraid2 so1 though ,i held the hands
 of those who led me pretty tight1 and  
gave them some little trouble to pull me
 along1 they knew nothing more of my    
reluctance to go with them4  ,we got up 
the hill very fast2 so at least it      
seemed to me4 ,here and there a solitary
 tree1 a few feet in advance1 looked as 
if it had stepped out to welcome and    
encourage us to pass on2 and ,i cannot  

say that my strength did not revive a   
little as ,i passed under the heavy     
branches1 and out again into the freer  
air4 ,be that as it may1 it was terrible
 enough to me1 the approach to those    
woods4 ,my companions were eager and    
gay1 and shouted out1 as we entered     
them4 ,they little thought how          
overpowering were my feelings4 ,and ,i  
little thought1 myself1 that ,i was then
 and there to receive a lesson that ,i  
should never forget2 one1 perhaps1 that 
would do me more good than any other    
that ,i should ever learn4  ,at first1  
,i was so frightened that my senses were
 all in confusion2 but as ,i gradually  
recovered the use of them1 ,i took      
notice of the coolness and the shade1   
and the dimness away in the distance2 ,i
 heard the leafy murmur above my head1  
the sweet notes that the birds were     
singing1 and the loud echoes4 ,all these
 things seemed to blend together into   
something so solemn and so magnificent1 
that ,i began to feel for the first time

 what it was to be a little child4 ,with
 that1 soon came a feeling of confidence
 and even love4 ,i thought that the     
majestic presence that filled the woods1
 whatever it was1 would not hurt me1 and
 my heart grew so light at the thought1 
that ,i began to gather flowers with the
 rest4 ,how pretty they were6 and what  
clean1 shining leaves6 ,and here and    
there1 wherever a little sunshine found 
an opening in the branches and streamed 
down upon the bright green moss1 it     
seemed so golden1 so clear1 and so real1
 just as if ,i might clasp it in my     
hands6  ,i grew so much affected1 at    
length1 that ,i sobbed myself into      
tears1 and my sister said that ,i had   
never been in the woods before1 and she 
would take me home4 ,i did not like to  
say that ,i wanted to stay longer1 but  
held to my flowers2 and after ,i reached
 home1 was washed and rested1 ,i went to
 the window1 and remained there a long  
time1 looking at the woods4 ,i did not  
quite comprehend all ,i had thought and 

felt1 but it seemed to me that a great  
truth1 one that would do me good1 had   
dawned upon my mind4  ,it was a long    
time before ,i fully understood the     
lesson4 ,in a few weeks ,i caught one of
 those contagious diseases which        
children must have once2 and it went so 
hard with me1 that1 before ,i was able  
to walk about1 and go out of the house1 
the leaves were all gone1 and the snow  
had covered the ground4 ,when spring    
returned ,i thought often of the woods1 
but ,i was too sickly to go there2 and  
when ,i grew strong again1 my thoughts  
were all occupied with an approaching   
event4 ,several changes had occurred in 
the family1 and others were expected1 to
 which my friends though discontented at
 first1 had grown quite reconciled4 ,it 
was not so with me4 ,there was one      
circumstance which affected me more than
 it did others1 and from that ,i        
prophesied a continual succession of    
evils4 ,it seemed to me that my life was
 to be wholly changed1 and all the joy  

and beauty left behind4 ,it was         
childish1 ,i know4 ,i knew it then1 for 
,i would not for the world have told any
 one how ,i felt4 ,still ,i was as much 
affected by it as ,i have ever been     
since at any real grief4  ,late one     
afternoon1 when my thoughts were busy   
with my fears1 ,i went to the window1   
and looked up at the woods4 ,the        
sunshine was very bright on their tops1 
and the shadow very dark on the         
hill-side below4 ,very vividly then came
 back to me the memory of my visit to   
them the year before4 ,i thought of the 
evils which ,i expected to meet1 and of 
the beauty which ,i found there4 ,it was
 some good angel which whispered then in
 my thoughts1 that1 just as ,i went to  
the woods1 full of fears and            
forebodings1 ,i was approaching the     
expected misfortune2 that ,i might be as
 happily disappointed in this as ,i had 
been in that4  ,i cannot tell how       
delighted ,i was with this suggestion1  
nor how completely it took possession of

 my mind4 ,i was gloomy and fearful no  
longer4 ,i did not1 indeed1 when the    
change came1 resign what ,i lost by it  
without regret2 but ,i was so certain of
 finding new enjoyments1 that ,i        
resigned it cheerfully4 ,and when1 after
 a few weeks' experience had taught me  
that many advantages and many pleasures 
had come to me in consequence of those  
very circumstances which ,i had dreaded 
so much1 ,i bound the lesson of the     
woods to my heart so firmly that there  
it still remains4  ,and let me say to   
you1 for whom ,i have related this      
little incident of my childhood3--do not
 tremble at the disappointments and     
trials which await you4 ,do not seek to 
throw upon others any part of them which
 you may more becomingly bear yourself4 
,if you live always in the open         
sunshine1 you will never know what      
beauty there is in the woods4 ,you will 
find the sentiment in your books1 that  
it is the night-time only that shows us 
the stars2 and in the gloom which must  

sometimes fall upon this uncertain and  
mortal life of ours1 you may find1 if   
you will1 as much to rejoice in as to   
dread4 ,you will form plans1 and indulge
 in hopes1 which cannot be realized1 and
 disappointment will look frowningly    
upon you2 but if you will submit        
yourself to the trial like a little     
child1 the hand that will lead you      
through it will point you to happier    
scenes than those of your own imagining4
  ,you will have friends to love1 that  
death may take away from you--and1 oh6  
then1 the shadow of the woodland1 as it 
lies against the sunny meadow1 will be  
less dark than your life4 ,but do not   
despair4 ,the few rays of light that    
reach you will be richer1 the flowers   
will be purer1 and the music will be    
softer and sweeter2 for you will be     
nearer heaven than you were before4     
,there is another shadow which you and  
,i1 and all of us1 are approaching1--the
 shadow of death4 ,but will not the     
lesson brighten our approach even to    

that8 ,certain ,i am1 that if that hour 
of my childhood1 when1 with a fearful   
heart1 ,i went into the solemn woods1   
and heard the sweet singing of the bird 
and the breeze1 shall be remembered     
then1 even though the light of life be  
fading away1 ,i shall fear no evil4     
,illustration  ,illustration3 ,,florence
 ,,drew4     ,,florence ,,drew4  ,i will
 not go to ,sabbath school to-morrow1   
said ,florence ,drew1 as she threw aside
 her catechism and sat herself sullenly 
by the window4  ,florence6 said her     
mother2 ,i am astonished to hear you    
speak so rashly4  ,i don't care1--,i    
will not go1--my lesson is so hard ,i   
can't get it2 saying which1 she burst   
into tears4 ,mrs4 ,drew cast a look of  
sorrow upon her only child as she left  
her to regain her good humor4  ,no      
sooner had the door closed after her    
mother than the rustling of leaves      
beneath the window drew the attention of
 ,florence4 ,thinking it her favorite   
,carlo1 and being in no mood for a      

frolic1 without lifting her eyes she bid
 him begone2 but she was soon undeceived
 by a shrill voice pronouncing her name1
 at the same time finding her arm       
tightly grasped by the thin1 bony       
fingers of ,crazy ,nell1 the terror of  
all the truant children in the village4 
,the terrified child vainly tried to    
disengage herself from the maniac's     
hold2 and1 finding her calls for help   
all unheeded1 she gave up in despair4   
,the wild1 searching eyes of ,crazy     
,nell detected her terror1 and her stern
 features relaxed into a smile as she   
said1 ,poor child6 ,i will not harm you2
 you fear me1 and think me mad2 yes1 ,i 
have been mad1 but ,i'm not now2 and ,i 
have come to save you from being as ,i  
have been4 ,nay1 ,florence1 't is       
useless for you to try to escape me2 ,i 
will detain you but a short time4 ,i    
heard your angry words as ,i was        
gathering herbs1 and saw you fling your 
book away4 ,i heard all4 ,listen to me1 
,florence ,drew1 and ,i will tell you a 

story by which ,i hope you will profit4 
,i was once young1 gay1 and happy1 as   
you1 and1 like you1 an only and         
indulged1 but wilful child1 with a quick
 and ungoverned temper4  ,one day1 ,i   
was studying my ,sabbath school lesson1 
and finding it1 as ,i thought1 rather   
hard1 ,i threw it away1 as you did      
yours1 saying that ,i would not go to   
school at all4 ,my poor mother's        
entreaties were all unheeded by me1 and 
,i grew up in idleness and ignorance4   
,my mother's health daily declined1     
partly through my ill-treatment and     
wickedness4 ,often did she plead with   
me1 with tears streaming down her       
cheeks1 to alter my conduct2 but ,i     
rudely repulsed her4  ,nell paused1 and 
seemed very much agitated2 her eyes     
glared wildly1 and bending close to     
,florence1 she continued in a whisper3  
,we became very poor1 in consequence of 
my extravagance2 ,i then thought my     
mother a burden2 she was too ill to     
work1 and ,i left her to starve2 she did

 not1 however2 she died of a broken     
heart4 ,i was her murderer6 ',t was that
 which drove me mad4 ,look6 see you not 
that black cloud which darkens the      
sunshine of my life8  ,i cannot see a   
cloud1 sobbed poor ,florence1 who was   
now tasting the bitter cup of           
repentance4  ,i know it1 poor child6    
continued ,nell2 the cloud ,i mean is   
such as you just felt1--,temper4 ,it is 
within us6 ,conquer your temper1        
,florence ,drew1 and you may yet be good
 and happy4 ,go1 now1 and seek mother1  
who is at this moment shedding tears of 
sorrow for her little girl's ill-temper4
 ,go to her and-- ,but1 ere she could   
finish1 ,florence had glided into her   
mother's room1 and was kneeling humbly  
at her feet ,tears of sorrow were       
changed to those of joy and repentance1 
as ,mrs4 ,drew folded her little girl to
 her breast in a long and affectionate  
embrace4  ,florence has never been      
unkind to her mother1 or given freedom  
to her temper1 since that day4 ,she is  

now the teacher of a class in a ,sabbath
 school1 and she often relates to her   
little scholars the story ,i have just  
related to you4  ,crazy ,nell continues 
to gather herbs1 an object of pity to   
the benevolent1 and of sport to the     
unfeeling4 ,and now1 my dear little     
readers1 ,i must repeat ,crazy ,nell's  
expression3 ,conquer your temper1 and   
you will be happy2 or1 in the words of  
the sacred ,scriptures1 ,he that ruleth 
his own spirit is greater than he that  
taketh a city4  ,,may4  ,illustration3  
,,shechem4     ,,shechem4  ,,by ,,rev4  
,j4,g4 ,,adams4  ,in the picture        
opposite1 the reader will see           
represented a part of the city of       
,shechem1 at the foot of ,mount         
,gerizim4 ,it is a very noted place in  
history4 ,it is called ,sychar in the   
,gospel1 ,john #d3e4 ,it was here1 at   
,jacob's well1 that ,jesus met the woman
 of ,samaria4 ,the account of the       
conversation which they held together is
 one of the most interesting records in 

the ,new ,testament4 ,i wish all our    
young readers would make themselves     
acquainted with it4 ,jesus was a ,jew2  
and the ,jews had no dealings with the  
,samaritans4 ,weary with travelling in  
the heat of the day1 our ,lord sat down 
to rest by that ancient well1 when the  
stranger woman came to draw water from  
it4 ,jesus said unto her1 ,give me to   
drink4 ,she was surprised that he1 being
 a ,jew1 should ask water of her1 a     
,samaritan4 ,this very surprise which   
she expressed led to a most instructive 
conversation4 ,read it1 and see how     
plainly ,jesus teaches us the nature of 
true worship4 ,the ,jews had their      
temple at ,jerusalem2 the ,samaritans   
had theirs on ,mount ,gerizim4 ,the     
woman said to ,jesus1 ,our fathers      
worshipped in this mountain1 and ye say 
that ,jerusalem is the place where men  
ought to worship4 ,she would ask which  
was the true place4 ,jesus declared to  
her that it was not so much the place1  
as it was the heart1 which made worship 

what it should be4 ,read the answer of  
,jesus as the ,new ,testament gives it1 
and then see if the ,quaker poet1       
,barton1 has not beautifully expressed  
it thus3     ,woman1 believe me1 the    
hour is near      ,when ,he1 if ye      
rightly would hail him1    ,will neither
 be worshipped exclusively here4        
,nor yet at the altar of ,salem4        
,for ,god is a spirit1 and they1 who    
aright      ,would perform the pure     
worship he loveth    ,in the heart's    
holy temple will seek with delight      
,that spirit the ,father approveth4     
,through the knowledge of ,christ       
obtained by the ,samaritan woman in this
 conversation1 many of her sect were    
induced to believe on him4  ,shechem1 or
 ,sichem1 is a very ancient place2      
though we do not find it mentioned as a 
city until the time of ,jacob1 who      
purchased a piece of land1 and dug the  
well of which we have just spoken4 ,the 
city lay between the two mountains ,ebal
 and ,gerizim4 ,it was made a city of   

refuge4 ,joshua #bj3 #g4 #ba4 #bj1 #ba4 
,quite a number of events mentioned in  
the ,old ,testament occurred here4 ,it  
was at ,shechem ,joshua met the         
assembled people for the last time4 ,it 
was here that ,rehoboam was made king1  
and the ten tribes rebelled4  ,in after 
time ,shechem became the chief seat of  
the people who thenceforth bore the name
 of ,samaritans4 ,they were made up in  
part of emigrants from other eastern    
nations4 ,when the ,jews returned from  
their long captivity in ,babylon1 and   
began to rebuild ,jerusalem and their   
temple1 the ,samaritans desired to aid  
them in their work4 ,let us build with  
you1 was their request4 ,the ,jews      
refused to admit them to this privilege2
 hence a strong hatred between the two  
sects arose4 ,the ,samaritans erected   
their temple on ,mount ,gerizim4        
,shechem received the new name of       
,neapolis from the ,greeks--a name which
 it retains to the present day4 ,the    
city has passed through many changes1   

which1 had we time to recount them1     
might be of deep interest to the reader4
 ,but it would take a larger space to do
 this than we can now occupy4 ,the      
,samaritans are still here2 but their   
number now is small1 not exceeding one  
hundred and fifty4 ,they have a         
synagogue1 where they preserve several  
ancient copies of the books of ,moses1  
and among them one ancient manuscript   
which they believe to be three thousand 
four hundred and sixty-five years old1  
saying it was written by ,abishua1 the  
son of ,phinehas 7#a ,chron4 #f3 #c1    
#d47 ,the manuscript1 so travellers who 
have seen it say1 is very ancient2 but  
they do not all think it so old as the  
,samaritans pretend it is4  ,mount      
,gerizim is still held in great         
veneration by the ,samaritans4 ,four    
times a year they ascend it in solemn   
procession1 to worship4 ,the old feeling
 of hostility between them and the ,jews
 is still existing4  ,the city of       
,neapolis1 or1 as the ,arabs call it1   

,nablous1 is long and narrow1 stretching
 close along the northeast base of      
,mount ,gerizim4 ,the population is     
about eight thousand souls1 all         
,mohammedans1 with the exception of     
about five hundred ,greek ,christians1  
and the one hundred and fifty           
,samaritans already mentioned4 ,those   
who have taken part in its eventful past
 history are gone4 ,but never shall be  
heard there a more glorious voice than  
that which uttered those sublime words  
of heavenly truth to the woman at       
,jacob's well4     ,,are ,,we ,,not     
,,all ,,brothers ,,and ,,sisters8  ,,by 
,,rev4 ,w4,r4,g4 ,,mellen4  ,that the   
human race is one1 bound together by the
 strongest and holiest ties1 is one of  
the sublimest truths announced by the   
,master4 ,indeed1 so close and intimate 
is the connection subsisting between the
 various members of the common family1  
that to tear one from the body would be 
like following the direction of ,solomon
 to his servant1 and dividing the living

 child in two1 leaving life's purple    
current to spout forth from either half4
 ,an appreciation of this truth is what 
the world1 heart-sick and weary as it   
is1 now needs above all things else4    
,and to illustrate and enforce the fact 
that it is not a vain shadow1 but a     
solid reality1 too solemn to be trifled 
with1 and too important to be           
neglected1--to illustrate this by deeds 
which bear joy to the joyless and hope  
to the hopeless1--is the work which     
,christians1 the young as well as old1  
are now called to perform4 ,will it need
 the voice of duty1 which speaketh as   
from the skies8 ,this is the great      
truth1 also1 which1 with all its        
relations to life and duty1 is to be    
impressed by the present1 upon the minds
 of the rising1 generation4 ,this is    
what my young readers are to learn1--and
 not simply to learn1 but to            
practise3--that we are all brothers and 
sisters1 no matter in what clime or     
country we may have been born1 or with  

what complexion we may be clothed4  ,a  
little girl1 some five years of age1    
whom the writer of this has often       
fondled in his arms1 had well learned   
this most important lesson4 ,by pious   
parents and earnest ,sabbath school     
teachers had she been taught1 that to be
 like ,jesus1 who took little children  
in his arms and blessed them1 she must  
love and do good unto all1 as brothers  
and sisters4 ,this had sunk deep into   
her young and tender mind2 and when1 on 
a visit at the house of a friend1 she   
was asked that familiar question1 which 
is so often put to children1--whom she  
loved1--  ,after a moment's hesitation  
she replied1 that she loved everybody4  
,indeed6 said the querist2 how can that 
be8 ,you certainly do not love me as    
well as you do your own brothers and    
sisters2 do you8  ,after another short  
pause she replied1 ,yes1 ,i think ,i do2
 for you1 too1 are my sister4 ,i your   
sister8 said the lady1 in surprise2 how 
can that be possible8 ,looking up with a

 countenance in which all heaven's      
innocence and purity were mirrored1 she 
exclaimed1 ,is not ,god our ,father8 and
 are we not all brothers and sisters8   
and should we not love each other as    
such8  ,there was no further argument to
 be used4 ,though hid from many wise and
 prudent1 yet the truth was thus        
revealed to babes4  ,yes1 we are all    
brethren and sisters1 having a common   
origin1 a common destination1 and a     
common home4 ,and may all those children
 who read this short article ever       
recollect this important truth4 ,when   
you behold a poor1 unfortunate man1 with
 torn and filthy garments1 and perhaps  
intoxicated1 reeling through the        
streets1 do not hoot after1 and throw   
stones at him1 as ,i have known many    
boys do1 but think within yourselves1   
,he is our brother4  ,when one of your  
number abuses the rest1 and you are     
tempted to injure and beat him1 wait    
till you have said to yourselves1 ,he is
 still our brother2 and though he has   

done us wrong1 why should we strike or  
injure him8  ,when you see a companion  
in trouble1 and one to whom your        
assistance can do much good1 recollect  
he is a brother1 or she is a sister1 and
 fly to help him4 ,and oh6 if all1 both 
old and young1 would act upon this      
principle1 how different would be the   
aspect of affairs from what it now is6  
,then the kingdom of ,god would dawn    
upon us4 ,then the wolf and the lamb    
would lie down together1 and the lion   
eat straw like an ox4 ,then we should be
 like little children1 and the          
blessing-smile of ,jehovah would shed   
upon us choicest benediction4           
,illustration     ,,fortune-,,telling4  
,a ,,dialogue ,,for ,,exhibitions4  ,,by
 ,,julia ,a4 ,,fletcher4   ,sophronia4  
,come1 girls1 let us go and have our    
fortunes told4  ,eveline4 ,oh6 ,i should
 like it of all things2 where shall we  
go8  ,sarah4 ,let us go to old ,kate    
,merrill's4 ,they say she can read the  
future as we do the past1 by hand1      

tea-cups1 or cards4 ,come1 ,mary ,ann4  
,mary ,ann4 ,excuse me1 girls1 if ,i do 
not go with you4 ,i do not think it is  
right to have our fortunes told4        
,sophronia4 ,not right8 why not8  ,mary 
,ann4 ,because1 if it had been best for 
us to know the future1 ,i think ,god    
would have revealed it to us4  ,sarah4  
,oh1 but you know this is only for      
amusement4  ,eveline4 ,of course1 we    
shall not believe a word she says4      
,mary ,ann4 ,if it is only for          
amusement1 ,i think we can find others  
far more rational and innocent4 ,but    
depend upon it1 girls1 you would not    
wish to go1 if there were not in your   
minds a little of credulous feeling8    
,sophronia4 ,well1 ,i am sure ,i am not 
credulous4  ,mary ,ann4 ,do not be      
offended1 ,sophronia2 ,i only meant that
 we are all of us more inclined to      
believe these things than we at first   
imagine4  ,sarah4 ,i think that ,mary   
,ann is right in this respect4 ,i am    
sure ,i would not go if ,i did not think

 her predictions would come to pass4    
,mary ,ann4 ,certainly2 ,i could not    
suppose you would spend your time and   
money to hear an old woman tell you     
things you did not believe4  ,eveline4  
,well1 ,i am sure ,i do not see any harm
 in having a little fun once in a while4
  ,sophronia4 ,no2 and ,i think it is   
very unkind in ,mary ,ann to spoil all  
our pleasures with her whims4 ,she is   
always preaching to us about giving up  
our own way for the comfort of others1  
and ,i think she ought to give up now1  
and go with us4  ,sarah4 ,now1 really1  
,sophronia1 ,i think you are the one    
that is unkind4 ,if ,mary ,ann is wrong1
 it is better to convince her of it     
kindly1 and ,i am sure she will         
acknowledge it4  ,mary ,ann4 ,i hope ,i 
should be willing to give up a mere whim
 for the pleasure of those ,i love so   
well4 ,but this is not a whim2 it is a  
serious conviction of duty4  ,sophronia4
 ,well1 ,i thought you always pretended 
to be very obliging4  ,mary ,ann4 ,i    

have no right to be obliging at the     
expense of what ,i deem duty4 ,our own  
inclinations we should often sacrifice1 
our prejudices always1 but our sense of 
duty never4  ,eveline4 ,i think1 girls1 
we have done wrong to urge ,mary ,ann to
 go1 after she had told us her reasons4 
,sophronia4 ,well1 then1 don't spend any
 more time in urging her to go1 against 
her will4 ,you know the old proverb ,the
 least said is soonest mended4          
,eveline4 ,well1 do not let us go away  
angry or ill-natured4 ,you asked ,mary  
,ann to say why she thought it was      
wrong1 and we should receive her reasons
 kindly4  ,sarah4 ,so ,i think2 but ,i  
wish she would tell us what harm she    
thinks it would do to go4  ,mary ,ann4  
,well1 girls1 ,i think1 by trying to    
look into the future1 we are apt to grow
 discontented and restless1 and to      
forget that we have duties to perform in
 the present4 ,then1 if we do not       
believe in it1 it is a waste of time and
 money1 which might be better employed  

in relieving the suffering of the poor  
around us4 ,but the greatest evil of all
 is1 that we should believe even a part2
 she would of course tell us many little
 circumstances which would be true of   
any one2 thus we might be led to believe
 all she said2 the prediction would     
probably work out its own fulfilment1   
and perhaps render us miserable for     
life4  ,sophronia4 ,oh1 fudge6 ,mary    
,ann4 ,this is altogether too bad and   
ungenerous in you4 ,in the first place1 
the few cents we give1 bestowed as they 
are on a poor old widow woman1 are not  
wasted1 in my opinion1 but well         
spent2--and if ,i spend an evening1     
granted to me by my father and mother   
for recreation1 in listening to ,old    
,kate1 it is no more wasted than if ,i  
spend it with the girls in any other    
social way4 ,and when you connect       
fortune-telling and our duties in the   
present1 you make it too serious an     
affair4 ,remember1 this is all for      
sport4  ,mary ,ann4 ,it may be so with  

you1 ,sophronia2 but there are those who
 seriously believe every word of a      
fortune-teller1 and actually live more  
in the unseen but expected events of the
 future1 than in faithfully performing  
their duties in the present4 ,this is   
true1 ,sophronia4 ,the contentment and  
peace of many young minds have been     
utterly lost1 sold for the absurd       
jabbering of old1 ignorant1 low-bred    
women1 who pretend to read the future4  
,in a livelier tone of voice4 ,but just 
say1 girls1 do you believe there is any 
connection between tea-leaves and your  
future lives8  ,eveline1 ,sarah1        
,sophronia4 ,why1 no6  ,mary ,ann4 ,do  
you believe ,god has marked the fortunes
 of thousands of his creatures on the   
face of cards8  ,eveline1 ,sarah1       
,sophronia4 ,certainly not4  ,mary ,ann4
 ,well1 do you believe1 if ,god should  
intrust the secret events of the future 
with any of our race1 in this age1 it   
would be with those who have neither    
intellectual1 moral1 nor religious      

education--who can be bribed by dollars 
and cents to say anything8  ,sarah1     
,eveline4 ,no1 indeed6  ,mary ,ann4     
7,turns to ,sophronia17 ,you do not     
answer1 ,sophronia4 ,let me ask you one 
or two more questions4 ,do you suppose  
,kate ,merrill believes that she has a  
revelation from ,god8  ,sophronia4 ,no1 
,mary ,ann4  ,mary ,ann4 ,do you suppose
 she thinks you believe so8  ,sophronia4
 ,why1 yes1 ,i do4  ,mary ,ann4 ,then1  
is it benevolent to bestow money to     
encourage an old woman in telling for   
truth what she knows to be false8       
,sophronia4 ,i doubt whether it is      
really benevolent4  ,mary ,ann4 ,and if 
,old ,kate speaks falsely and knows she 
does so1 and you know it1 yet spend your
 time in listening to what she has to   
say1 what good can come of it to head or
 heart8  ,sophronia4 ,none at all1 ,mary
 ,ann4 ,it is time wasted1 and ,i am    
convinced that ,i have been doubly wrong
 in wishing to go1 and in being angry   
with you4 ,will you forgive me8  ,mary  

,ann4 ,certainly1 ,sophronia4 ,and now1 
if you wish for amusement1 ,i will be a 
witch myself1 and tell your fortunes for
 you4  ,sophronia4 ,oh1 do tell mine2   
and be sure you tell it truly4 ,what    
lines of fate do you see in my hand8    
,mary ,ann4 7,takes her hand and looks  
at it intently47  7,to ,sophronia47     
,passions strong my art doth see4       
,thou must rule them1 or they rule thee4
    ,if the first1 you peace will know2 
,if the last1 woe followeth woe4        
,sarah4 ,now tell mine next4  7,to      
,sarah47     ,too believing1 too        
believing1    ,thou hast learned not of 
deceiving4    ,closely scan what seemeth
 fair1    ,and of flattering words      
beware4  ,eveline4 ,now tell me a       
pleasant fortune1 ,mary ,ann4  7,to     
,eveline47     ,lively and loving1 ,i   
would not chide thee1    ,do thou thy   
duty1 and joy shall betide thee4        
,sophronia4 ,thank you1 ,mary ,ann1 for 
the lessons you have given us4 ,we can  
now1 in turn1 tell your fortune1 and    

that is1 ,always be amiable and sensible
 as now1 and you will always be loved4  
,illustration4     ,,the ,,boy ,,who    
,,stole ,,the ,,nails4  ,,by ,,rev4     
,,moses ,,ballou4   ,i remember well1   
that1 when ,i was quite a little boy1 a 
circumstance occurred which ,i shall    
probably never forget1 and which1 no    
doubt1 has had some little influence on 
my life at many different periods since4
 ,i will relate it2 and ,i wish all my  
young readers would remember the story4 
,my father was somewhat poor4 ,he had no
 salary for preaching1 except for a few 
months1 perhaps not five hundred dollars
 for forty years of pulpit labor4 ,he   
maintained his family chiefly from a    
small farm1 and1 there being several    
children1 we were deprived of many      
little things that wealthier parents are
 accustomed to furnish for theirs4 ,we  
had few presents1 and those chiefly of  
necessary articles1--school-books1 or   
something of the kind2 while toys1      
playthings1 and instruments of          

amusement1 we were left to go without1  
or take up with such rude and simple    
ones as we could manufacture for        
ourselves4  ,i wanted a small box very  
much4 ,a handsome little trunk1 such as 
most of my young readers probably have1 
was too much to hope for1 and a plain   
wooden box1 even1 ,i had no means to    
purchase4  ,i went without for a long   
time1 and at last determined that ,i    
would try to make one4 ,but the         
materials1--where was ,i to obtain them8
 ,true1 my father had pieces of thin    
boards that would answer1 but there were
 nails1 and hinges1 and a lock wanting4 
,where were these to come from8  ,after 
trying a variety of methods1 ,i invented
 a plan for fastening it without a lock1
 and leather made a very good substitute
 for hinges1 as it was to be out of     
sight4 ,still1 ,i wanted nails4 ,there  
were some old ones about the house1 but 
they were crooked1 and broken1 and      
rusty4 ,these would not answer if       
anything better could be obtained4  ,my 

uncle1 who at this time lived but a     
short distance from us1 was engaged in  
building1 and ,i watched the barrel of  
bright new nails his workmen were using1
 with a longing eye4 ,o1 how ,i coveted 
them6  ,the temptation was too great4 ,i
 sought the opportunity while the hands 
were at dinner1 and1 after cautiously   
looking about to see that no one was    
near to observe me1 with trembling hands
 seized upon them1 and stole enough to  
make my box4 ,o6 how my heart beat as ,i
 hurried away across the fields home4 ,i
 almost expected to see some one start  
up from every stump and bush on the way1
 to accuse me of the theft4 ,i hardly   
dared to look behind me4 ,it seemed as  
though my old uncle1 with frowning brow1
 was at my very heels4 ,and then1 too1  
the workmen2--were they not suspicious  
from my hanging about them1 and had not 
some of them watched me8 ,so horrid     
images began to dance about my brain4   
,dim visions of court-rooms1 and        
lawyers1 and judges1 and prisons1 and   

sorrowing parents1 and frightened       
brothers and sisters1 rose in awful     
terror before me4 ,i began to grow dizzy
 and faint4 ,i had laid up1 for a long  
time1 all the pennies ,i could obtain1  
which1 at that time1 amounted to the    
vast sum of twenty cents1 contained in  
an old-fashioned pistareen2 and the hope
 sprung up in my heart1 that1 possibly1 
by paying this to the officers1 they    
would not carry me to jail4  ,thought   
was busy in laying plans for escape1 and
 ,i reached home in the greatest        
excitement imaginable4  ,well1 the deed 
was now done1 and ,i could not undo it4 
,i was really a thief2 and now1 as ,i   
had got the nails1 ,i thought ,i might  
as well use them4 ,i was too anxious    
about the crime1 however1 to do this at 
once4 ,so ,i hid them away for a week or
 more1 before ,i ventured to make my    
box4  ,taking such leisure hours as ,i  
had1--for ,i was obliged to work most of
 the time on the farm1--,i crept away in
 the loft of an old building1 and       

finally succeeded in finishing my task4 
,but1 now that the box was done1 my     
troubles were by no means ended4 ,it    
would be seen4 ,i could not always keep 
it out of sight4 ,my brothers1 and      
sisters1 and playmates1 would examine   
it1 and possibly my father would get his
 eye upon it6 ,suppose he should1 and   
ask me where those nails came from8  ,o1
 how my poor brain was racked to invent 
some false story by which ,i could      
escape detection6 ,i thought of saying  
that they were old ones which ,i had    
polished up so as to appear new1 and ,i 
even filed down the rust on the head of 
an old nail to see if they would look   
sufficiently alike4 ,but nothing of this
 kind would answer4 ,the cheat1 ,i      
thought1 would be detected2 and so ,i   
was obliged1 after all my trouble and   
suffering1 to keep my box hidden away   
when it was done4 ,every time ,i went to
 look at it1 those bright new nail-heads
 were staring out at me1 ready to reveal
 my crime to any one who saw them4  ,for

 a long time1 ,i did not dare to go to  
my uncles again4 ,true1 he knew nothing 
of my wrong2 but ,i felt guilty1 and did
 not care to see him4 ,finally1 after   
some time had passed away1 though ,i had
 by no means forgotten the theft1 and   
still suffered much every time it was   
thought of1 ,i ventured to call and see 
him4 ,i could hardly avoid the          
impression that he must know what ,i had
 done1 and would accuse me of it2 and   
when he met me in the yard at his door2 
patted my cheek with a half-laughing1   
half-reproving look2 asked why ,i had   
stayed away from him so long2 and said1 
that1 to punish me1 he should go and get
 me some very nice apples from the      
garden2--,i could bear it no longer4 ,it
 seemed as though my heart would break4 
,what ,i said1 ,i have now forgotten4 ,i
 remember that ,i cried very heartily1  
and1 as soon as my tears would allow it1
 told him the whole story6  ,i can still
 see1 fresh in my memory1 the sad look  
that came over him as ,i confessed my   

crime2 but not a single harsh or unkind 
word did he utter4 ,he told me that it  
was very wrong2 that ,i had acted nobly 
in confessing it2 and that1 if ,i had   
only asked him in the first place1 he   
would gladly have given me all ,i       
wanted4  ,thinking ,i had suffered      
enough already1 he promised not to tell 
my parents1 in case ,i continued a good 
boy1 and advised me to destroy the box  
and bring him back the nails1 as no one 
could then suspect what had been done   
but ourselves4  ,his kindness1 ,i       
confess1 pained me very much4 ,i think  
nothing could have tempted me to do him 
any wrong again4  ,i loved him better   
than ever before4 ,he never alluded to  
the subject afterwards1 but ,i always   
thought of it when ,i saw him4 ,he died 
in a short time2 and1 twenty years      
after1 as ,i stood by his grave1 the    
circumstance came up1 clear and         
distinct1 to my recollection4 ,i have   
not1 indeed1 from that to the present   
hour1 felt the least temptation to      

commit any wrong of the kind without    
recalling it2 and1 if all my young      
readers will think seriously how much   
suffering that one act cost me1 and how 
much happier ,i should otherwise have   
been1 ,i am confident that they will    
never commit a similar offence so long  
as they remember the story of the boy   
who stole the nails4     ,,the          
,,childless ,,mother4  ,,by ,,mrs4      
,m4,h4 ,,adams4   ,there are many       
childless mothers in our land4 ,in some 
homes there never lived a little child  
to make them happy2 but in others the   
spirits of the little ones have         
departed4 ,they dwell in another        
home--the dear heavenly home4 ,their    
mothers1 those childless mothers1 weep  
day and night in their loneliness and   
sadness4 ,this sketch is of a mother who
 had buried all her little babes--four  
precious children--all her little       
family4 ,the mother's name was ,ellen   
,moore4  ,for many months after the     
birth of her first child1 ,ellen was    

free from sorrow as a bird in the       
morning4 ,she never thought affliction  
might come to her blessed home4 ,it was 
not surprising1 for she had never known 
what bereavement and bitter             
disappointment were4 ,she was educated  
to be a child of sunshine4 ,she had     
always lived amid smiles and tenderness1
 and when the fearful cloud of sorrow   
broke1 in an unexpected moment1 upon her
 head1 she seemed bowed down1 never to  
rise again in health and beauty4  ,it   
was a sad day in our neighborhood when  
,ellen's first little babe died2 we all 
wept4 ,not so much because he was dead1 
for we all felt that he was at rest2 but
 his dear mother was so sorely troubled1
 her heart ached so grievously1 it      
seemed as if she too would die4 ,days   
and nights ,ellen wept1 and moaned1 and 
walked her house4 ,the tears seemed to  
burn their way down her cheeks4 ,she    
spoke but seldom1 yet that pitiful moan 
she so often breathed out pierced our   
souls and made us all very sad4  ,after 

a few weeks1 the consolation we offered 
her quieted her feelings1 and she became
 calm4 ,she went to church1 called on   
her friends1 and attended to her duties 
at home4 ,but there was ever a sadness  
in her voice and manners4 ,her home was 
so lonely1 so strangely still and       
vacant1 and ,ellen so silent1 that the  
voice of gladness was not heard in it   
again until a second beautiful boy was  
born under its roof4  ,we were all happy
 then4 ,even ,ellen smiled as she kissed
 her dear babe--but a tear followed the 
smile and the kiss so soon1 we knew her 
wounded heart was not then healed4 ,she 
was very sad1 and felt that this babe1  
too1 might only be loaned her for a     
short time4 ,it was not long before we  
all felt so4 ,that little face1 so pale1
 so sad1 so beautiful1 evidently bore   
the seal of death upon it4 ,he refused  
all nourishment1 and pined slowly away4 
,ellen knew he must die1 but could not  
say so4 ,she could not shed one tear to 
relieve her sorrowful heart4 ,she       

neither spoke nor wept1 until her infant
 was laid in its coffin4  ,a friend had 
woven a wreath of beautiful flowers1 and
 laid it on the satin pillow of the     
coffin1 and placed a delicate rose-bud  
in the little hand of the babe4 ,ellen  
went alone to take her last kiss1 when1 
seeing her babe so beautiful in death1  
she seated herself on the floor and wept
 freely4  ,who loved my babe so fondly8 
said she1 when she came from the room4  
,who has been so kind and thoughtful of 
me8 ,it has unsealed my tears2 now let  
me weep alone4 ,we left her4 ,she came  
out of that room a changed woman4 ,she  
assisted us in our preparations for the 
burial of the dead1 spoke cheerfully to 
her husband1 conversed freely about her 
children in heaven1 and remarked that   
henceforth her life should be worthy of 
a ,christian4 ,we buried the sweet babe 
by the side of his brother1 and planted 
a rose-tree over his grave4 ,then our   
thoughts turned to ,ellen1 whose whole  
manner indicated resignation and peace4 

,we were not surprised at the effect of 
grief upon ,ellen1 for ,i have told you 
she was not educated to bear human      
misery with much composure4 ,yet what   
her parents had left undone seemed to be
 effected by those severe dispensations 
of ,god4 ,our ,father in heaven often   
educates us by his chastisements1 giving
 us wisdom1 patience1 hope1 trustfulness
 and resignation1 according to the      
severity with which he afflicts us4     
,ellen maintained the same cheerful     
manner from the time of the burial of   
her second babe to the birth of her     
third child4 ,her friends hoped many    
blessings for ,ellen in the life of this
 child4 ,it was a daughter1 apparently  
healthy2 and as its mother had endured  
so severe a trial we hoped the ,lord    
would deal mercifully with her in       
sparing this one to her4 ,for one short 
year we had reason to hope for the life 
of the child4 ,but it was too frail a   
creature for this world1 and1 like its  
little brothers1 died in early infancy4 

,and its mother--we found her to be a   
practical ,christian indeed4  ,instead  
of moaning and violent grief1 she held  
her babe as it breathed its latest      
breath1 and was first to break the awful
 silence in the room that succeeded the 
final struggle1 with these words3 ,she  
is with her little brothers now1 and ,i 
have reason to bless the ,lord4 ,she    
could say no more then2 and a few large 
tears fell on the cheek of her babe as  
it still lay on her lap4 ,once only did 
she freely yield to tears4 ,it was when 
her husband first heard of the death of 
his babe4 ,his anguish overcame her     
composure4 ,soon recovered however1 she 
maintained a truly ,christian           
deportment4 ,the third little grave was 
opened in the burial lot of ,mr4 ,moore1
 and the body of this babe laid by its  
little brothers4  ,a fourth babe was    
born in the lonely home of ,ellen1 and  
fresh hopes cherished for the long life 
of her child4 ,the burden of every      
prayer offered at that family altar was1

 ,lord1 if it be thy will1 suffer us to 
rear this tender child6  ,yet though ,i 
pray thus1 said ,ellen1 my heart is     
strong to meet its early death2 and if  
it dies1 ,i shall not mourn as for my   
first-born4 ,god has afflicted me1 but  
,i am profited thereby4  ,very true1    
,ellen1 but if this fourth dear babe is 
taken from us1 we shall almost doubt the
 mercy of ,god4 ,how can you1 in your   
present delicate health1 endure to lay  
this last dear babe by the side of the  
departed ones1 and again find your home 
desolate and silent8  ,my body is weak1 
,mary1 but my spirit is well instructed 
in resignation1 and can calmly bear     
whatever new affliction ,god pleases to 
send4 ,you have called me changed since 
,alfred died1 and sometimes too silent  
and sad4 ,i am changed and often silent1
 but not sad4 ,my treasures are in      
heaven1 and my communings are more with 
the spirits of my children in heaven    
than with the friends who are with me   
here4 ,and if this child dies1          

,mary1----if he dies--his death will    
prepare me for the duties of all the    
rest of my life4         99       99    
99       99       99  ,the beautiful boy
 passed away just as his little lips had
 learned to pronounce his mother's      
name--suddenly1 unexpectedly to us all1 
and all yielded to our grief but ,ellen4
 ,we greatly feared his father would    
become insane4  ,but ,ellen--believe me1
 she was transformed from a child of    
sunshine to an angel and minister of    
light in darkness4 ,she sat by her      
husband as serene and collected as if   
her babe only slept2 not a tear swept   
her cheek1 not a tremulous word fell    
from her lips1 as she soothed her       
stricken companion2 her pale face wore  
no look of despair1 and she directed    
every funeral preparation with as much  
composure as if her heart had not felt  
the awful wound4 ,the world called her  
heartless1--but ,christ must have owned 
her as one of his brightest jewels1     
almost a perfect disciple4 ,when she    

spoke1 we felt as if some mysterious    
power from heaven was in our midst4 ,we 
thought as much of the saint-like       
fortitude and resignation of our feeble 
,ellen1 and wept as much to witness her 
calmness and spiritual strength1 as for 
the loss of our interesting little      
friend4  ,our pastor called to offer    
gospel consolations to the sorrowing    
mother1 but he wept as ,ellen greeted   
him1 saying1 ,god hath much love for us1
 ,brother ,ellis1 for he chasteneth     
much4 ,now1 my only prayer is1 that     
,henry may be led to perceive it and be 
at peace4 ,if you have words of comfort1
 go to him and still his troubled       
spirit4  ,the aged came to console her1 
but went back to their dwellings feeling
 that she was as well instructed in the 
wisdom of heaven as the oldest servant  
among them4 ,the young and happy came to
 mingle tears of sympathy with her1 but 
returned to dwell upon her words as upon
 communications from the spirit-land1   
rather than from a creature like        

themselves4 ,her words found a way to   
the soul of the most thoughtless1 fixing
 their minds upon heaven1 and revealing 
the unseen glories of a better home1 and
 the beauty of ,christian faith in an   
earthly one4  ,she was a ,christian     
mother4 ,when she put on ,christ1 she   
was a new creature ,she believed her    
first grief was almost a murmuring      
against heaven4 ,surely we know she bore
 an equal love for all her children1 but
 when her last one died1 she loved ,god 
and her ,saviour more1 believing fully  
that ,god would not do her wrong1--that 
he only sought the good of his creatures
 in his dispensations1--that although   
they seemed grievous and inscrutable to 
them1 he saw the end from the beginning1
 and chastized whom he loved4     ,,the 
,,motherless ,,child4  ,,by ,,mrs4      
,m4,h4 ,,adams4   ,to become a childless
 mother is indeed one of the most severe
 afflictions which woman can be called  
to endure2 yet it may be1 it is often   
met with noble1 ,christian fortitude1   

with ,christian humility and            
resignation1 that soothe the acute pains
 of the mother's heart1 and carry her   
thoughts away from earth and above its  
sorrows2 so that we feel that she can   
and has found a balm1 and has still left
 her consolation and happiness4 ,but    
when we see a little child1 whose mother
 ,god has taken1 as fully realizing its 
bereavement1 its loneliness1 its        
absolute misfortune1 as a child can do1 
we feel that to be a motherless child in
 this unchristian world1 is indeed an   
affliction for which there seldom       
appears a balm2 though we doubt not our 
,father hath the balm for this as for   
every other wound4  ,a young man sat by 
the corpse of his faithful wife1 the    
mother of all his little babes4 ,one    
child was gazing silently and           
inquiringly at her father1 as he held   
his head weeping and groaning in anguish
 of spirit4 ,a tender infant of a few   
weeks lay asleep in the cradle at his   
side4 ,the young man's mother entered   

the room1 and with tenderness of tone   
and manner1 endeavored to calm his      
grief2 with words of gospel love and    
faith to comfort him4  ,abby has been to
 you a kind1 faithful and devoted wife1 
,david2 an agreeable companion and      
constant friend4 ,before ,god she was a 
humble child1 and before the world a    
worthy disciple of ,christ4 ,you        
doubtless feel all this1 and more4 ,few 
can speak evil of her1 and very many    
will sincerely mourn her early death1   
and sympathize with you in this dreadful
 hour4 ,but remember1 ,david1 you have1 
before this1 professed trust and belief 
in the promises and love of ,god4 ,now  
is the time to make manifest your       
,christian faith1 your hope in ,god1    
your belief in the gospel4 ,try not to  
be utterly disconsolate in your         
loneliness4 ,god is very near to us1    
although this heavy cloud of sorrow lies
 between him and us4  ,they were        
interrupted by the entrance of the      
oldest child of the departed one1 a     

sensitive1 intelligent boy of six or    
seven years4 ,tears were in his eyes as 
he opened the door1 and fell fast into  
the lap of his father as he tried to    
speak to him4  ,father1 said he1 ,i have
 been down in the sitting-room1 trying  
to read my little books2 but ,i think so
 much of my dear dead mother1 ,i can't  
read2 and the tears come into my eyes so
 fast1 that ,i can't see the pictures4  
,i went to rock in my little chair1 but 
,i saw my mother's empty chair1 and my  
little heart aches very much4 ,it will  
be very lonesome and sad here1 if ,i    
don't see mother anywhere4 ,and who will
 take care of this little baby brother8 
,no word was spoken by those present1   
but their tears and sobs told plainly   
that they too felt how lonely and sad   
that home would be without the gentle   
voice and cheerful song of that dear    
mother4 ,as no one checked him1 ,willie 
again spoke1 and1 as well as he could   
amid sobs and tears1 told the bitterness
 of his young spirit4  ,i love you some1

 father1 but not as ,i did my mother2   
and now my mother is in heaven1 who     
shall ,i have to take care of me and    
kiss me1 father2 who will say a prayer  
to me every night8 ,aunt ,susan's       
prayers are not like mother's2 and your 
voice doesn't sound so sweet by the side
 of my bed as my mother's did4 ,oh dear6
 what did my mother die for1 and leave  
me a poor little motherless boy8  ,his  
father then took him upon his knee1     
wiped his tears1 and soothed him to     
sleep with gentle caresses4 ,no word    
could ,david utter4 ,for a long time he 
sat with his sleeping boy1 beside his   
dead4 ,the paleness of his cheek1 and   
the frequent sigh1 expressed his sorrow4
 ,his mother again tried to draw from   
him an expression of his ,christian     
fidelity1 fearing that he was untrue to 
his ,god and his ,master under a trial  
so severe4 ,when at length he did speak1
 a hardened heart might have been moved 
by his broken sentences and choking     
words1 as he made an effort to assure   

his anxious parent4  ,mother1 ,i have   
the utmost confidence in the mercy and  
goodness of ,god--even now that he has  
taken to himself one so very dear4 ,i   
feel sure there is some great and       
important lesson which he would have me 
learn from this sorrowful event4 ,i have
 all faith that ,abby is at rest1 and   
will still love those of us who are left
 on the earth to mourn4 ,i believe we   
shall meet each other in the future1    
that we shall recognize and love each   
other1 with a far more perfect and a    
purer love than we have cherished here4 
,i shall be lonely1 and miss from my    
hours at home the counsel1 the aid1 the 
cheerfulness1 sympathy and attentive    
love of one of the best of women4 ,her  
beautiful example in the service of her 
,master will often be remembered with   
deep and sincere grief4  ,all this ,i   
could bear calmly2 if it were more      
bitter1 ,i could bear it and not weep4  
,but to think of my children--as        
motherless babes2 to hear ,willie tell  

his sorrow1 and mourn so bitterly in his
 tender years for a mother--so dear2 to 
feel that with his susceptibility and   
keen sensitiveness he realizes so fully 
his loss2 to hear him sob on his pillow 
at night1 and1 when alone1 call himself 
'little motherless ,willie2'--oh1       
mother6 what man or ,christian would not
 bow beneath a burden like this8--,it is
 the contemplation of four motherless   
children that wounds me most4 ,it seems 
to me ,abby herself would not reprove   
me1 could those cold lips now bring me a
 message from her spirit in heaven4     
99       99       99       99       99  
,with expressions like those in the     
chamber of the dead was every hour in   
the home of ,david embittered1 for weeks
 and months1 by the little mourning     
child4 ,he gathered flowers and laid    
them before his father1 saying1 ,i don't
 suppose you care about them1 father2   
but my mother isn't here to take them4  
,i pick them because they look up into  
my face as if mother was somewhere near 

them4 ,but they wither on my hand1 and  
hold down their heads1 just as ,i want  
to do now my mother is dead4  ,every    
object at home seemed to remind ,willie 
of his mother1 and keep his bereavement 
uppermost in his thoughts4 ,he did not  
weep as much after a few weeks1 but     
through all his boyhood there rested a  
sadness on his countenance1 that        
indicated a mournful recollection of    
that dear mother4 ,through his whole    
life he felt that he was like a tender  
branch lopped from the parent-tree2 like
 a lamb sent out from the fold while too
 young to meet the storms and travel the
 dangerous paths of which he often heard
 from his mother4 ,this idea seemed ever
 present1 and served many times to hold 
him back from adventurous pursuits and  
untried schemes4 ,i don't know--but ,i  
should have known had my dear mother    
lived1 was the expression of his general
 course in life4  ,as long as he was a  
child he spoke often and tenderly of his
 mother4 ,he cherished a remembrance of 

her faithful admonitions and precepts1  
as vivid as might have been expected    
from a child bereaved at the age of     
eight or ten4 ,when older1 he realized  
more fully his loss1 especially when he 
met one whom he believed to be a good   
mother4 ,he then seldom spoke of his    
mother2 but his visits to the           
grave-yard1 his sadness on the          
anniversary of the day of her death1 his
 conversations about her with his       
brothers and sister1 the value he       
attached to every token of her love to  
him1 convinced us that he remembered her
 with deep affection4  ,when a young    
man1 he was several times beguiled by   
the tempter into forbidden paths1 and   
his eyes were not opened to behold the  
danger until the fangs of the serpent   
pierced deeply into his heart4 ,then    
most fully did he realize that he was   
poor motherless ,william2 that he was   
abroad in the world without those most  
effectual safeguards against sin1 a good
 mother's counsels and a mother's daily 

prayers2 that while others could express
 unreservedly to their mothers their    
hopes or fears1 their success or        
misfortune1 their faithfulness in the   
hour of temptation or weakness under its
 power1 and be counselled1 encouraged1  
urged or entreated anew1--he could only 
go to his mother's grave and shed bitter
 tears of repentance in loneliness1 or  
withdraw himself from all around him1   
and1 a poor motherless child1 call up   
the dim remembrance of that young and   
cheerful being who once called him her  
precious son1 her treasured child1--and 
weep the more bitterly that no answering
 voice or smile1 or look of             
encouragement or hope1 met him in this  
sinful world6  ,oh ye who have hearts to
 feel1 who profess ,christian principles
 to guide you1 and the holy love of our 
,master for your example1 seek out the  
motherless child of the poor1 the       
ignorant1 the vicious1 and by the power 
of ,christ which is within you1         
according to the measure of that power1 

strive to be like fond mothers to the   
thousands who cry ,we have no dear      
mother--our mother is in heaven--is     
dead--and we know not what is right or  
what is wrong6 ,help and pity them4     
,rescue them from that heart-breaking   
loneliness and sorrow that prey         
incessantly on the feelings of a        
sensitive1 intelligent1 motherless      
child4     ,,faith4  ,,by ,,mrs4        
,e4,r4,b4 ,,waldo4     ,upon the        
peaceful breast of ,faith      ,my      
troubled soul hath found repose1        
,free from the sad and starless gloom   
,that doubting scepticism knows4        
,though disappointment1 care1 and pain1 
,have bent my heart to their decree1    
,one thought hath ever led me on1       
,it is1 that it was so to be4     ,oft  
would my weary spirit faint1      ,my   
heart yield almost to despair1    ,did  
not a still small voice exclaim1        
,there is no change1 but ,god is there4 
,that mighty power which points the     
shaft1      ,and forms the spirit to    

endure1    ,will1 in its own peculiar   
way      ,and time1 perform the wondrous
 cure4     ,still may my soul1 through  
faith1 rely      ,upon the promises of  
,god2    ,his mercy see in every change1
      ,and learn to bless his chastening
 rod4     ,,the ,,snow-,,birds4  ,a     
,,dialogue4  ,,by ,,mrs4 ,c4 ,,highborn4
   ,clarissa4 ,pray1 ,mary1 what are you
 going to do with those crumbs which you
 hold in your hand8  ,mary4 ,i am going 
to feed my snow-birds with them2 and ,i 
should be very happy to have you go with
 me4 ,i know you will enjoy seeing how  
merrily they hop about and flutter their
 wings1 and seem to chirp out their     
thanks as they pick up the food ,i throw
 them4  ,c4 ,thank you for your         
invitation2 but ,i beg you will excuse  
me2 it may be pretty sport for you1 but1
 for my part1 ,i can enjoy myself much  
better to stay here and arrange my      
baby-things1 for ,i expect some girls to
 see me this afternoon4 ,i cannot       
conceive what there is in those         

ugly-looking snow-birds to interest you2
 they are not handsome1 surely2 they    
have not a single bright feather2 and1  
as for their songs1 they sound like the 
squeak of a sick chicken4  ,m4 ,i am    
sorry to hear you speak so of my        
favorites2 for1 though they are not so  
brilliant in their colors as many that  
flutter around us in the summer1 yet to 
me they tire dearer than any others1 and
 far more beautiful than those of a     
gaudier hue4  ,c4 ,well1 you have a     
queer taste1 ,i must confess2 you remind
 me of the philosopher ,i read of in the
 story-book1 who thought a toad the most
 beautiful of ,god's creatures4 ,come1  
perhaps you can show me why they are    
entitled to your regard1 and point out  
their beauties4  ,m4 ,i will cheerfully 
comply with your request1 for nothing   
gives me more pleasure than to speak of 
the good qualities of my friends4       
,examine them for a moment and see how  
exquisitely they are formed1 and1 though
 not gaudy in their colors1 yet their   

feathers are soft and glossy4 ,but these
 are trifles comparatively2 what most   
endears them to me is their constancy4  
,c4 ,that is a new idea1 indeed4        
,constancy in snow-birds6 ,please       
explain yourself1 ,mary4  ,m4 ,well1    
they seem to me like those rare friends 
that love us best in adversity1 when the
 bright summer of prosperity1 with its  
attendant joys1 has fled1 and the winter
 of sorrow and misfortune shuts out1    
with its dark clouds1 the light of life1
 and withers1 with its frosts1 the few  
flowers which bloom along its pathway4  
,there are summer friends1 ,clara1 as   
well as summer birds1 and they both wear
 brilliant colors1 and sing enchanting  
songs1 but they depart with the         
sunshine2 the first leave us to battle  
the storms of adversity1 and the others1
 the cold and barren prospect of winter2
 these little snow-birds1 however1      
remain1 and through all its dark hours  
they cheer us by their presence4 ,they  
seem to tell us that we are not entirely

 destitute of pleasure1 but that the    
darkest hours have something of beauty2 
and1 while they serve to awaken in our  
minds a remembrance of the bright days  
that have gone1 they bid us look forward
 to the end of our sorrows1 and welcome 
the bright spring days1 which shall     
return to us the joys that departed4    
,c4 ,i declare6 you have preached quite 
a sermon1 and from a funny text2 ,i     
confess there is both truth and poetry  
in what you say4 ,i do not wonder that  
you love the snow-birds1 if they awaken 
such pleasant and pretty thoughts in    
your mind4 ,henceforth ,i will love them
 myself1 for the good lesson that1      
through you1 they have imparted4 ,i     
trust you will forgive me the rudeness  
of laughing at you4  ,m4 ,cheerfully1   
,clara2 but learn from this never to    
despise any of ,god's creatures2 they   
can all teach us some important and     
beautiful lesson which we should be     
happy to heed4 ,and now1 if you please1 
we will go and feed the snow-birds4  ,c4

 ,with all my heart6  ,illustration3    
,,mount ,,carmel4     ,,mount ,,carmel4 
,,selected4   ,mount ,carmel is a high  
promontory1 forming the termination of a
 range of hills running northwest from  
the plain of ,esdraelon4 ,mount ,carmel 
is the southern boundary of the ,bay of 
,acre1 on ,acca1 as it is called by the 
,turks2 its height is about fifteen     
hundred feet1 and at its foot1 north1   
runs the brook ,kishon1 and a little    
further north the river ,belus4  ,mount 
,carmel is celebrated in ,scripture     
history as the place where ,elijah went 
up when he told his servant to look     
forth to the sea yet seven times1 and   
the seventh time he saw a little cloud  
coming up from the sea like a man's     
hand1 when the prophet knew that the    
promised rain was at hand1 and girded up
 his loins1 and ran before ,ahab's      
chariot even to the gates of ,jezreel4  
7#a ,kings xviii4 #dd-df47  ,towards the
 sea is a cave1 where it has been       
supposed that ,elijah desired ,ahab to  

bring ,baal's false prophets1 and where 
fire from heaven descended on the altar 
he erected4 ,the present appearance of  
,carmel is thus described by ,dr4 ,hogg1
 who visited it in #ahcc4 ,the convent  
on ,mount ,carmel was destroyed by the  
,turks in the early part of the ,greek  
revolution4 ,abdallah1 the ,turkish     
pasha1 who commanded the district in    
which ,carmel is situated1 not only     
razed their convent to the ground1 but  
blew up the foundations1 and carried the
 materials to ,acre for his own use4    
,the convent is now being rebuilt1 or   
probably is now completely finished1 the
 funds having been supplied by          
subscriptions solicited all over        
,europe1 and a great part of the ,east1 
by one of the brethren1 ,giovanni       
,battista1 who has travelled far and    
wide for that purpose4 ,dr4 ,hogg gives 
the following account of the condition  
of the place at the time of his visit4  
,the whole fabric is of stone1 and1 when
 completed1 will possess the solidity of

 a fortress4 ,the first story only is at
 present finished1 and hereafter will be
 solely appropriated to the             
accommodation of travellers1 when       
another1 to be raised above1 will be    
exclusively devoted to permanent        
inmates4 ,in the centre a spacious      
church has been commenced1 and already  
promises to be a fine building4 ,the    
principal altar will be placed over the 
cave so long held sacred as the retreat 
of the prophet4 ,this natural cavern    
exhibits at its farther extremity some  
signs of having been enlarged by art4   
,when the edifice above is complete1 it 
will be converted into a chapel2 and a  
projecting ledge of rock1 believed to   
have been the sleeping-place of the     
prophet1 will then be the altar4 ,the   
superior himself kindly conducted me to 
see one of the celebrated caves which   
everywhere abound in the district of    
,mount ,carmel4 ,descending two thirds  
of the mountain by a narrow path1       
scooped in the rock1 we entered an      

enclosure of fig-trees and vines1 where 
several caverns1 that of old belonged to
 the ,carmelites1 are now inhabited by a
 ,mohammedan saint and his numerous     
progeny4 ,we first entered a lofty      
excavation of beautiful proportions1 at 
least fifty feet long1 with a large     
recess on one side1--every part         
chiselled with the nicest care1 and     
inscribed with numerous ,greek initials1
 names1 and sentences4 ,here ,elijah is 
believed to have taught his disciples1  
and hence its name1 'the school of the  
prophets4' ,some smaller adjoining      
caverns1 fronted with masonry1 now form 
the residence of the saint and his      
family4 ,a deep cistern for the         
preservation of water has been hewn in  
the rock1 and the entrance is closed by 
a gate shaded inside by vines4  ,the    
memory of ,elijah is equally venerated  
by ,christians and ,moslems2 and the    
votaries of each faith are liberally    
allowed access to the several caves4 ,at
 the time of our visit the general      

appearance of ,mount ,carmel was dry and
 sterile2 but the superior assured us   
that in spring it was clothed in verdure
 and beauty4     ,,the ,,philosophy ,,of
 ,,life4  ,,by ,,miss ,,elizabeth       
,,doten     ,daily striving1 though so  
lonely1      ,every day reward shall    
give1    ,thou shalt find by striving   
only1      ,and in loving1 thou canst   
live4                                   
,miss ,edwards4  ,on dear6 said ,annie  
,burton1 as she sat down under the old  
apple-tree by the spring2 ,i wonder what
 ails me2 there's been such a choking   
feeling in my throat all this afternoon1
 and though ,i winked and swallowed with
 all my might1 the tears would come in  
spite of myself4 ,here ,i've been       
wandering for more than three hours1 up 
hill and down1 through brambles and     
brier-bushes2 my hands are scratched and
 bloody1 and the sun has burnt me as    
brown as a berry4 ,three long precious  
hours in the sunny month of ,august6 and
 what does it all amount to8 ,why1 ,i   

have picked a basket of berries that can
 be eaten in half an hour2 and here is a
 bunch of flowers for little ,katie1    
that she will take and admire1 and then 
tear to pieces2 that will be the end of 
them4 ,but that isn't the worst of all2 
no1 not by a great deal2 there is a     
great rent in my frock1 gaping and      
staring at me1 waiting to be mended2 and
 nobody knows how long 't will take me  
to do that4 ,oh dear6 how ,i hate to    
work6 ,i don't see how it is2 there's   
mother takes care of the children1 sews1
 makes bread and washes the dishes1 just
 as willingly and cheerfully as if she  
were playing on the piano or reading a  
pleasant book4 ,they say that good      
people are always happy2 but ,i never   
am4 ,oh1 ,i believe ,i am the worst     
creature that ever lived6 and she bent  
her head upon her lap and burst into    
tears4  ,it was not long before she was 
roused by the sound of footsteps2 she   
raised her head1 and saw an old woman   
coming down the road with a large basket

 on her arm4 ,she looked tired and      
weary1 as well she might be1 for she had
 travelled a long distance2 it was a    
hot1 sultry afternoon1 and every        
footstep stirred a cloud of dust4 ,she  
came towards the spring2 but before she 
reached it1 she struck her foot against 
a stone and fell4  ,have you hurt you8  
exclaimed ,annie1 as she sprung to her  
side4  ,not a bit1 not a bit1 she       
replied1 as she shook the dust from her 
apron1 and replaced the things that had 
fallen from her basket4  ,oh1 yes1 you  
have6 said ,annie2 see1 the blood is    
streaming down your arm6  ,oh that's    
nothing2 only a scratch4 ,blessings on  
the good ,father that watches over me6  
,i might have broken my arm1 and that   
would have been a deal worse6 ,how      
fortunate ,i happened to fall just by   
the spring here6 ,i've been longing for 
a drink of cold water1 and ,i sha'n't   
need it any the less for getting such a 
mouthful of this hot dust4  ,heart's    
dearest6 she exclaimed1 as she put down 

the iron dipper that always hung by the 
spring1 after having satisfied her      
thirst1 what is it troubles you8 ,such  
sorrowful eyes and a tearful face belong
 only to older heads and more sinful    
hearts2 and ,god forbid it even to them1
 unless it is wrung out of the agony of 
their very souls2 for though his        
providences are just and wise1 yet      
nature must have its way sometimes4     
,oh1 she replied1 as the tears filled   
her eyes again1 ,i have been crying to  
think how wicked ,i am4  ,well-a-day6   
said the old woman1 looking rather      
droll2 it's very strange such a young   
creature as you should come down here to
 weep on account of great wickedness4   
,you don't look much like a ,salem      
witch1 or a runaway from the house of   
correction4  ,annie could not help      
laughing at such an idea2 but as the    
smile passed away1 the troubled waters  
of her heart seemed to burst forth in a 
flood1 and she wept violently4  ,ah1    
said the old woman1 shaking her head    

sorrowfully3 ,i ought not to have spoken
 thus2 ,i see how it is4 ,poor lamb6 she
 hears the voice of the ,shepherd       
calling her1 but she is bewildered and  
knows not the way to the fold2 and may  
the ,lord ,jesus look upon me1 as he did
 upon his sinful servant ,peter when he 
denied him1 if ,i fail to point out to  
this dear child the path wherein he     
himself has taught me to tread4  ,she   
sat down beside ,annie and laid her arm 
gently around her4 ,there's a dear girl1
 said she1 raising her head1 and putting
 back the locks of moist hair2 listen to
 me a little while1 and ,i will tell you
 what will make you happier4 ,she took  
the cool waters of the spring1 and      
bathed her burning forehead1 and washed 
away all traces of dust and tears4 ,the 
water had a cooling and soothing effect 
upon ,annie's troubled brain4  ,there   
now1 said the good dame2 don't you feel 
better8  ,yes1 said ,annie1 almost      
cheerfully4  ,well1 she continued1      
,god's love is just like this spring2 it

 is full and free to all4 ,now don't you
 suppose1 if you could cleanse and      
purify your heart from all traces of sin
 and sorrow in its blessed waters1 just 
as you bathe your face in this spring1  
that you would feel happier and better4 
,yes1 said ,annie1 slowly and           
thoughtfully1 as if a new idea was      
passing through her mind4  ,well then1  
,i will tell you how4 ,i have felt just 
as you do now4 ,when ,i was a girl ,i   
was a restless1 idle creature2 useless  
to others1 and a burden to myself4 ,of  
course ,i was unhappy1 miserable4 ,it   
was in vain that ,i went to school with 
such a discontented mind4 ,i had a      
harder lesson to learn than any that my 
teacher could learn me4 ,god grant you  
may not have to learn it in the same way
 that ,i did6 ,i learned it by          
experience2 a sorrowful way that is to  
learn anything1 although it is slow and 
sure2 you may be pretty certain that you
 never will forget it4 ,i have found    
out1 by experience1 that the only way   

that we can live and be happy1 is by    
loving and serving others1 just as the  
blessed ,jesus did2 and if you will try 
it you will find it so4  ,oh1 said      
,annie1 ,i am a little girl4 ,what good 
can ,i do8 ,if ,i was the ,lord ,jesus1 
,i would go about doing good2 then ,i   
would cast out devils1 and heal the     
sick1 and raise the dead4  ,yes1 yes2 ,i
 know you are yet but a 'wee thing1' and
 have much to learn2 but 'the race is   
not always to the swift and the battle  
to the strong2' it isn't the tallest men
 and the oldest heads that do the most  
good in the world4 ,but ,i'll tell you  
what you can do1 if you can't work      
miracles2 though there's many a devil   
cast out in these days of sin and       
sorrow1 that men know not of2 those who 
struggle and strive with the ,evil ,one1
 and thrust him out of the doors of     
their heart1 do not sound a trumpet     
before them in the streets1 for they are
 true followers of the dear ,lamb of    
,god4 ,that same old spirit of          

selfishness that tempted ,eve in the    
garden of ,eden has gone through the    
world like a creeping1 wily serpent ever
 since4 ,it has wound itself round and  
round our hearts1 coil upon coil1 until 
we scarce seem to have any heart at all4
 ,it is this that troubles you1 and you 
must cast it out2 you must forget your  
own interest1 and learn everybody to    
love you2 then you can't help loving    
everybody1 and you will be happy4 ,oh1  
it will be hard1 very hard1 to do this2 
you will stop1 and perhaps turn back2   
but when it is the darkest you must take
 the gentle hand that our dear brother1 
the ,lord ,jesus1 stretches out to you1 
and he will lead you safely to the very 
bosom of the ,father4  ,but look up1    
dear one1 the sun has gone down behind  
the hill1 and you must hasten homeward4 
,the mother bird must needs feel anxious
 when her nestlings are away4 ,but don't
 forget what ,i have told you4  ,no1    
said ,annie1 raising her head1 for she  
had been thinking earnestly2 every word 

that her kind friend had spoken went    
with a powerful influence to her heart2 
,i will try and do what ,i can1 said    
she4  ,ay1 said the old woman1 that's   
right6 not even an angel can do more4   
,but stop1 she added2 do you remember   
what day it is8  ,yes1 said ,annie4     
,well then1 just a year from this time1 
if the ,lord permits1 we will meet again
 by this spring4 ,now good night1 and   
may the blessing of the ,great ,father  
go with you4  ,good night1 said ,annie1 
and with a cheerful heart and light     
footstep1 she hastened homeward4  ,no   
sooner did she come in sight of her     
home1 than she perceived a horse and    
carriage standing by the gate4 ,she     
recognized it in a moment2 it was the   
doctor's4 ,a cold shudder passed over   
her1 and an indefinable fear entered her
 mind4 ,she hastened onward and entered 
the house4  ,upon the bed lay little    
,katie2 her eyes fixed upon the wall1   
seemingly unconscious of all that passed
 around her1 sending forth low moans1 as

 if in great pain4 ,beside her sat the  
doctor1 counting the beatings of her    
pulse1 and closely observing the        
alterations of her countenance4  ,i     
cannot give you much encouragement1 said
 he4 ,it is a disease of the brain4 ,all
 shall be done for her that is possible1
 but ,i fear there is not much hope4    
,alas6 it was even so2 all was done in  
vain4 ,she laid day after day1 a        
helpless sufferer4 ,it was long before  
the vital energy was spent2 but through 
all this weary time1 there was one      
constant watcher by her bed-side4       
,annie1 with the impression of a deep   
truth upon her soul1 felt that now was  
the time to act1 and most faithfully did
 she perform her duty4 ,and when1 at    
last1 sweet ,katie died1 with a warm    
gush of tears she laid one of the       
flowers that she had gathered from the  
hill-side upon her bosom1 and clasping  
her arms around her mother's neck1 she  
said3 ,mother1 dear sister is gone1 and 
now ,i must be both ,annie and ,katie to

 you2 and if ,god will help me1 ,i shall
 be more of a blessing to you than ,i   
ever yet have been4  ,oh1 it was like a 
ray of sunshine to that weeping mother's
 heart1 to hear her once wayward child  
speak thus6 and though it was like      
taking away the life-drops from her     
heart to give up her cherished little   
one1 yet she felt there was still a     
great blessing remaining for her4  ,time
 passed on4 ,autumn came with its       
ripened fruits and golden foliage2      
winter laid his glittering mantle upon  
the streams and hill-tops1 and spring   
brought blossoms for little ,katie's    
grave4  ,annie1 the gentle ,annie1 where
 was she8  ,firm to her purpose1 she had
 gone onward4 ,at times the struggle was
 hard indeed4 ,then she would go to the 
spring1 and kneel down1 and talk with   
her ,good ,father1 until the evil       
feelings had left her heart1 and the    
cheerful smile came again to her        
countenance4  ,at length summer1 bright1
 beautiful summer1 beamed over the land 

once more1 and as it drew to a close it 
brought the day on which ,annie was to  
meet her friend at the spring4  ,it was 
the close of the ,sabbath1 and the last 
rays of the setting sun streamed through
 the branches of the trees that         
surrounded the spring1 and tinged its   
waters with a rosy light4 ,there sat the
 old lady1 looking anxiously up the     
road4  ,i wonder why she don't come1    
said she4 ,perhaps the young thing has  
forgotten me4 ,sure 'twould be a sorrow 
to me if ,i thought she had4  ,no       
indeed1 said a pleasant voice4 ,a light 
form sprang from a clump of bushes close
 by1 and she felt a warm kiss upon her  
cheek4 ,no1 ,i have not forgotten you1  
but ,i have come to tell you how happy  
,i am4 ,oh1 ,i have seen trouble and    
sorrow enough1 since ,i saw you2 but for
 all that1 ,i am much happier than ,i   
was then4 ,you told me that ,i must     
learn to love everybody1 and so ,i did2 
and now it seems as if everybody and    
everything loved me1 even our old cat   

and dog4 ,strange1 isn't it8  ,heart's  
dearest6 said the old woman1 as soon as 
she could speak1 wiping away the tears  
from her eyes with the corner of her    
apron2 there's a philosophy in all      
things1 even in baking bread and washing
 dishes2 but the true philosophy of life
 consists in loving and doing2 and1     
blessed be ,god6 that is so plain1 that 
the least of his children can understand
 it4  ,illustration     ,,the ,,starving
 ,,poor ,,of ,,ireland4   ,,by ,,rev4   
,j4,g4 ,,adams4     ,a wail comes o'er  
the ocean1      ,though faint1 yet deep 
with woe6    ,a nation's poor are       
falling      ,before the direst foe6    
,grim ,famine there hath seized them1   
,and over ,erin's land    ,the          
multitudes are perishing      ,beneath  
his blasting hand6     ,the father gives
 his morsel      ,to his imploring      
child1    ,himself imploring mercy1 too1
      ,with voice and visage wild4      
,the ever-faithful mother      ,her     
portion1 too1 will share    ,with those 

who lean upon her1      ,and plead her  
dying care4     ,then father1 mother1   
children1      ,must listen1 one and    
all1    ,to ,famine's surer1 sterner    
voice--      ,to ,death's relentless    
call4    ,for means are all exhausted2  
,bread6 bread6 ,there is no more6       
,and in that once glad cabin      ,the  
conflict now is o'er4     ,fond1        
faithful hearts there perished2         
,affections deep and true    ,as other  
homes and loved ones      ,now know1 or 
ever knew4    ,and why this visitation  
,so sweeping and so sore8    ,why8 why8 
,repeat the question      ,the wide     
world o'er and o'er6     ,in that same  
land is plenty1      ,profusion1 wealth1
 and power1    ,enough to stay the      
famine-plague      ,this very day and   
hour4    ,yes1 while the poor are       
starving      ,by scores and hundreds   
even1    ,riches and luxury send up     
,their impious laugh to heaven6         
,wrong6 wrong6 this destitution1        
,while there are means to save    ,a    

nation of strong-hearted men      ,from 
famine and the grave4    ,thanks1 thanks
 for riches6 but a woe      ,to this our
 earth they bring1    ,so long as they  
shall fail to save      ,god's poor from
 suffering6     ,,the ,,sabbath ,,school
 ,,festival4  ,,by ,,rev4 ,,henry       
,,bacon4   ,in these days of exhibitions
 and excursions which give such rich    
pleasure to our ,sabbath school         
children1 it may be well to turn back   
something over twenty years1 and see    
what used to be great things to the     
pupils of the ,sunday schools4 ,the only
 festival ,i ever knew while in a       
,sabbath school1 in my youth1 was at    
,dr4 ,baldwin's church1 ,boston4 ,as ,i 
was cradled in a different faith1 ,i    
ought to tell how ,i came to be a       
scholar in a ,baptist school2 and ,i    
will do so1 as it may give a good hint  
to some teachers to be impartial4  ,at  
the school ,i attended a decision was   
made to give a silver medal to the best 
scholar4 ,a good many of us worked hard 

for it1 especially the boys in the round
 pews near the pulpit1 who had reason to
 think that the prize would fall to one 
of their number4 ,a right good feeling  
prevailed amongst them2 all were willing
 to acquiesce in whatever should be the 
decision of the superintendent or       
committee4 ,when the time for decision  
came1 a lad1 the son of a deacon1 and   
who had left school and had not been at 
school for six months1 was sent for1 and
 to him the silver medal was given6 ,we 
all felt outraged1 but did not dare to  
say much4 ,i begged my parents1 with    
good reasoning1 to let me go to another 
school1 where ,i had many friends2 and  
,i went to ,dr4 ,winchell's1 in ,salem  
street1 where ,mr4 ,john ,gear was      
superintendent4  ,what lessons ,i did   
get6 ,whole chapters were recited from  
the ,new ,testament1 because so many    
verses brought me a reward1 so many     
rewards a mark1 and so many marks a     
book6 ,we had no libraries then4 ,well1 
the annual meeting came round1 and one  

evening the school met and marched down 
to ,dr4 ,baldwin's church4 ,i remember  
the children did the singing1 and while 
they were singing1 of course1 ,i sung2  
and ,i have not forgotten how           
crest-fallen ,i felt when ,mr4 ,gear    
came along1 and whispered to me1 ,don't 
sing so loud2 but he might just as well 
have said1 ,don't sing1 because ,i knew 
he did not want me to sing1 for ,i could
 not keep time4 ,but it was             
festival-night1 and he was extremely    
good-natured1 and did not wish to cut   
short the privileges of any4 ,a prayer  
was offered1 and then we sung again4 ,a 
big man1 in a large black silk gown1 got
 up1 and delivered a sermon2 but we did 
not heed it as we ought to have done1   
because some tea-chests were ranged     
along at the base of the pulpit4 ,it was
 not the tea-chests that attracted our  
attention1 but the sweets that we knew  
were in them4  ,after the sermon was    
over1 and the scholars were ranged in   
order1 in single file1 they marched up  

to the table near the chests1 and each  
one received a quarter of a sheet of    
gingerbread6 ,how rich we were6 ,how    
sweet the cake tasted6 ,we were in      
perfect ecstasies at the great piece    
given to each of us6 ,such rows of happy
 children are seldom seen1 and all      
because two cents worth of gingerbread  
was given to them all alike6 ,we had    
thought of it for weeks1 and it was     
delightful to anticipate the occasion4  
,we felt paid for all the trouble we had
 met in learning lessons1 in getting to 
school on rainy days1 and keeping still 
and orderly when we got there4 ,and why 
all this happiness from so slight a     
cause8 ,because we all felt loving and  
happy2 we loved our teachers and our    
school2 and it seemed so odd to get     
gingerbread in the church and from the  
,sabbath school superintendent4  ,but   
how is it now8 ,a long ride or sail2    
swings1 music1 cakes1 pies1 fruit1      
lemonade1 and a vast variety of good    
things1 must be had1 or else the        

,sabbath school children do not have a  
good time6 ,after all this is had and   
enjoyed1 ,i do not believe it is any    
better than our simple quarter of a     
sheet of gingerbread1 unless the        
scholars love each other more1 and their
 schools better1 than we did4 ,do you1  
reader8  ,illustration     ,,nelly      
,,grey4  ,nelly6 ,nelly6 ,where can the 
child be8 ,nelly6 ,nelly6 ,but ,nelly   
,grey was away off in dreamland1 and the
 cheerful tones of her mother's voice   
fell all unheeded upon her ear1 as did  
the impatient touch of her little dog   
,frisk's cold nose upon her hand4 ,she  
was sitting on the last step of the     
vine-covered portico in front of the    
cottage1--the warm ,june sun smiling    
down lovingly upon her1 and the soft    
wind kissing the little rings of        
chestnut-colored hair that clustered    
about her temples4  ,what could make the
 child so quiet8 ,it must be some       
weighty matter that would still her     
joyous laugh4 ,why1 she was the merriest

 little body that ever hunted for       
violets4 ,there was a laugh lodged in   
every dimple of her sunny face1 and her 
busy little tongue was all the day long 
carolling some happy ditty4  ,nelly1    
what are you dreaming about8 ,i've been 
calling you this long time1 and here you
 are in this warm sun1 almost asleep4   
,no1 no6 mother dear1 ,i've only been   
thinking1 and haven't heard you call    
once4 ,only to think that you couldn't  
find me mother6 how funny6  ,and what   
has my little girl been thinking of8    
said ,mrs4 ,grey1 as she lifted ,nelly  
into her lap1 and smoothed hack the     
silky curls from her brow4 ,nelly laid  
her rosy cheek close to her mother's1   
and wound her small arms about her neck1
 and told her simple thoughts in a low1 
sweet voice4  ,you know it's strawberry 
time1 mother1 don't you8  ,yes1 darling4
  ,well1 ,i was thinking1 if you would  
let me1 ,i could pick a big basket full1
 they are so thick over in our meadow2  
and maybe ,mrs4 ,preston would buy them 

of me1 for she gives ,mr4 ,jones a heap 
of money every year for them4  ,and what
 does ,nelly want of a heap of money8   
,why1 mother1 little ,frisk wants a     
brass collar1--don't you1 ,frisk8 ,frisk
 barked and played all sorts of antics  
to show his young mistress he was very  
much in need of one4 ,think how pretty  
it would be1 mother1 round ,frisk's     
glossy neck4 ,oh1 say that ,i may--do1  
do1 mother6  ,nelly's pleading proved   
irresistible1 and her mother tied her   
little sunbonnet under her chin1 gave   
the big basket into her hands1 and the  
little girl trudged merrily off1 with   
,frisk jumping and barking by her side  
to see his young mistress so happy4     
,shall ,i tell how the long summer      
afternoon wore away1 dear little reader1
 and how the big basket was filled to   
the tip-top and covered with wild       
flowers and oak leaves8 ,shall ,i tell1 
or shall ,i leave you to guess1 my      
little bright eyes8 ,you say1 yes8      
,well1 ,i will tell you about her walk  

to ,mrs4 ,preston's after the sun had   
gone down and the azure blue sky had    
become changed to a soft1 golden hue4   
,it was a pleasant walk under the       
drooping trees1 and ,nelly ,grey1       
swinging her basket carefully on her    
arm1 tripped lightly on her way4 ,oh1   
how her blue eyes danced with joy as she
 looked down upon the little merry      
,frisk trotting by her side2 her bright 
lips parted as she murmured1 ,yes1 yes1 
,frisk shall have a nice new collar1    
with ',nelly ,grey's dog1 ,frisk1'      
written upon it2 then ,frisk played all 
sorts of funny antics again1 probably by
 way of thanks4  ,ah6 but what calls    
that sudden blush and smile to ,nelly's 
face8--and she had well nigh stumbled1  
too1 and spilt all her strawberries4 ,no
 wonder she started1 for1 emerging from 
under the shadow of the trees1 was a    
handsome lad some half a head taller    
than ,nelly4 ,he was gazing1 too1 with a
 witching smile into her face1 waiting  
till it should be the little maiden's   

pleasure to notice him4 ,she nodded her 
pretty little head as demurely as a city
 belle1 laid her small hand lovingly    
upon ,frisk's curly coat1 and walked    
with a slower and less bounding step    
than before4 ,but ,phil ,morton was not 
to be abashed at this2 so he stepped    
lightly up to ,nelly1 saying1  ,let me  
carry your basket2 it is too heavy for  
you4  ,the little girl1 with many       
injunctions to be careful and not tip it
 over1 delivered the basket to him2 she 
then told him her project of buying     
,frisk a collar with the money got by   
the selling of the strawberries1 which  
young ,phil approved of very much1 and  
offered to go with her to buy it1 for he
 knew somebody1 he said1 that kept them 
for sale4 ,nelly joyfully assented to   
his offer1 and thanked him heartily1    
too1 for his kindness4  ,there1 ,phil1  
we are almost there4 ,i can see the long
 study window2 we have only to pass the 
widow ,mason's cottage1 up the green    
lane1 and we shall be there4  ,on they  

walked1 laughing merrily for very       
lightness of heart1 till they were close
 beside the poor widow's low cottage    
window4 ,suddenly ,nelly stopped1 and   
the laugh was hushed upon her bright    
lips4 ,did you hear it1 ,phil8 she said 
softly4 ,hear what1 ,nell8 and ,phil    
turned his black eyes slowly round1 as  
if he expected to see some fairy issue  
from the grove of trees near by4 ,why1  
,lucy ,mason's cough4 ,mother says she  
will not live to see the little         
snow-birds come again4 ,poor1 dear      
,lucy6 ,the great tear-drops rolled fast
 over ,nelly's red cheeks1 and fell like
 rain upon her little hand4 ,oh1 ,phil1 
,i'll tell you what2--,i'll give these  
strawberries to ,lucy4 ,she used to love
 them dearly4  ,poh6 poh6 ,nelly2 what a
 silly girl6 to give them away when     
,mrs4 ,preston will give you such a deal
 of money for them6  ,but1 ,phil1       
,lucy's mother is poor2 she can't buy   
them for her1 and you can't think how   
well ,lucy loves them4  ,well1 what if  

she does1 and what if she is poor8 can't
 her mother pick them over in the       
fields1 if she wants them so bad8 ,i    
wouldn't give them away4  ,for shame1   
,phil ,morton6 ,to think of poor old    
,mrs4 ,mason's going over in the fields 
to pick strawberries1 leaving ,lucy all 
alone1 and so sick6 ,i shouldn't have   
thought it of you1 ,phil4 ,no1 indeed ,i
 shouldn't4 ,give me the basket1 said   
,nelly sorrowfully2 ,i shall give them  
to ,lucy4 ,phil silently handed the     
basket to her1 and1 without speaking1 he
 followed ,nelly as she went round to   
the cottage door4  ,the tears ran       
silently down the poor widow's cheek as 
she led the children to her sick child's
 room1 for it touched her heart to see  
young and thoughtless children so       
attentive to her poor ,lucy4 ,and did   
you come all this way1 you and ,phil1   
,nelly1 to bring me these nice          
strawberries8 without waiting for her to
 reply1 she turned to a little choice   
tea-rose that stood beside her1 and1    

breaking off two half-blown buds1 she   
gave them to ,phil and ,nelly1 saying as
 she did so1 ,it's all ,i have to give  
you1 darlings1 for your kindness to me1 
but ,i know that you will like them as  
coming from your sick friend4  ,the     
bright blood flashed over ,phil's dark  
brow and crimsoned even his ears4 ,poor 
,phil6 ,the shame and remorse of those  
few minutes washed away his unthinking  
sin1 and ,nelly forgave him1 and tried  
with all her power to make him forget   
it4 ,but the kind though thoughtless boy
 was not satisfied until he had sent    
,lucy a pretty little basket filled with
 rare and beautiful flowers1 gathered   
from his father's large garden4 ,then1  
and not till then1 did he look with     
pleasure upon the rose ,lucy had given  
him4  ,some time after the above        
occurrence1 perhaps a week1 ,nelly was  
sitting in her low rocking-chair1 under 
the shadow of the portico1 sewing as    
busily as her nimble little fingers     
would let her1 when a shadow darkened   

the sunlit walk leading to the house4   
,nelly saw it1 and knew well enough who 
it was2 but there she sat1 her pretty   
little mouth pursed up1 and her merry   
blue eyes almost closed1 working faster 
than ever4  ,oh6 is it you1 ,phil8 she  
exclaimed1 as ,phil ,morton bounded     
lightly over the railing beside her1    
7for he disdained the sober process of  
walking up the steps27 how you          
frightened me6 ,he frighten her6 ,though
 he was naughty sometimes1 and scared   
the little birds1 he would not think of 
frightening ,nelly ,grey4 ,no1 not he4  
,oh6 ,phil1 ,i have something to show   
you1 said the little girl1 after a      
while1 and then she raised her voice and
 called1 ,frisk6 ,frisk6 ,frisk was not 
far away from ,nelly1 and presently he  
came lazily along1 shaking his silky    
coat as if he did not quite relish being
 waked from his nap so abruptly4  ,but  
what is that shining so brightly around 
his neck--can it be a collar8 ,well1 it 
is1 sure enough4 ,but where did you get 

it1 ,nell8 said ,phil1 turning to her in
 amazement4  ,mrs4 ,preston1 the        
minister's wife1 gave it to me2 how she 
came to know ,i wanted it1 ,i can't     
think4  ,but ,i can1 ,nell4 ,she heard  
us when we were talking1 ,i'll bet2 for 
you know she came in just after we did1 
and she gave it to you for being so     
good4  ,oh no1 ,phil6 ,i only did what  
anybody else would have done4  ,anybody8
 ,you know ,i didn't want to ,nelly1    
said ,phil sadly4  ,oh1 never mind that1
 ,phil2 you did afterward1 you know4    
,well1 but1 ,nell1 ,i know she gave it  
to you for being so good4 ,isn't there  
something on the collar8  ,no1 only     
,frisk's name2 and she turned to examine
 it with ,phil4  ,there1 ,nell6 what do 
you call this8 and ,phil triumphantly   
held up the edge of the collar1 on which
 was written1 ,nelly's reward for       
self-denial4  ,why1 ,phil1 ,i never saw 
it before2 isn't it queer8  ,queer1 that
 you didn't see it before8 ,yes2 but it 
isn't queer that she gave it to you ,no1

 not at all2 ,i should have thought she 
would4  ,oh1 ,phil1 how you praise me6  
you mustn't1 said ,nelly1 her pink      
cheeks deepening into scarlet4  ,she    
deserved praise1 did not she8 for she   
was a very good little girl4 ,but ,i    
will not tire you with any more about   
her now4 ,so good-by1 my sweet little   
reader4  ,,nora4  ,illustration         
,,the ,,four ,,evangelists4  ,,by ,,rev4
 ,h4,r4 ,,nye4   ,my ,young ,friends3   
,i love to hear and to tell stories     
nearly as well as when ,i was a child2  
but ,i cannot write them for others to  
read4 ,even small children are sometimes
 great critics4 ,at any rate1 ,i shall  
not venture at story-telling here4  ,you
 have all read some portions of the book
 we call the ,bible4 ,but do you know   
who wrote the ,bible8 at what time it   
was written8 or anything of the men by  
whom it was composed8 ,it was not       
written by any one man1 at one time1 and
 by him sent out to all men in every    
part of the world2 but by various       

persons1 in different ages1 and first   
addressed to particular churches or     
people4 ,i will not attempt1 in this    
article1 to furnish you with an account 
of all the individuals1 ,moses1 ,david1 
,isaiah1 ,paul1 ,john1 and others1 who  
wrote portions of the sacred volume2 but
 ,i will try to give you some sketches  
of the four ,evangelists1 ,matthew1     
,mark1 ,luke1 and ,john1 who wrote the  
four gospels1 or ,lives of ,jesus1 to   
which their names are now attached4     
,and1  #ast1 of ,,matthew1 by whom the  
first gospel was composed4 ,he was      
called1 also1 ,levi4 ,he was a ,jew1    
born in the province of ,galilee4 ,we   
suppose that from his youth he was      
familiar with the worship of the        
synagogue and temple1 and educated      
strictly in the religion of ,moses4 ,he 
filled the office of a publican1 was a  
collector of taxes from the ,jews1 to   
which place he was appointed by the     
,romans1 who1 in his day1 ruled over    
,judea4 ,while engaged in these duties1 

he became acquainted with the preaching1
 miracles1 and character of ,jesus1 the 
despised ,nazarene1 and left all1--his  
business1 friends1 home1--to follow him4
 ,he journeyed with ,jesus in his       
ministry1 and1 after his ,master went up
 to heaven1 he left his own land to     
preach the gospel among the ,gentiles4  
,some people suppose that he was a      
martyr1 but this is not well            
established4 ,matthew wrote his gospel  
either in ,hebrew or ,greek1 7some say  
both17 about #ahjj years since1--very   
soon after his ,master had finished the 
labors of his mission1 and returned unto
 his ,father4 ,i said1 ,i think1 that   
this man left all2 made many sacrifices 
to become ,jesus' disciple4 ,but we do  
not find this in his book4 ,with other  
virtues1 he was an humble man1 quite too
 modest to praise himself4 ,luke1 in his
 narrative1 mentions this fact          
concerning ,matthew4 ,modesty is a rare 
virtue2 an ornament to the aged1 and    
very beautiful in the young4 ,but ,i    

will tell you1  #b;d1 of ,mark1         
sometimes called ,john1 and once1 ,john 
,mark1 in the ,new ,testament4 ,very    
little is known concerning this man4 ,he
 was probably born in ,judea1 and1 it is
 supposed1 was converted to             
,christianity by the preaching of the   
ardent1 zealous ,peter4 ,at one time1 he
 was the companion of ,paul and         
,barnabas2 but1 when a quarrel sprang up
 between these men1 each went his way4  
,christians quarrelled then sometimes as
 well1 or as bad1 as in our days4       
,chiefly1 ,mark travelled with ,peter1  
as he went forth among ,jews and        
,gentiles1 and aided him in his arduous 
toils4 ,he went1 at last1 to ,egypt1    
where he planted churches1 and where1   
also1 he died4 ,mark was not an apostle2
 neither did he attend on the ministry  
of ,jesus4 ,do you ask1 how1 then1 could
 he write a correct account of our      
,saviour's life8 ,here is one fact worth
 remembering4 ,mark was the companion of
 ,peter1 who was an apostle1 who saw the

 miracles and heard the discourses of   
,christ4 ,he examined the account which 
,mark had written1 and gave it his      
approval1 as being correct1--true4 ,very
 few men who write histories have       
vouchers like his4 ,so1 did we not      
regard the ,bible-writers as inspired   
men1 we should place the utmost         
confidence in the truth of ,mark's      
gospel4 ,he composed it about ,a4,d4    
#fe4 ,we come now1  #c;d1 to ,,luke4 ,he
 was a ,gentile1--all people not born in
 ,judea were called ,gentiles1--born in 
,antioch1 the capital of ,syria1 where  
the disciples of ,jesus first were      
called ,christians4 ,luke was a learned 
man1 we are told1 having studied in the 
famous schools of his own land1 also of 
,greece and ,egypt4 ,he was a physician 
by profession2 and physicians assure us1
 that1 in his gospel1 he has given a    
more accurate account of the diseases   
which ,jesus cured than any other ,new  
,testament writer3 that he often uses   
medical terms in his description of the 

miracles which were wrought4 ,he was a  
good and careful thinker1 not at all    
credulous1 but disposed to prove all    
things1 holding fast only to the good   
and true4 ,he wrote his gospel 7perhaps 
you know that he was the author of the  
book of ,acts1 also7 in ,greece1 about  
#ce years after the ascension of ,jesus4
 ,he was associated with ,paul in his   
travels1 went with him to ,rome1 and    
continued there during the imprisonment 
of the apostle4 ,historians are not     
agreed in regard to the time or manner  
of his death4 ,some affirm that he      
suffered as a martyr2 others1 simply1   
that1 in due time1 he fell asleep1 or   
died a natural death4 ,we are sure that 
his talents1 learning1 and time were    
given to the diffusion of the ,christian
 faith4 ,lastly1 and  #dth1 of ,,john1  
the beloved disciple1 so termed because 
of his mild and gentle spirit1 and      
because he most resembled his and our   
,master4 ,he was born in ,judea1 near   
the sea1 or lake1 of ,galilee4 ,zebedee1

 his father1 was a fisherman2 and ,john1
 probably1 engaged in his father's      
business until he became a preacher of  
glad tidings4 ,you must not1 from this  
fact1 conclude that they were certainly 
poor men1 for then1 at least1 men of    
wealth were engaged in the business1 and
 ,i suppose many now are4 ,john was the 
youngest apostle1 and the disciple whom 
,jesus loved2 you may recollect that he 
leaned on the bosom of ,christ at the   
,last ,supper4 ,he1 only1 was present1  
of all the apostles1 when ,jesus was    
crucified1--and ,jesus commended his    
mother to this disciple's care4 ,after  
the resurrection of ,jesus1 ,john       
preached the gospel in various parts of 
,asia4  ,he wrote his gospel at         
,ephesus1 and1 by his labors1 the truths
 of ,christianity spread everywhere     
among men4 ,the story sometimes told1   
that he was put into a caldron of       
burning oil1 by a ,roman emperor1 and   
came out unharmed1 is not true4 ,he     
lived to a very advanced age1 and died  

when not far from #ajj years old4 ,late 
in life1 when too feeble to preach1 he  
was often carried into the meetings of  
the disciples1 at his own request1 and1 
stretching out his hands1 as he sat in  
his chair1 was wont to say1 ,little     
children1 love one another4 ,and1 when  
asked why he so often gave this precept1
 he would say1 ,if this be obeyed1 it is
 the ,lord's command1 and it sufficeth4 
,children1 will you think of that       
precept8  ,conversing with two lads     
once1 ,i asked one1 ,who wrote the      
,bible1 good men1 or bad men8 ,good men1
 of course1 was the response4 ,but how  
do you know they were good men8 ,i      
rejoined4 ,and he said1 ,because1--a    
very common and very foolish            
answer1--and was silent4 ,i think1 said 
the other lad1 the younger of the two1  
that good men wrote the ,bible1 because 
good men love the ,bible1 and wicked men
 don't4  ,can you give another reason as
 good8  ,now ,i have told you1 briefly1 
of the four evangelists4 ,they were good

 men1 honest-minded and sincere4 ,wicked
 men1 all men1 act from motives4 ,but   
they could have had no motive to        
deceive4 ,they lost friends1 and wealth1
 and honor1 and ease1 and gained        
contempt1 persecution1 and suffering1 by
 preaching the gospel4 ,their conduct is
 full evidence that they were pure and  
good men4 ,and1 if they were good men1  
they wrote the truth2 and1 by their     
labors we have a correct and faithful   
account of the life of ,jesus4 ,study   
these books1 and by them be made wise4  
,above all1 remember the precept of     
,john1 ,little children1 love one       
another4  ,illustration     ,,may-,,day4
  ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,nancy ,t4 ,,munroe4     
,it is spring1--a backward spring1 it is
 true1 for now it is the first week in  
,may1 and not a flower to be seen except
 the yellow dandelion1 not a blossom    
even on a cherry tree2 nothing is green 
but the grass1 and that--yes1 that is   
very green1 especially this piece before
 my window2 it seems a relief to look   

upon it4  ,poor ,may-day revellers6     
,may-day this year was pleasant2 that   
is1 the sun shone1 the sky was blue1 and
 the grass was green1 in spots at least2
 but the cold north wind was blowing1   
and one needed to be told it was the    
first of ,may4  ,the sun was higher than
 usual on such occasions1 when the      
children came upon our hill2--yet they  
did come with wreaths and ,may-poles1   
but1 ah6 the flowers were artificial4   
,some of the children had on sun-bonnets
 and thin shawls2 they should have worn 
hoods and cloaks1 and then they might   
have been comfortable4 ,but it takes a  
great deal to discourage children from  
going ,maying4  ,our hill is a famous   
place for children on ,may-day1 for it  
is green and pleasant2 it is glorious to
 run down its sides1 and pleasant to sit
 on its banks1 which once were forts1   
and behind which1 in less peaceful days1
 lurked soldiers with weapons of war4   
,ah1 those children were a pleasant     
sight1 and as ,i heard their glad       

laughter1 and saw them chase each other 
down those green banks1 ,i said1 ,peace 
is better than war4  ,please1 ma'am1    
will you tell me what time it is8 said a
 little girl1 coming forward from one   
group of children4  ,quarter of nine1   
was the reply4  ,i didn't think it was  
so late2 did you8 said she1 turning to  
her companions4 ,they had been out      
perhaps two hours1 and thought it was   
most noon1 and back they went to their  
sports4  ,soon ,i heard a sound of      
weeping4 ,i went to the door1 where     
stood a group of children around the    
pump2 one poor shivering child1 looking 
blue and cold1 was having her hands and 
face washed by another1 with water cold 
from the pump1 the tears streaming down 
her cheeks1 and she sobbing piteously4  
,what is the matter1 little girl8  ,oh1 
said the one who was performing the     
washing operation1 she fell from the top
 of the hill to the bottom1 and made her
 nose bleed and hurt her dreadfully4    
,the poor child still sobbed and        

shivered4 ,we carried her in1 set her   
down before a hot coal fire1 and tried  
to warm her red hands4 ,her little      
companions came and stood beside her1   
and told her not to cry2 but1 oh6 she   
was so cold1 and the tops of her fingers
 did ache so6  ,and this was going a    
,maying6 ,but yet1 next year1 these very
 girls1 ,i doubt not1 will start with   
just as buoyant hearts for ,may-day     
sports1 forgetful of the fall1 the cold1
 and all inconveniences4 ,ah1           
childhood's hopeful heart is a blessed  
thing6  ,i well remember now a ,may-day 
of by-gone years4 ,then we had a queen1 
a tent1 and a table set with numberless 
delicacies4 ,we had rare sport that day4
 ,the weather was not as cold as the day
 of which ,i have been speaking2 we had 
a few real flowers1 and some hardy girls
 even appeared in white dresses4 ,the   
forenoon passed pleasantly2 numerous    
visitors thronged to see us1 and we were
 the happiest of all ,may-day revellers4
 ,but all pleasure must have an end4    

,soon word came that we must surrender  
the sails of our tent1 for the owner had
 need thereof4 ,this caused a general   
strike1 and1 in the confusion which     
ensued1 a boy had the misfortune to sit 
or fall upon the queen's straw bonnet1  
which had been laid aside for her       
flowery crown4 ,it was literally        
smashed1 unfit for further use4 ,ah what
 will mother say8 was all the           
disappointed queen could say4 ,some few 
laughed at the queer1 misshapen thing1  
but more looked on with sad             
countenances1 for it was the queen's    
best bonnet4  ,we separated1 tired1 and1
 it may be1 a little out of humor2 but  
yet1 a few days made everything bright  
again2 we remembered the pleasure with  
pleasure1 and thought of the            
disappointments only to laugh over them4
  ,and that bent1 spoiled bonnet6 ,when 
the ex-queen appeared in a fine new one1
 with gay ribbons1 many looked on1 and  
almost wished that they had been so     
fortunate as to have had their bonnets  

spoiled4  ,as ,i look back1 other       
,may-days throng upon my mind4 ,the     
memories of some of these are sad1 yea1 
very sad6 ,one was the birth-day of a   
little one who now rests beneath the    
green sod4 ,and well do ,i remember     
another bright ,may morning1 when ,i    
wandered out over the hill1 holding the 
hand of a little fair-haired child      
within my own4 ,her tiny basket was     
filled with flowers the children had    
given her1 and her bright1 sunny face   
was radiant with smiles4 ,that was her  
first ,may-day walk1 and much did the   
little being enjoy it4  ,it was her     
last6 ,ere the spring breezes came      
again1 she lay within her little shroud4
 ,the snows of winter fell silently upon
 her little grave1 by the side of him   
who had gone before1 and1 ere another   
,may-day1 the sod was green above them4 
,these are the memories that come over  
me when ,i look out upon the revellers2 
yet just as well do ,i love to see them 
at their sports1 and ,i can look upon   

their light1 graceful forms1 and hear   
their merry laughter2 and1 though my    
heart goes to the grave-yard and mine   
eyes rest upon the spot1 yet ,i can     
smile upon the gay1 living creatures    
before me1 for ,i know that childhood is
 a glad and joyous thing1 and that these
 beings are the light and joy of some   
homes1 and ,i pray that these homes may 
be never darkened by ,death's shadow    
crossing the threshold4  ,these my      
,may-day reveries have begun lightly1   
and ended1 as ,may-days themselves have 
done1 in sad thoughts4 ,but sad thoughts
 and life's troubles are1 or ought to   
be1 the heart's discipline4 ,for this   
purpose do they come to us1 and we      
should go forth from them purer and     
better4     ,,the ,,snow-,,drop4  ,,by  
,,mrs4 ,m4,a4 ,,livermore4     ,the     
gentle1 laughing1 spring had come       
,with eye and cheek so bright2    ,the  
bird glanced through the clear1 blue    
air1      ,on wing of golden light2     
,and earth1 in gladness1 lay and smiled1

      ,to see the beauteous sight4      
,the streams went singing to the sea1   
,and dancing to their song2    ,its     
carpet1 had the young grass spread      
,the hills and vales among2    ,yet not 
a flower its bloom had shed1      ,the  
fresh green earth along4     ,not yet   
the violet had unsealed      ,its blue  
and loving eye2    ,nor had the primrose
 dared unfold1      ,for fear that it   
might die2    ,and on the tree-tops     
shook the leaves1      ,which oped to   
kiss the sky4     ,but so it chanced1   
one gentle day1      ,while softly wept 
the rain1    ,and sadly sighed the      
mourning breeze1      ,the flowers to   
see again2    ,a silvery snow-flake fell
 to earth1      ,escaped from winter's  
chain4     ,and daintily it laid itself 
,where greenest grass was spread1       
,and where the bland and warm           
south-wind1      ,soft-footed1 loved to 
tread1    ,and here the white-robed     
fugitive      ,made for itself a bed4   
,the flower-goddess smiled to see       

,this new-born snow that fell2    ,i'll 
change it to a flower1 said she      ,by
 magic touch1 and spell2    ,for 'twill 
be long ere blossoms ope1      ,that    
spring doth love so well4     ,then with
 a wand of living light1      ,she      
touched the feathery snow2    ,and on   
it1 radiant from her cheek1      ,there 
streamed a sunny glow4    ,forth from   
the tiny1 crystal flake1      ,the      
pearly petals came2    ,the stem sprang 
up--there waved a flower1--    ,the     
,,snow-,,drop was its name6     ,,caging
 ,,birds4   ,i never liked the idea of  
rearing birds in cages2 of confining    
those little creatures1 that seem to    
enjoy liberty most of all ,god's vast   
family1 in the little1 stinted          
prison-house of a cage4 ,girls seldom   
incline to keep them caged2 ,i wish1    
fewer women did2 but boys seem almost to
 possess a different nature4 ,many      
really enjoy taking the little helpless 
fledglings from the nest1 hid away so   
slyly among the thick boughs of the     

forest-tree2 crowding two1 three1 or    
even four1 into one cage1 oftentimes not
 eighteen inches square4 ,they are even 
so heartless as to laugh at the         
fluttering1 slapping1 and beating of the
 poor prisoner against the wiry walls of
 his gloomy1 unnatural home4  ,to be    
sure1 ,i once owned a caged bird4 ,it   
was a robin4 ,a dear brother had kept   
him several years1 and1 on leaving home 
for a residence in ,boston1 where he    
could not take care of the bird1 he gave
 him to me4 ,it was not at a season of  
the year when we could safely release   
him from confinement2 and1 besides that1
 our oldest brother had taught him to   
whistle parts of several tunes1 and we  
feared1 moreover1 that he might suffer  
even in the best season of the year1    
from the fact of his having been taken  
when so young from other robins4        
,confinement1 probably1 does not destroy
 the instinct of birds1 so that they    
would starve if released4 ,after having 
been an inmate of our family nine years1

 having suffered countless frights and  
manglings from the many kittens we had  
kept in the time1 he at last died by the
 claws of the family cat1 when released 
one fine afternoon for an airing1 and to
 have his cage cleaned4  ,i never since 
have wished to own a caged bird4 ,the   
song of a canary bird1 born and reared  
in a cage1 never pleases me like the    
cheerful warbling or merry whistle of   
the wild1 free birds of our woodlands4  
,the one seems but the expression of a  
cheerful forgiveness of unkind          
treatment1 the bursting forth of a happy
 nature in spite of man's cruelty2 while
 the other seems a free outpouring of   
perfect happiness1 and the choicest     
notes of a grateful little being        
directed to the good ,,god of nature4   
,i know we often hear of happy1         
contented little pet birds2 yet ,i never
 saw one that did not seem to prefer the
 freedom of an out-of-door excursion on 
the strong1 free wing1 to the hopping1  
swinging1 perching1 and fluttering1     

within a narrow cage4 ,the taming and   
petting of sparrows1 robins1            
yellow-birds1 snow-birds1 and swallows1 
round the doors or windows of one's     
house1 ,i admire4 ,there is nothing     
inhuman in this practice4 ,it rather    
calls forth some of the better feelings 
of the heart--gives pleasure to us and  
the birds1 yet violates no law of       
nature4  ,i here give you a little story
 of a pet swallow that ,i met with in a 
little ,english book1 which1 perhaps1   
few of you have read4 ,the children     
named in the story were certainly       
kind-hearted towards their little pet1  
and very indulgent4 ,mark well their    
reward6 ,some of you may be induced to  
imitate them2 at least1 ,i hope you will
 not again be so selfish as to cage a   
bird for his song1 while1 with the      
exercise of a little patience and kindly
 attention1 you can tame them so easily 
at your door4    ,,the ,,pet ,,swallow4 
,one day we had been out gathering      
primroses1 and1 to put the pretty pale  

flowers neatly into baskets1 we had sat 
down under one of the windows in the old
 church tower4 ,mary was sitting next   
the wall1 when something touched her    
shoulder1 and fell on her knee4 ,it was 
a young swallow1 without any feathers1  
that had fallen1 or perhaps had been    
thrown1 out of the nest1 by some        
quarrelsome brother or sister4  ,the    
poor primroses were cast away1 and every
 little hand was ready to seize the     
prize4 ,when we found it was not killed1
 or even hurt1 by its fall1 some called 
for a cage2 others said1 ,let us put it 
back in the nest2 we do not know what to
 give it to eat2 we may be sure it will 
die4 ,and this seemed so very true that 
we were all obliged to agree2 but1 alas6
 the poor swallow having built in a     
false window of the tower1 there was no 
way of getting to the nest1 and so the  
cage was brought1 and the little bird   
did not die1 but grew bigger and        
prettier every day1 until at last it    
could skim through the room on its      

pretty1 soft wings1 and would dive down 
to us1 and light upon our shoulders1 or 
let itself fall into our hands4 ,how we 
did love that little bird6 and oh1 how  
sorry we were one day1 when it flew out 
at the window6 ,we all ran down to the  
lawn2 we were quite sure it would never 
come back to us again1 for it seemed so 
happy to be free2 and we watched it     
flying here and there--now high in the  
air1 now close down to the ground4 ,we  
had called our pretty bird ,fairy1 and  
it really seemed like a fairy now2 one  
moment it was quite out of sight1 the   
next so near it almost touched us4 ,at  
last1 ,fred gave a long1 loud whistle2  
when he began1 it was up in the air1    
high1 high above our heads1 but1 before 
the sound passed away1 it was fluttering
 its pretty dark wings upon his face4   
,from this time ,fairy was allowed to go
 free2 and it would skim about before   
our windows all day long1 coming in from
 time to time to pay us visits1 and to  
sleep at nights in its old post on the  

top of one of our little beds in the    
nursery4  ,at last ,august came1 and    
then our pretty ,fairy skimmed through  
the air1 far1 far beyond the reach of   
,fred's whistle1 for it had set out1    
with all the other swallows1 on its long
 voyage across the seas4  ,we had never 
thought of this1--never thought that our
 faithful ,fairy would so leave us1--and
 it was many days before the hope of its
 coming back next year could make us    
feel at all happy again4  ,but ,fairy1  
our own dear little ,fairy1 did come    
back1 and it remembered us all1 as if it
 had been away only for a few hours1    
instead of nearly eight whole months4   
,it was a very happy day1 the day that  
,fairy came back1 and it seemed to feel 
as much joy as we did2 first it flew to 
,mary1 and then to ,fred1 and then to   
one after the other1 twittering its     
wings1 and rubbing its pretty black head
 on our hands or faces1 as we see dogs  
and cats do when they want to show great
 kindness4  ,it flew to the top of the  

little bed at night1 pecked at the      
window when it wished to get out in the 
morning1 and would dart down at ,fred's 
whistle as readily as it had been used  
to do the year before4 ,in short1       
notwithstanding the long voyage it had  
made1 ,fairy seemed to have forgotten   
neither its old friends nor its old     
ways4  ,when it came near the time for  
the swallows to fly away again1 we grew 
very sad at the idea of losing our      
pretty ,fairy3 some thought it would be 
wise to put it into a cage1 and keep it 
there until all the others were gone2   
while some1 who were wiser1 said it was 
,fairy's nature to go away1 and that    
,fairy must go4 ,but what do you think  
was our joy to find1 that1 of its own   
good will1 ,fairy stayed with us8 ,all  
the others went away2 and1 whether it   
had grown fonder of us1 or that it had  
not liked the long voyage it had been   
led into by the example of others1 ,i   
cannot say2 but for four winters it     
stayed always with us1 taking a flight  

now and then in the open air1 but       
spending the greatest part of the day in
 the school-room1 till summer came1 when
 it would again join its friends1 and   
always build its nest in the very window
 from which it had fallen into ,mary's  
lap4  ,six years had passed since then1 
but what now became of it we could never
 learn4 ,for a long time we hoped it had
 gone again over sea and land1 to visit 
far countries with all the others1 but  
whether it had or not we never knew1 for
 we saw our pretty ,fairy no more4      
,,last ,,page4     ,the last bright page
 before you1      ,kind reader and good 
friend1    ,is of another ,annual       
,the very pleasant end4     ,our ,book's
 communication      ,to goodly themes   
applied1    ,none of its pages would we 
wish      ,to change1 expunge1 or hide4 
,with us be ,life's brief pages1        
,when looking back to youth1    ,so     
filled with kindly words of love1       
,and timely ,christian truth1     ,that 
with an honest confidence      ,in what 

our deeds shall say1    ,with steady and
 firm hand we write      ,our last page1
 and away6