,frontispiece4   ,illustration3 ,mrs4   
,dudley stood by her little boy1 looking
 from the window4     ,,the  ,nest in   
the ,honeysuckles1  ,,and ,,other       
,,stories4   ,illustration   ,,written  
,,for ,,the ,,american ,,sunday-,,school
 ,,union4   ,philadelphia3 ,,american   
,,sunday-,,school ,,union1 ,no4 #caf    
,,chestnut ,,street4 ,,new ,,york3 ,no4 
#adg ,,nassau ,,st4 ,,boston3 ,no4 #i   
,,cornhill4444,,cincinnati3 #da ,,west  
,,fourth ,,st4 ,,louisville3 ,no4 #ajc  
,,fourth ,,st4  ,entered according to   
,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahee1 by
 the ,,american ,,sunday-,,school       
,,union1 in the ,clerk's ,office of the 
,district ,court of the ,eastern        
,district of ,pennsylvania4         99  
99       99       99       99       ,no 
books are published by the ,,american   
,,sunday-,,school      ,,union without  
the sanction of the ,committee of       
,publication1      consisting of        
fourteen members1 from the following    
denominations      of ,christians1 viz4 

,baptist1 ,methodist1 ,congregational1  
,episcopal1 ,presbyterian1 ,lutheran1   
and ,reformed ,dutch4 ,not more         
than three of the members can be of the 
same denomination1 and no      book can 
be published to which any member of the 
,committee shall      object4           
,,contents4                             
,,page  ,,the ,,nest ,,in ,,the         
,,honeysuckles4                         
#g  ,,may ,i ,,pop ,,some ,,corn8       
#cc  ,,which ,,would ,,you ,,rather ,i  
,,should ,,do8                          
#cf  ,,the ,,birds ,,and ,,the          
,,snow-,,storm4                         
#dj  ,,the ,,first ,,strawberry4        
#dc  ,i ,,prayed ,,all ,,day ,,for      
,,help4                                 
#dd  ,,ever ,,so ,,many ,,beautiful     
,,things4                               
#dg  ,,lily ,,and ,,her ,,ducklings4    
#ea  ,,praying ,,for ,,rain4            
#ef  ,,the ,,grape ,,clusters4          
#fb  ,,it ,,almost ,,makes ,,me ,,cry4  
#fe  ,,the ,,boy ,,who ,,steals4        

#fh  ,,look ,,at ,,the ,,birds4         
#gc  ,,the ,,lost ,,child4              
#gh  ,,the ,,unpleasant ,,neighbour4    
#hc  ,,the ,,boy ,,who ,,kept ,,his     
,,purpose4                              
#hg  ,,mary',s ,,story4                 
#ia  ,,the ,,sunny ,,face ,,and ,,the   
,,shady ,,face2 ,,or1 ,,june ,,and      
,,november4      #ic  ,,it ,,isn',t     
,,fair--,i ,,peeped4                    
#if  ,,the ,,chrysalis4                 
#ii  ,,christmas ,,at ,,the ,,cottage4  
#ajb  ,i ,,will ,,conquer ,,myself4     
#ajf  ,,selfish ,,ella4                 
#aaj  ,,our ,,father ,,who ,,art ,,in   
,,heaven4                               
#aad  ,,hattie ,,and ,,herbert4         
#aag  ,,the ,,two ,,wills4              
#aai  ,,bless ,,god ,,for ,,this ,,doll4
                                    #abb
  ,,bessie ,,hartwell4                  
#abf  ,,mary',s ,,great ,,treasure4     
#aca  ,,susan ,,will ,,be ,,happier ,,if
 ,i ,,go ,,with ,,her4                  
#acc  ,,the ,,news-,,boys' ,,bank4      

#ace  ,,ida',s ,,dress4                 
#add  ,,what ,,made ,,willie ,,happy4   
#adh  ,,do ,,you ,,intend ,,to ,,be ,a  
,,gentleman8 7,a ,,question ,,for       
,,boys47       #aej  ,,generous ,,nelly2
 ,,or1 ,,the ,,willing ,,mind4          
#aec  ,,lovest ,,thou ,,me8             
#aee  ,,my ,,little ,,bag4              
#aeh  ,,do ,,you ,,like ,,your ,,seat8  
#afj  ,,the ,,little ,,beggar4          
#afd  ,,little ,,charley4               
#agj  ,,darling ,,willie4               
#agc  ,,widow ,,cahoon ,,and ,,her      
,,grandson4                             
#agh     ,,the  ,,nest ,,in ,,the       
,,honeysuckles4     ,,chapter ,i4       
,illustration   ,do come here1 mother1  
said ,eddie1 carefully tip-toeing from  
the window1 and beckoning with his hand4
 ,here is something ,i want to show you4
 ,come carefully1 or ,i am afraid you   
will frighten it4  ,mrs4 ,dudley laid   
aside her book1 and stepped cautiously  
forward1 ,eddie leading the way back to 
the window4 ,what is it8 she inquired4  

,it is a bird with straw in its mouth1  
and ,i do believe it is going to build a
 nest4  ,mrs4 ,dudley stood by her      
little boy a few minutes1 looking from  
the window4 ,presently a robin alighted 
on the walnut tree1 directly before     
them1 with a bunch of dry grass in its  
mouth4 ,it rested a few seconds1 and    
then flew in among the branches of a    
honeysuckle which twined around the     
pillars1 and crept over the top of the  
porch4 ,a fine1 warm place it was for a 
nest1 sheltered from the north winds1   
and from the driving rains1 and from the
 hot rays of the noon-day sun4  ,eddie  
and his mother watched the bird for some
 time4 ,it would bring straws1 and      
arrange them in its nest1 as only a bird
 can2 and then it would away again1 and 
come back1 perhaps1 with its bill       
covered and filled with mud1 which it   
used for mortar in fastening the        
materials in their places4 ,then it     
would get in the nest1 and1 moving its  
feet and wings1 would make it just the  

right shape to hold the pretty eggs she 
would lay in it1 and the little robins  
she would love so well1 and feed so     
carefully4  ,the robin was industrious1 
and worked hard to get the house        
finished in season4 ,i think she must   
have been very tired when night came1   
and she flew away to her perch to rest  
till morning4 ,i do not see how she     
could balance herself so nicely on one  
foot1 as she slept with her head turned 
back1 and half-hidden beneath her wing4 
,eddie often watched the robin during   
the day4 ,he was careful not to frighten
 it4 ,i wonder how the robin could find 
so nice a place4 ,i should not have     
thought it would have known about       
it1--he said to his mother1 as he saw   
the bird fly in1 almost out of sight1   
among the clustering branches4  ,mrs4   
,dudley told ,eddie ,god taught the     
birds where to build their nests1 and   
that he took care of them1 and provided 
food for them4  ,is it not wonderful    
that ,god1 who has built the world in   

which we live1 and all the bright worlds
 we can see in the sky1 should attend to
 the wants of the robins and sparrows1  
and other birds which he has made8 ,we  
should forget them1 if we had much of   
importance to attend to1 or we should be
 weary of providing for their wants2 but
 our heavenly ,father never forgets1 and
 never grows weary4 ,he hears the ravens
 when they cry1 and not even a sparrow  
falls to the ground without his         
knowledge4 ,are ye not much better than 
they8 our ,saviour said to his          
disciples1 when endeavouring to teach   
them to trust in the love and parental  
care of ,god1 and not to be anxious in  
regard to their temporal welfare4  ,if  
,god so cares for the birds1 whose lives
 are short1 and who have no souls to    
live in another world1 will he not much 
more care for those who are made in his 
image1 and for whom the ,saviour died8  
,no good thing will he withhold from    
those who walk uprightly1 who try to    
obey his commandments1 and look to      

,christ for salvation from sin4 ,i hope1
 my dear children1 when you see the     
birds1 you will remember ,god's love to 
them and to you4  ,i have given you all 
,i know of the history of one day of the
 robin's life1 but ,eddie will observe  
it while it lives in its house in the   
honeysuckle1 and will tell me all he    
sees of its domestic arrangements4 ,i   
hope to tell you with what kind of a    
carpet it covers the floor1 and what it 
hangs on the walls1 and how it brings up
 its little children1 if it should be so
 happy as to have any to gladden its    
quiet home1 and cheer it with their     
chattering tongues4 ,i am sure it will  
have pretty flowers and green leaves for
 pictures to look at1 painted by ,one   
whose skill no artist can rival2 and it 
will need no ,cologne for perfume for   
the breath of the honeysuckle is more   
delicious than any odour which the art  
of man could prepare4     ,,chapter     
,,ii4  ,,going ,,to ,,housekeeping4   ,i
 promised to tell you more about the    

nest in the honeysuckles4 ,eddie has    
observed it with great attention1 and   
has kept me well informed in regard to  
it4 ,i have stepped out upon the porch  
with him1 and1 kneeling down1 and       
looking over the side1 ,i have had a    
peep myself at this wonderfully         
contrived home of the robins4 ,it is    
partly supported by a cornice1 which    
runs around the porch1 and gives it a   
firmer foundation than the small        
branches of the honeysuckle could do4   
,but ,i must not forget to tell you     
about the finishing of the nest4 ,the   
second day1 the robin was at work before
 six o'clock in the morning2 so you see 
birds are early risers1 and like to have
 their work done in good season4 ,they  
know how pleasant it is to see the rosy 
dawn1 and welcome it with their sweetest
 strains of music4 ,i wonder how many of
 my little friends see the sun rise1    
these bright mornings6 ,if they would   
awake with the birds1 they must1 as     
wisely as the birds1 go to their places 

of rest before the shades of evening    
shroud the world in darkness4 ,if they  
sit up late1 they will lose the morning 
songs1 which fill the woods with sounds 
of gladness1 and which resound from     
every tree and shrub about the houses of
 those who love these pleasant visitors1
 and refuse to allow them to be         
frightened from their premises4  ,the   
robin rose early1 as ,i have told you1  
and resumed her labours for a short     
time4 ,through the day she came         
occasionally to see how the house was   
drying1 but did not seem to be at all   
busy4 ,she had accomplished so much by  
her previous industry1 that there was no
 necessity for much exertion1 and she   
felt quite at liberty to enjoy herself1 
taking short excursions in the country1 
and returning sometimes alone1 and      
sometimes in company with her mate4 ,he1
 once in a while1 visited the nest2 but 
was so well satisfied with the domestic 
arrangements of his wife1 and had so    
much confidence in her ability and      

skill1 that he manifested no disposition
 to interfere with any of her plans1 but
 cheerfully acquiesced in them1 and     
cheered and encouraged her by singing   
her one of his sweetest songs1 telling  
her how dearly he loved her1 how highly 
he esteemed her1 and how truly happy he 
was that he had so pleasant and         
agreeable1 and at the same time so      
housewifely1 a companion4 ,she appeared 
quite as well pleased to be appreciated 
as any wife or housekeeper of my        
acquaintance1 and it made her labour a  
labour of love4 ,we all like to be      
appreciated4  ,i see the robin is a     
plain1 common-sense bird in her notions1
 and wants nothing for mere display4    
,every thing which could add to the real
 comfort of her family she has provided1
 and has no desire for any thing        
further4 ,many house-keepers might learn
 a valuable lesson from her prudent1    
comfortable arrangements4  ,when the    
dwelling was completed1 and suitably dry
 for occupancy1 the robin deposited     

there four bluish-green eggs4 ,i assure 
you they are beautiful1 and are great   
treasures to her4 ,in about twelve days 
from the time ,eddie first saw her      
carrying straws into the honeysuckles1  
she became very domestic1 never leaving 
home but for a few minutes at a time4   
,her four eggs now occupy all her       
attention and her great business seems  
to be to keep them warm with the heat of
 her own body4 ,she does not complain of
 being confined at home1 but is entirely
 satisfied to attend to the duties which
 devolve upon her4 ,she is not uneasy   
that she cannot sing like her husband1  
or1 like him1 attend to the interests of
 ,robindom2 but quietly and discreetly  
she labours in her appropriate sphere1  
and feels no wish to leave it for a less
 secluded and less happy life4 ,her     
heart is satisfied with the happiness of
 her home1 and she feels no             
uneasiness--no ungratified longings for 
something to occupy her1 aside from the 
duties she so cheerfully performs4      

,madam ,robin was entirely satisfied    
with the success of her labours1 and she
 had reason to be4 ,no bird could have  
done better4 ,this consciousness of     
having done well did not make her proud2
 it only gave her such self-respect as  
every one feels who is conscious that an
 allotted task has been faithfully      
performed2 and the praise of her husband
 was no injury to her1 as she was not   
silly enough to think of herself more   
highly than she ought to think4  ,as the
 house was for a summer residence1 she  
selected fine straw-matting1 instead of 
woollen carpets for it4 ,she put it down
 with great care1 perfectly smooth and  
even4 ,the wall was covered with the    
same cool material1 delicately woven4   
,wasn't it nice8     ,,chapter ,,iii4   
,,pleasant ,,neighbours4   ,the location
 selected by our friend1 the robin1     
seems to be highly appreciated by many  
of the feathered race4 ,although the    
robin was the first settler1 others have
 already decided that it affords great  

advantages in the way of shelter from   
the fierce winds1 from the burning rays 
of a summer sun1 and from the           
too-curious eyes of hawks and other     
birds of prey4  ,an abundance of fresh1 
soft water can be obtained not far from 
,honeysuckleville1 and this is always a 
recommendation in favour of any place1  
either for men or birds4 ,fruit also    
abounds4 ,there will be bright red      
currants for the little folks2          
strawberries1 too1 more than they can   
eat1 and raspberries in any quantity    
they may wish4 ,i must not forget the   
cherries1 of which birds are so fond1   
and which they can have at any time when
 they are ripe1 for merely the trouble  
of picking4  ,it is not surprising1 with
 all these advantages in its favour1    
that ,honeysuckleville should find more 
than one family happy to settle within  
its borders4 ,for some time1 two        
song-sparrows have made it frequent     
visits2 and have finally decided1 after 
a careful survey1 that no more desirable

 spot can be found for a summer         
residence4 ,they have accordingly       
commenced building1 not more than two   
feet from the mansion of the robins4    
,their house is much smaller--a         
cottage--but quite large enough for     
them4 ,it nestles so lovingly in the    
shadow of the vines1 that ,i am sure    
domestic comfort must be found there4   
,discord and contention could not abide 
in so peaceful a retreat4  ,the         
song-sparrows will be pleasant          
neighbours4 ,they are exceedingly fond  
of vocal music1 and their clear         
melodious voices fill the new settlement
 with harmony4 ,in that terrible        
snow-storm which occurred in the middle 
of ,april1 ,i often saw a sparrow alight
 on a bough of a tree near the house1   
and send up to heaven such a strain of  
full1 gushing melody1 as melted my heart
 with pity and admiration4 ,it reminded 
me of a child of ,god in the midst of   
trials and afflictions1 yet rejoicing in
 faith1 and trusting continually in the 

care of a ,father in heaven4 ,was the   
cold little sparrow singing itself away1
 as it was once believed the swan sung  
its own death-song8 ,or may the new     
neighbour of the robin be the very one  
whose voice rang out so clear and loud1 
above the howlings of the storm8 ,i     
trust no rude blast nor chilling frost  
will mar the pleasure of our feathered  
friends1 but that they may prosper in   
their plans1 and never forget seeking a 
home in the vine which winds so         
gracefully around the porch of ,mrs4    
,dudley's cottage4  ,the song sparrow is
 not the only neighbour of the robin4 ,a
 pair of cat-birds have a nest in a     
lilac near the honeysuckle1 and one of  
them sings hour after hour on the       
walnut-tree opposite to the window and  
often comes near enough to the house to 
look through the open casement4 ,these  
birds have lived for several summers in 
that same lilac1 and annually make all  
the repairs necessary to render their   
dwelling habitable4 ,they have raised   

several broods of birdlings1 much to    
their own enjoyment1 and of ,mrs4       
,dudley's bird-loving family4           
,,chapter ,,iv4  ,,home ,,duties ,,and  
,,home ,,pleasures4   ,our robin has    
been a keeper-at-home ever since those  
four bluish-green eggs demanded her     
attention4 ,she has occasionally left1  
for a few minutes at a time1 to procure 
food and drink1 or to take a little     
exercise2 but she has never forgotten   
her quiet abode1 and the duties which   
there require her almost constant       
presence4 ,she loves the green fields1  
the leafy trees1 and the clear blue sky1
 and delights to hop about with her mate
 over the fresh grass and the clean     
gravel-walks2 but better than all she   
loves those pretty eggs1 which lie so   
cozily in the bottom of her straw-built 
nest4  ,before she commenced            
house-keeping1 she was very fond of     
travelling1 and many a mile has she     
wandered1 over hill and valley1 in      
company with her friends4 ,she assisted 

at concerts1 and was universally        
admired2 but she had the good sense to  
give up these enjoyments without a      
murmur1 when higher claims called for   
her undivided care4 ,whatever is worth  
doing at all is worth doing well2 and   
the robin will doubtless be repaid for  
the unwearied patience with which she   
performs her unostentatious duties4     
,some people are inclined to think      
domestic labour dishonourable1 and the  
cares of house-keeping a burden2 but our
 feathered friend is wiser than they4   
,she does with her might what she finds 
to do1 and she does it heartily4 ,every 
act of duty1 faithfully and cheerfully  
performed1 is acceptable to ,god2 and   
his children do his will when they      
endeavour to attend to their various    
occupations in such a way as he can     
approve4 ,if all house-keepers felt     
that1 in attending to the different     
departments of their work as they should
 be attended to1 they were honouring    
,him who has made this care necessary   

for the comfort of families1 it would be
 a blessing to themselves1 and to who   
all who dwell under the same roof with  
them4 ,we cannot consider any thing     
which we do to please our heavenly      
,father of small importance1 and no     
favour can be degrading which he        
requires of us4  ,we may all learn a    
lesson from the robin who lives in the  
honeysuckles1 and we shall see how she  
was rewarded for her devotion to the    
employment which ,providence assigned   
her4 ,the wisest of men1 in describing  
the character of an excellent woman1    
says3 ,the heart of her husband doth    
safely trust in her4 ,she will do him   
good1 and not evil1 all the days of her 
life4 ,our feathered friend's husband is
 absent much of his time 7as most       
gentlemen are obliged to be7 from his   
well-ordered home2 but he always thinks 
of it with pleasure1 and hastens to it  
whenever he can find time to do so4     
,sometimes he only stops a moment1 but  
it is a precious moment to them both1   

for their hearts and interests are one4 
,they are cheered1 in their separation1 
by the pleasant memories of these brief 
interviews1 and by bright anticipations 
of future enjoyment4  ,i have observed1 
,mr4 ,robin thinks it of importance to  
look nice at home1 as well as when he is
 abroad4 ,i have seen him alight on the 
walnut-tree1 and carefully arrange his  
toilet1 before going into the presence  
of his wife4 ,she must feel complimented
 by this delicate attention1 indicating 
so high a regard for her1 and such      
anxiety to preserve her esteem4 ,i      
should not wonder if she was a little   
proud of her handsome husband4 ,however 
this may be1 ,i am sure it is her       
greatest happiness to deserve his       
respect and love1 and honourably to     
perform all the duties which devolve    
upon her in her married life4  ,madam   
,robin was sitting one day in her       
vine-shaded home1 looking out through   
the slender branches of the honeysuckle1
 which were gently swayed by a          

refreshing breeze1 when she heard a     
slight tap4 ,she listened eagerly4      
,another tap--presently another4 ,how   
her heart fluttered6 ,it proceeded from 
one of those highly-prized eggs1 and she
 knew it was the timid knock of a       
birdling1 who was in that little        
chamber1 and was waiting to have the    
door opened4 ,of how small consequence  
all her self-denial and her seclusion   
from general society seemed1 when that  
thrilling tap sounded on her ear6 ,she  
continued to listen1 and within those   
four tiny chambers she heard the same   
rapping repeated2 and more than that1   
the sweet word1 ,mother1 might seem     
faintly to greet her ear4 ,how she      
longed for her mate to return1 that he  
might enjoy1 with her1 this new         
happiness6 ,when husband and wife love  
each other1 as they should1 all pleasure
 must be shared1 or it will still be    
imperfect4 ,she waited1 almost          
impatiently for his coming2 and when he 
alighted on the honeysuckle1 she looked 

so full of grateful joy1 that he knew   
that something more than usual must have
 occurred4 ,he affectionately kissed her
 bill1 and then1 in a low tremulous     
voice1 she told him the glad news4 ,he  
was quite as much pleased as she1       
although he did not appear so excited4  
,had employment in the open air given a 
firmness to his nerves1 which her       
sedentary occupations had not done for  
her8 ,yet beneath that calm exterior1   
his sparkling eye plainly revealed the  
full tide of emotion within4  ,it was   
pleasant music to their ears to hear    
those four new voices in their secluded 
home2 and though they knew it would     
increase their labour to provide food   
for those gaping mouths1 what cared they
 for their own comfort1 if they could   
nurture their precious charge1 and rear 
them to be an honour and a blessing8    
,when the doors of their chambers were  
quite open1 out came the baby-birds1    
with a few downy feathers covering them6
  ,how very little they are6 said       

,eddie1 with one breath2 and1 ,how big  
their mouths are6 with the next4 ,to be 
sure1 they do look very small1 and their
 mouths are very large for such         
diminutive bodies1 and they open them so
 wide that it almost seems as if one of 
them could jump down another's throat4  
,the robin now often comes home1 and    
brings food to his family4 ,it is       
gratifying to see how attentive he is to
 his dear children and their mother2 and
 ,i hope ,i may be able1 some day1 to   
tell you that they repay his attachment1
 by growing up fine1 obedient birds4 ,it
 will not be long before their education
 will be commenced1 and ,i will tell you
 whether they are taught at home1 or are
 sent away to school1 and what progress 
they make in acquiring their            
accomplishments4     ,,chapter ,v4      
,,home ,,life ,,and ,,home ,,education4 
,the birdlings still live in the        
honeysuckles4  ,how they do grow6 ,eddie
 exclaims1 when he looks at them4 ,i    
shouldn't think they could ever have    

lived in those little eggs4  ,they are  
now almost half as large as the old     
birds4 ,they are well covered with      
feathers1 and their mottled breasts are 
very pretty4  ,they don't have to dress 
as we do1 said ,eddie4 ,their clothes   
grow4 ,and he thinks it would be a great
 convenience if his clothes grew too1   
for then they would always be large     
enough for him1 and his mother would not
 have so much sewing to do4  ,sometimes 
these little birds lie in the bottom of 
the nest1 quietly sleeping1 while their 
father and mother are both away1 getting
 them food4 ,at other times they feel   
wide awake4 ,then they stretch their    
wings1 stand upon their feet1 and peep  
over the side of the nest4 ,from the    
parlour-window1 the children can look up
 directly at their secluded home1 and   
can see them amusing themselves and     
practising their lessons4 ,the          
honeysuckle grows almost as fast as the 
birds1 and the tender1 overhanging      
branches make a roof which keeps off all

 the rain4  ,the old birds are mindful  
of their children1 but do not consider  
it necessary to be with them all the    
time4 ,so other parents endeavour to    
implant good principles in the hearts of
 their children1 and then leave them to 
their self-control2 ever keeping a      
watchful eye on the influences which    
surround them1 and using their proper   
authority1 when it becomes necessary1 to
 restrain from evil1 and guide in the   
way of virtue4 ,the child that has never
 learned to depend upon himself1 or to  
control his own passions1 and to do     
right because it is right1 will hardly  
be able to sustain himself when the     
presence of his parents is withdrawn4   
,the robins know very well that children
 grow weary of long lectures2 so they   
give them here a little and there a     
little instruction1 as occasion demands4
  ,they are decided in their family     
government1 but not severe4 ,their      
children are taught to obey promptly and
 cheerfully1 but they have no slavish   

fear of their parents4 ,their presence  
is not regarded as a restraint2 for1 at 
all suitable times1 they have freely    
permitted their little ones to laugh and
 frolic to their hearts' content4 ,they 
willingly listen to all the plans of the
 birdlings1 and lend an attentive ear to
 the story of their joys and their      
sorrows4 ,their sympathy is never       
withheld2 their griefs are never        
considered as of no consequence because 
they are brief and soon forgotten4  ,the
 parent birds do not leave their young  
alone but a little while at a time4     
,they often fly home to see them1 and   
sometimes perch on the walnut-tree1 and 
talk with them4 ,their musical chirpings
 are pleasant to hear4 ,we don't        
understand the bird-language2 but we    
judge1 by the soft tones1 that it is    
something kind and agreeable they are   
saying4 ,perhaps they are talking about 
their plans for the future1 when they   
all know how to use their wings1 and can
 fly about together4  ,very often1      

during the day1 the robins bring worms  
to fill the gaping mouths4 ,it is       
surprising how much they eat4 ,no wonder
 they have grown plump and large1 for   
they eat and sleep as much as they      
please4 ,we expect soon to see them     
flying about from tree to tree1 and     
hopping along the ground4 ,we hope that 
great cat1 which steps about so softly1 
will never find them4 ,she is welcome to
 all the rats and mice she can put her  
paws on1 but we never like to see her   
climb a tree1 for we fear she will      
destroy some of our cheerful friends1   
who build near the house in full        
confidence that they shall not be       
disturbed4  ,the young robins are not   
lonely in their rural home4 ,the        
plainly-dressed sparrows and the        
brilliant yellow-birds look in upon     
them1 and1 now and then1 their cousin1  
the oriole1 comes1 clad in the richest  
golden plumage1 and sings them a song4  
,if he had dipped his feathers in the   
gorgeous sunset he could not be more    

beautiful4 ,the delicate little         
humming-birds sip nectar from the deep  
horns of the honeysuckle2 and the       
red-winged starling1 in his glossy black
 coat1 and his dashing scarlet          
epaulette1 occasionally comes from his  
home in the meadow1 to make them a call4
 ,he does not like ,honeysuckleville    
quite as well as his dwelling in the    
grass1 just above the water4 ,if he was 
not so confirmed in his habits1 ,i think
 he would be strongly tempted to become 
a neighbour of the robins4 ,a few weeks 
ago1 when his favourite resort was five 
or six feet under water1 he and his     
friends seemed to be in great           
uncertainty what course to pursue4 ,they
 had several mass meetings on the       
quince-bushes1 in full sight of         
,honeysuckleville1 and a great many     
speeches were made4 ,it sounded to me   
like incessant chattering1 and as if all
 were talking at the same time4 ,i could
 not understand a word they said1 and ,i
 cannot tell you the result of their    

deliberations4 ,whatever it may have    
been1 when the water subsided1 they     
returned to their old haunts by the     
river-side4  ,these ,i have mentioned   
are not the only visitors whose society 
our friends enjoy4 ,the swallows        
gracefully skim through the air1 and    
greet them with their merry voices4 ,the
 wren often favours them with one of his
 sweetest melodies1 and the blue-bird   
flies around the corner to sing a song  
on the walnut-tree4 ,he has a curious   
little nest of his own1 hidden away     
under the eaves4 ,the cat-birds1 of     
course1 are always near1 as they live in
 the lilacs4 ,the oriole has suspended  
his nest1 like a basket1 from a limb of 
the great pear-tree2 and when the robins
 know how to fly1 they can return some  
of his visits4  ,the old robins1 now and
 then1 play peep with the young birds4  
,they fly almost up to the nest1 and    
poise themselves for an instant on the  
wing1 just long enough to say1 ,bo-peep6
 and then away6 almost before they can  

be seen4 ,pretty soon they return again1
 generally bringing some nice morsel    
with them4 ,they often first alight on a
 small branch of the vine1 below the    
nest1 and then hop up to it4  ,what a   
chirping the birdlings keep up with     
their mother6 ,they like to talk as well
 as ,eddie ,dudley and some other       
children1 whom ,i have heard pleasantly 
called little chatter-boxes4 ,children  
have much to learn1 and must ask many   
questions4 ,the world is new and strange
 to them1 and is a constant source of   
surprise and wonder4 ,i do not suppose  
people ever learn faster than before    
they are six years old1 or ever learn   
more in the same length of time4 ,they  
are constantly observing1 and in this   
way the stock of their ideas is         
continually increasing4 ,i once heard a 
gentleman say he did not like to go     
through the world with his head in a    
bag4 ,he wished to see what was taking  
place around him1 and it was this       
seeing1 and thinking upon what he saw1  

that1 among other things1 made him a    
distinguished man4  ,the young birds are
 now seeing and thinking1 as well as    
birds can4 ,their time for action has   
not come4 ,like dear children in their  
happy homes1 they are preparing for the 
responsibilities of life2 and1 if they  
honour and obey their parents1 as far as
 birds are expected to do1 and as all   
children should1 ,i doubt not they will 
faithfully perform the duties which will
 hereafter devolve upon them4  ,from    
observations ,i have made1 ,i conclude  
the robins neither send their children  
to school nor employ a governess for    
them4 ,they have so made their          
arrangements that either one or the     
other has time to attend to their       
education4 ,sometimes the father1 and at
 other times the mother1 assumes the    
labour of teaching1 and their           
dearly-loved pupils are quite as        
attentive to their instructions as any  
children ,i have ever seen4             
,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,going ,,abroad4   ,it

 was on a bright1 warm1 breezy morning  
in early ,june1 that our friends at     
,honeysuckleville decided that the home 
education of their children had been    
attended with such success as to        
encourage the hope that they would come 
out creditably to themselves1 and their 
parents4 ,arrangements were accordingly 
made1 and ,i assure you there was much  
talking and no little excitement and    
bustle upon the occasion4 ,it was       
proposed to spend some weeks in         
travelling1 that the young people might 
enjoy themselves1 and acquire much      
useful information1 which could be      
obtained no other way4  ,the weather was
 delightful4 ,a few light1 fleecy clouds
 were floating in the blue sky1         
continually changing from one form of   
beauty to another4 ,the sun shone forth 
in his splendour1 cheering the tender   
grass and the up-springing seeds1 and   
drawing them nearer and nearer to his   
bosom4 ,they stretched toward him their 
feeble blades and diminutive leaves1 as 

if they would gladly be clasped in his  
arms2 but their growing roots were      
striking deeper and deeper into mother  
earth1 and binding them closer and      
closer to her4  ,the gentle1 cooling    
zephyrs were playing among the leaves1  
and winning sweet music from the tiny   
voices1 which responded in glee to their
 salutations4 ,often they lifted the    
soft hair from the brows of the         
children1 and frolicked amid their      
curls1 and fanned their sun-burnt       
cheeks4 ,it was a morning which all     
nature enjoyed4 ,there could not have   
been a finer day to start upon a        
journey4 ,as birds do not need a change 
of dress1 there was no trunk to pack1   
and no travelling-bag to be laden with  
comforts4 ,all the preparation necessary
 was the usual attention to the toilet1 
and the instruction and advice which the
 exigency required4  ,the hearts of the 
young adventurers fluttered with        
excitement4 ,there was a mingling of    
curiosity to visit the great world of   

which they had heard such glowing       
descriptions1 and of fears to trust     
themselves to the power of their wings  
to bear them from their pleasant1 happy 
home1 and keep them out of harm's way4  
,they had seen ,pussy1 as she walked    
about in her white and black robe1 and  
though she seemed so gentle1 they had   
been warned against her as one of their 
most deadly enemies4 ,they knew she was 
often prowling about1 with stealthy     
tread1 to prey upon the unwary4 ,they   
feared that1 instead of flying to the   
walnut-tree1 as was the plan1 they      
should fall upon the grass1 where she   
could pounce upon them and destroy them1
 notwithstanding the screams and        
agonizing entreaties of their parents4  
,puss is a full believer in the doctrine
 that might makes right2 and she is as  
unmoved by the cries and appeals of her 
victims as if they had no hearts to     
suffer1 and were made merely for her own
 use4  ,many words of encouragement were
 addressed to them by their parents4    

,they told them how they themselves had 
suffered from similar fears2 how        
difficult it was for them to trust      
implicitly in the wisdom of their own   
father and mother2 and how they stood1  
tremulous and fearful1 on the top of the
 nest1 wishing they had sufficient      
resolution to obey1 and yet fearing to  
venture2 but how easy and pleasant they 
found it to spread their wings in the   
air1 and be borne up by it1 when they   
fully determined to make the attempt4   
,our little birdlings still hesitated1  
just as ,i have seen children hesitate  
and quiver with terror when for the     
first time they go into the water to    
learn to swim4 ,they know their father  
tells them the truth1 for he has never  
deceived them4 ,he has bound a          
life-preserver beneath their arms1 and  
has promised to remain near1 to catch   
them1 if they begin to sink2 yet they   
are afraid1 and draw back4 ,they lack   
faith4 ,when at last they timidly push  
from the shore1 and find themselves     

buoyed up on the water1 their delight is
 almost unbounded1 and they are as      
unwilling to leave as they were         
reluctant to enter it4  ,the old robins 
stood on one of the branches of the     
walnut-tree1 and endeavoured to persuade
 their timid brood to come to them4     
,they were not stern and severe1 for    
they had not forgotten their own youth1 
and they sympathized deeply with these  
children2 but the father found he must  
be decided1 so he told them1 7as it     
seemed17 authoritatively1 that they must
 hesitate no longer4 ,he would count    
one--two--three2 and when he said three1
 they must spread their wings and do as 
well as they could4 ,the mother smiled  
lovingly upon them1 and they determined 
to obey1 whatever effort it might cost4 
,one--two--three1 counted the robin1 in 
his full1 musical tones4 ,the birdlings 
fluttered their wings1 and strained     
every nerve to alight by the side of    
their parents4 ,with what joy they felt 
their feet clinging round the branch6   

,how elated they were with their        
success6 ,they chirped continually1 and 
merry and brisk was the conversation4   
,what is this8 one asked1 and ,what is  
that8 said another1 till it seemed as if
 the old birds would be weary of their  
questions2 but they never lost their    
patience2 they thought the little folks 
remarkably intelligent4  ,when they were
 rested1 away flew the birds to the elm1
 and called to their young4 ,grown      
courageous by success1 they quickly     
followed1 and1 through the whole day1   
they were flying about from tree to     
tree1 enjoying themselves highly4  ,at  
sunset1 ,i saw them on the locust-tree1 
near the cottage1 inhaling its delicious
 perfume1 with their faces toward the   
west1 wondering1 perhaps1 what          
occasioned all that glorious beauty1 as 
the sun escaped from their view4        
,presently they flew to a great         
cherry-tree1 and1 from the chirping and 
calling1 we concluded they spent the    
night in its shelter4 ,how strange it   

must have been to them1 this first night
 of their perching6 ,the sky was clear1 
the stars twinkled1 and the half-moon   
shed her silvery light on the earth1 and
 gleamed through the cherry-leaves1 as  
it had done through the honeysuckles2   
but it was not home1 that cherry-tree1  
and they sighed as they thought of their
 birthplace4 ,they sat close to their   
mother's side1 and felt that1 after all1
 where she was1 was the best place for  
them4 ,they curled up one foot into the 
soft down1 and turned back their heads  
till their bills were beneath their     
wings4 ,the lids slowly closed over     
their eyes1 and they slept quietly and  
sweetly1 till wakened in the morning by 
the warbling of songsters who welcomed  
the rosy dawn4  ,a new sense of         
responsibility filled their hearts4     
,they were no longer mere children1     
their every want supplied by others2 but
 they were youth1 and must begin to     
provide for themselves1 and depend upon 
their own energies4 ,we frequently hear 

the young robins among the trees1 but we
 seldom see them4 ,we really miss them1 
and think of them as pleasant visitors  
who have been spending a few days with  
us4  ,we hope that ,honeysuckleville    
will not be forsaken2 but that every    
year the birds will return1 and rear    
their young beneath its fragrant shade1 
making hearts of the little ,dudleys    
glad1 and teaching them to love4        
,all things1 both great and small2      
,for the dear ,god who loveth us1       
,hath made and loveth all4              
,illustration     ,,may ,i ,,pop ,,some 
,,corn8   ,may ,i pop some corn8 asked  
,eddie4  ,yes1 answered his mother2 and 
laying down her work1 she went to the   
closet and got for him several small    
ears--some red and some white--the      
kernels of which where not half so large
 as those of common corn4  ,eddie took a
 white bowl and sat down on the carpet  
by his mother with the tiny ears in his 
apron4 ,he worked away for some time1   
shelling first one ear and then another1

 till every little kernel was in the    
bowl1 and nothing but cobs left4 ,these 
he thought would help to build a        
log-house1 so he put them in his        
play-box1 with those he had treasured   
before1 and took his bowl to the        
kitchen4  ,kate1 the cook1 was a        
coloured woman1 and she loved children4 
,when he said to her1 ,mother told me ,i
 might pop some corn1 she cheerfully    
placed the iron pan on the stove1 and   
when it was hot enough1 told him he     
might put in the corn4 ,pretty soon it  
went ,pop6 pop6 pop6 till the pan was   
filled with snow-white kernels4 ,eddie  
always wondered how they could turn     
inside out and suddenly grow so large4  
,he did not understand that it was      
because of the expansion or swelling of 
the air within the hard case1 which then
 burst open to find more room4          
,illustration3 ,eddie popping corn4     
,eddie was very busy for some time in   
the kitchen attending to his corn4 ,when
 it was all done1 he separated that     

which was popped from that which was    
only parched1 and put it in different   
dishes4 ,he gave his dog ,philo some of 
the brown kernels1 and he seemed to like
 them as well as ,eddie himself4 ,eddie 
enjoyed hearing him crack them with his 
sharp teeth1 and would stroke his great 
head1 and say kindly1 ,poor ,philo6 you 
are a good ,philo2 and the dog would wag
 his tail as much as to say1 ,dear      
,eddie6 you are a good ,eddie4  ,after  
giving ,philo his share1 and ,kate hers1
 ,eddie carried up a large dishful to   
his mother and the children4 ,he did not
 wish to eat it all himself for he was a
 generous boy and always liked to have  
others partake of his pleasures1        
whatever they might be4 ,he reserved    
some of the nicest of it in a tumbler1  
which he placed on his mother's         
work-table4 ,mrs4 ,dudley took a little1
 saying to him1  ,if you miss your corn1
 ,eddie1 you will know what has become  
of it4  ,he looked up from his play     
quite soberly1 and said slowly1 ,mother1

 if you wish to eat more you may1 but ,i
 am not going to4  ,why not1 my child8  
,i am going to save it for father4      
,mrs4 ,dudley was pleased to see ,eddie 
willing to deny himself to give to      
others1 so she said to him1 ,that is    
right4 ,when his father came home from  
his business1 ,eddie placed the tumbler 
beside his plate on the tea-table4      
,after the blessing was asked1 ,mr4     
,dudley1 looking at the children1       
inquired1 ,where did this come from8 ,i 
popped it1 answered ,eddie4 ,and his    
father thanked him with a kind and      
loving smile4  ,eddie was much happier  
than if he had eaten all the corn       
himself1 for he had made others happy by
 his generosity4 ,it is more blessed to 
give than to receive1 the ,bible tells  
us2 and ,eddie had been learning this   
truth in the great pleasure he felt in  
dividing his popped corn with others4 ,i
 hope you who read this story know how  
to sympathize with him4 ,if you do not1 
will you try the experiment1 and see if 

you are not far happier to share your   
corn1 or your candy1 or whatever else   
you may have1 with your brothers and    
sisters1 and those around you1 than you 
are to devour it yourself8 ,i have seen 
little chickens seize their favourite   
morsel and run away and hide where they 
could eat it all alone2 but ,i should be
 sorry to think that any child would do 
so4     ,,which ,,would ,,you ,,rather  
,i ,,should ,,do8   ,which would you    
rather ,i should do8 asked ,eddie of his
 mother1 his large blue eyes filling    
with tears4  ,i should rather you would 
stay with me1 was the answer4  ,then ,i 
will1 mother6 and the tears remained    
where they were1 and did not chase each 
other down his plump cheeks4 ,a         
trembling smile played around his mouth2
 for he had conquered himself1 and had  
readily yielded to his mother's wishes4 
,there had been a struggle1 severe1 but 
short1 in his mind1 and when he said1   
,then ,i will1 mother1 he meant he could
 be happy to stay at home1 and would not

 ask again for permission to go with the
 other children4 ,mrs4 ,dudley could not
 resist the impulse to clasp him to her 
heart1 and tell him he was a good boy2  
and this made him still happier4 ,he saw
 he had pleased her1 and her approving  
smile was worth more to him than any    
enjoyment could be without it4  ,eddie1 
you know1 is a little boy1 five years   
old4 ,he has brothers and sisters older 
than himself1 and they have fine sport  
in sliding and skating4 ,their teacher  
takes them every day to enjoy it1 and   
they come home in high spirits1 swinging
 their skates by their sides1 and       
talking loud and fast about it4  ,eddie 
has watched them many days from the     
nursery window1 and has longed to be    
with them2 but his careful mother has   
feared he would get hurt among so many  
skaters1 or perhaps be lost in one of   
those air-holes which are often found in
 the most solid ice2 so when ,eddie     
asked her if he might go to the river1  
she hesitated1 for she did not like to  

deny him4 ,which would you rather ,i    
would do8 then inquired the dear boy2   
and when his mother told him1 he did not
 tease her1 but resumed his place at the
 window4  ,mrs4 ,dudley resolved to go  
herself with her little son to the      
river1 when the children went again4    
,she did not tell him so1 however2 but  
the next day1 when the merry skaters    
were in the midst of their enjoyment1   
she put on her hood1 and her warm       
blanket-shawl1 and thick gloves1 and    
calling ,eddie to her1 wrapped him in   
his wadded coat and woollen tippet1 and 
placing on his head his                 
liberty-cap1--knit of red and black     
worsted1 with a tassel dangling from the
 point--and pulling it well down over   
his ears1 and covering his fat hands    
with warm mittens1 they started out on  
the white snow4 ,the snow was frozen    
sufficiently to bear them1 and they had 
a pleasant walk above the hidden grass  
and stones4  ,eddie was in great glee4  
,his mother enjoyed it almost as much as

 he did1 for it was an exhilarating     
sight4 ,some of the boys were sliding1  
some skating1 and others pushing sleds  
before them1 on which a mother or sister
 were sitting4 ,it reminded one of the  
pictures we often see of skating in     
,holland2 and1 to make the resemblance  
more perfect1 a ,dutchman was there with
 his pipe1 defiling the pure1 fresh air 
with its foul odour4  ,mrs4 ,dudley was 
invited to take a ride1 and1 leaving    
,eddie in the care of another1 she was  
soon seated on one of the sleds1 and    
speeding away before a rapid skater4    
,she found it far more swift and        
agreeable than riding in the usual way4 
,eddie1 too1 had a ride1 and his little 
heart was brimfull of happiness4 ,he    
walked about on the ice quite carefully 
and fearlessly4  ,the river1 on which   
these children were1 rises and falls    
with the tide4 ,eddie saw other boys    
sliding off towards an icy meadow       
bordering on it1 and he thought he would
 go too4 ,the ice formed an inclined    

plane2 his feet slipped on its smooth   
surface1 and down he went2 he jumped up1
 but the blood from his nose1 flowing   
over his face and coat1 and staining the
 snow1 frightened him1 and he uttered a 
loud cry4 ,the skaters were with him    
before his mother1 though she was but a 
few steps away1 for she could not move  
as quickly as they4 ,it was pleasant to 
see their sympathy1 and hear their kind 
inquiries4 ,his mother soon comforted   
him2 for he had not been cut by the ice 
as they feared4 ,the blood from his nose
 testified to a pretty hard bump4 ,he   
soon forgot the pain1 and was as happy  
as ever4 ,he will long remember his     
first sled ride on the river4  ,why do  
you think1 dear children1 ,i have told  
you this story about a child whom you   
have never seen8 ,i wanted to ask you1  
or rather have you ask yourselves1 if   
you are willing1 as ,eddie was1 to do as
 your mother thinks best8 ,much as he   
wanted to go on the river1 he felt      
satisfied to do as his mother wished4 ,i

 hope1 when you know what your mother   
prefers1 you will make up your minds to 
give up your own plans1 and be happy in 
doing so4  ,i am not one of those who   
imagine children have no trials4 ,i know
 their lives are not all bright and     
sunny4 ,i have not forgotten being a    
child myself4 ,many a hard battle has to
 be fought with wrong feelings and wrong
 wishes2 but never fear2 resolve to     
conquer yourselves1 and subdue every    
thing that is sinful4 ,every victory    
will make you stronger1 and render it   
easier for you to do right4 ,will you   
try8      ,if at first you don't        
succeed1         ,try1 try again4       
,,the ,,birds ,,and ,,the               
,,snow-,,storm4   ,the weather is warm  
and sunny4 ,the snow of winter has      
disappeared4 ,the grass is green1 and   
growing finely4 ,the early              
spring-flowers have opened their        
blossoms1 and we all think summer is so 
near1 that the cold weather must be     
over4 ,the birds have thought so1 too2  

for they are flying from tree to tree1  
singing most beautiful melodies1 and    
peeping about1 here and there1 making   
arrangements for summer1 and selecting  
places where to build their pretty      
nests4  ,but the wind blows chill again4
 ,the sky is clouded1 and people begin  
to say1 ,i think we shall have another  
snow-storm4 ,it is not long before the  
feathery flakes begin to descend4 ,the  
earth is so warm that they scarce touch 
it before they are melted and absorbed4 
,the snow continues to fall1 the earth  
grows colder and colder1 and soon it    
cannot melt the snow1 but is itself     
chilled1 and accepts it as a mantle4    
,for three days the storm rages4 ,the   
ground is as white as in mid-winter4    
,what is to become of the birds8 ,they  
can find neither food nor shelter4 ,it  
is painful to see them flying           
distractedly through the storm1 not     
knowing where to go2 but too cold and   
too hungry to remain in the trees1 and  
too fearful to seek comfort in the many 

warm houses1 that would have opened     
their windows1 if they would have       
entered under their protecting roof4    
,mrs4 ,dudley's children are all        
watching them from the windows1 and     
throwing out hominy and bread-crumbs for
 them to eat4 ,how cold the little      
sparrows look1 as they pick up their    
food6 ,children's hearts are generally  
tender1 and always so unless they have  
been hardened by the practice of        
cruelty1 and ,mrs4 ,dudley's were full  
of sympathy for the little sufferers4   
,oh6 mother6 said ,eddie1 the youngest1 
if the birds knew how we loved them1    
they would come into the house2 but the 
birds did not know1 and they stayed out 
in the snow1 and many of them perished4 
,the children were sadly grieved1 when1 
after the storm1 they found many of     
their feathered friends dead4 ,how much 
they regretted they could not have saved
 their lives6 ,if the birds had only    
known1 as ,eddie said1 how much the     
children loved them1 they would have    

flown into the house1 and been warmed   
and fed4  ,there are many dear children 
who do not know how much ,jesus loves   
them2 how much he wishes them to enter  
the ark of safety1 and escape the       
dangers there are in the world4 ,there  
are many who have not even heard of him2
 and many of those who have1 do not know
 he is their best friend4  ,do you know 
how much he loves you1 and have you     
sought his protection amid all the      
dangers that surround you8 ,if you have 
not found refuge in that high tower1 of 
which ,david speaks in the ,psalms1 you 
are no safer than were the birds flying 
through the cold snow1 and you surely   
will be lost if you do not fly to that  
kind ,saviour1 who has prepared a way of
 escape for you4  ,illustration         
,,the ,,first ,,strawberry4   ,how      
bright and red it looked1 half-concealed
 as it was by the green leaves6 ,it was 
the first strawberry of the season4     
,mary gathered it with delight1 and ran 
with it to her mother4  ,here is        

something for you1 mother1 she said1    
holding up the rosy treasure4  ,thank   
you1 my dear6 said ,mrs4 ,dudley1       
smiling upon her daughter4 ,she ate it  
with a double relish4 ,she was very fond
 of the fruit1 and she was gratified by 
this expression of the thoughtful1      
unselfish love of her dear child4  ,how 
much more ,mary enjoyed that look of    
love1 and that approving smile1 than she
 would have enjoyed eating that luscious
 strawberry herself6  ,every day1 ,mary1
 ,willie1 and ,eddie search for the     
fruit as it ripens1 and almost every    
evening their father and mother find a  
saucer of berries1 with sugar and cream1
 beside their plates at the tea-table4  
,how pleasant it is to see children     
think so much of their parents6 ,i hope 
they will continue obedient and         
attentive1 for there is no more         
beautiful sight than an affectionate1   
united family4  ,god will bless those   
who honour their parents4     ,i        
,,prayed ,,all ,,day ,,for ,,help4   ,it

 was a beautiful evening early in ,june4
 ,the air was cool and pleasant4 ,the   
trees and shrubs were covered with      
luxuriant foliage1 and the roses were in
 their opening beauty4 ,the frogs were  
croaking in the pond1 and the birds     
singing on the trees4 ,the sun had just 
sunk beneath the horizon4 ,the clouds   
which lingered around his pathway       
received his parting rays1 and were most
 gorgeously decorated with the richest  
of his colouring4  ,willie walked about 
the lawn1 his face lighted up with a    
smile1 and his dark gray eye bright with
 happiness4 ,his heart was attuned to   
harmony with all nature around him1 and 
he would frequently look up to his      
mother1 who sat by the open window1     
enjoying the delightful evening4        
,presently ,willie came1 and stood by   
her side4  ,how happy ,i am this        
evening6 he said to her4 ,she put her   
arm around him1 and drew him towards    
her4  ,what makes you so happy8 she     
inquired4  ,because ,i have been trying 

to control my temper1 ,i suppose--was   
his answer4  ,you have not been angry   
to-day1 have you8  ,no1 mother4  ,did   
you pray about it1 ,willie8  ,yes1      
mother4 ,i prayed all day for help4     
,how did you pray8  ,i said1 ,forgive my
 sins1 and give me a new heart4  ,god   
heard your prayers1 and he has helped   
you to control your temper4 ,god always 
hears prayer1 and helps those who ask   
his aid4 ,i hope you will never forget  
to pray for what you need1 said his     
mother4 ,willie smiled1 and kissed her1 
and went out of doors again to enjoy the
 evening--      ,so cool1 so calm1 so   
bright4  ,willie is generally a good    
boy1 but he has a quick temper4 ,when   
three or four years old1 he would       
sometimes get very angry4 ,i have even  
known him to throw things at children   
with whom he was playing1 if they did   
any thing to offend him4 ,he did so one 
day when his mother was from home4 ,she 
was much grieved when she heard it1 and 
talked seriously with him4 ,it made a   

deep impression on his mind4 ,he speaks 
of it now with great solemnity1 and asks
 his mother if she remembers it4 ,he    
feels that he committed a great sin4 ,he
 knows it is wrong to let his temper    
govern his reason1 and he is struggling 
to control himself4 ,i think he will    
succeed4  ,i knew his grandfather when  
,i was a little girl1 and ,i remember   
hearing him say that he was naturally   
quick-tempered2 but1 although ,i lived  
in the same house with him1 and saw him 
under a great variety of circumstances1 
,i never heard him speak a hasty word4  
,i hope ,willie will obtain as perfect  
control over himself1 and1 if he lives  
to manhood1 that his friends will be    
able to say of him what ,i can say of   
his grandfather4  ,willie was1 at one   
time1 playing with some children1 and   
found he was growing angry4 ,he         
immediately left them1 and sat down on  
the stairs alone4 ,pretty soon they     
followed him4 ,he did not feel entirely 
good-natured1 so he again left them1 and

 went into the library4 ,he shut the    
door and prayed to his ,father in heaven
 for strength to conquer himself4 ,he   
remained there alone till he felt he had
 obtained the victory4  ,willie is not  
the only little boy who has a quick     
temper1 and ,i tell this story about him
 for the sake of the dear children who  
sometimes get angry4 ,i hope1 like      
,willie1 they will learn to go to ,god  
for help1 and then1 like his1 their     
countenances will be radiant with       
gladness2 and they1 too1 can say1 ,how  
happy ,i am6  ,an angry man stirreth up 
strife1 and a furious man aboundeth in  
transgression4  ,he that is slow to     
anger is better than the mighty2 and he 
that ruleth his spirit than he that     
taketh a city4  ,he that hath no rule   
over his own spirit1 is like a city that
 is broken down1 and without walls4     
,,ever ,,so ,,many ,,beautiful ,,things4
   ,there are ever so many beautiful    
things up in the sky1 mother6 said      
little ,eddie1 as he sat in his mother's

 lap1 leaning his head upon her         
encircling arm4  ,the clouds had        
gathered about the horizon1 and assumed 
many beautiful and fantastic shapes4    
,some of them were gorgeously coloured  
with the rays of the departing sun1 and 
were shaded from the most delicate rose 
to the darkest1 richest crimson4 ,as the
 sun receded farther and farther behind 
the green hills1 they grew darker and   
darker1 and the imaginative boy had seen
 fancied ships with their sails spread2 
steam-vessels with clouds of smoke      
rolling from their chimneys2 mountains  
piled upon mountains2 trees1 birds1 and 
many other wondrous things which filled 
his infant mind with admiration4  ,soon 
the stars twinkled forth1 and they awoke
 a new interest4 ,at first they appeared
 one by one1 as if timidly venturing to 
look down upon our beautiful planet1 and
 when fully assured that the king of day
 had disappeared1 they came forth faster
 and more numerously1 till the whole    
heavens were bespangled with their      

glittering brightness4 ,then their      
companion1 the moon1 came slowly up1    
shining with a soft and mellow light1 a 
new beauty in the blue wilderness of    
interminable air4  ,eddie had long gazed
 silently before he uttered the         
exclamation1 ,there are ever so many    
beautiful things up in the sky6 and ,i  
suppose he had many thoughts which it   
would have been pleasant for his mother 
to know4 ,he did not often sit up so    
late that he could see the stars4       
,eddie is not the only one who has been 
charmed with the glowing sunset1 the    
gray twilight1 or the starry firmament4 
,david loved to look upon the works of  
,god4 ,in one of his psalms1 he says1   
,when ,i consider the heavens1 the work 
of thy fingers1 the moon and the stars  
which thou hast ordained1 what is man1  
that thou art mindful of him1 and the   
son of man1 that thou visitest him6 ,it 
was astonishing to ,david1 that ,god1   
who was so infinitely superior to man1  
and who had given such proofs of his    

power and greatness in the creation of  
the heavens1 should condescend to notice
 him1 to provide for his minutest wants1
 and to protect him from danger4 ,i     
suppose this psalm was written in the   
night1 when the sweet singer of ,israel 
had been looking at just such a sky as  
drew from ,eddie his exclamation of     
admiration4  ,i often think1 as ,i look 
abroad1 how wonderful it is that ,god   
has made every thing so beautiful4 ,we  
need never be weary in studying his     
works4 ,the more we learn of them1 the  
more we realize his greatness and       
perfection4 ,the heavens declare the    
glory of ,god1 and the firmament showeth
 his handiwork4  ,when you look at the  
clear blue sky1 do you remember who has 
spread it out1 and who has created the  
innumerable worlds which we see1 when   
darkness covers our earth8 ,there are1  
indeed1 ever so many beautiful things up
 in the sky1 and it was a ,father's hand
 that placed them there4 ,they are for  
us to enjoy1 and many a lesson of love  

and confidence have they taught ,god's  
children4 ,dear little ,eddie6 ,i hope  
he will always love nature1 and early   
learn to look through nature up to      
nature's ,god4  ,i shall never forget a 
drive with my father1 when ,i was a     
child so small that ,i sat on a little  
footstool in the carriage1 between him  
and my mother4 ,we were returning from a
 visit to ,aunt ,harriet1 at whose house
 we had been spending the day4 ,it was a
 fine evening4 ,the air was balmy and   
pleasant4 ,i remember how the frogs sung
 in the low ground1 and how we listened 
to their quaint music4 ,we had not      
ridden far before the moon rose1 and the
 stars1 one by one1 appeared4 ,my father
 had a true love for nature1 and for    
whatever was beautiful or grand4 ,we    
drove on without speaking for a time1   
each enjoying the evening4 ,my father   
broke the silence by repeating that     
beautiful hymn of ,addison's1 commencing
 with these lines--      ,the spacious  
firmament on high1     ,with all the    

blue ethereal sky1     ,and spangled    
heavens1 a shining frame1     ,their    
great ,original proclaim4  ,i was awed  
by the reverence of his manner1 and ,i  
felt myself in the presence of my       
,maker1--a mere speck amid his vast     
creations4 ,an ineffaceable impression  
was made on my mind1 young as ,i was4   
,my father died many years ago1 while ,i
 was still a child1 but the lesson of   
that hour has not been forgotten4       
,illustration     ,,lily ,,and ,,her    
,,ducklings4   ,the white duck1 ,lily1  
made a nest on the ground1 in a small   
enclosure1 from which some tame rabbits 
had been removed4 ,she gathered the     
scattered straw into one corner1 and    
made a much neater nest than the other  
ducks did1 who laid their eggs under the
 wood-pile among the small chips4  ,she 
laid several large1 smooth1 white eggs1 
and when she had as many as she could   
conveniently take care of1 she began to 
sit on them to keep them warm1 till the 
little ducks should be ready to peck    

their way out4 ,she plucked the soft    
white down from her breast1 to line the 
nest1 and to make it of a more even     
temperature for the eggs2 and1 whenever 
she left to procure food1 or to take a  
short swim on the pond1 she carefully   
covered them4  ,the duck cannot spread  
her wings as wide as the hen1 so she has
 to be much more particular about her   
nest4 ,she makes it deeper and warmer   
than ,biddy4 ,it is wonderful with what 
skill all animals rear their young4 ,it 
shows the great goodness and kindness of
 ,god1 that he should thus fit the      
creatures he has made for the duties    
they must perform4 ,his care is         
continual1 not only over us1 but over   
them all4 ,he hears the young ravens    
when they cry1 and the ducks and the    
chickens are not forgotten by him4 ,to  
the duck he has not given the brooding  
wings of the hen-mother2 but he has     
given her a coat of down1 from which she
 can make a warm bed for her cherished  
eggs4  ,it was a very pretty sight to   

see ,lily on her nest1 almost covered by
 the straw1 her head turned back1 and   
her broad yellow bill partially hidden  
beneath her wing4 ,the down lay         
scattered about like snow-flakes4 ,she  
looked patient and hopeful1 as she      
opened her eyes to see who had intruded 
on her solitude4  ,when a sitting-duck  
goes in search of food1 she acts so     
queerly that you would surely laugh to  
see her1 if you are not accustomed to   
her odd ways4 ,she bends her head back1 
and draws it close to her body1 and     
waddles about in the greatest haste1    
quacking all the time4  ,lily waited    
four weeks before the ducklings         
appeared4 ,some of the brood were of a  
straw-colour1 and some were marked with 
spots of black4 ,they were all pretty4  
,when ,i first saw them1 they were      
partly hidden beneath their mother4     
,their glossy bills and bright eyes were
 visible1 but they were afraid to       
venture from their shelter4 ,they were  
provided with water and food in the old 

rabbit-house1 because1 if they followed 
their mother to the pond1 the musk-rats 
would probably devour some of them4     
,while the little ones remained with    
their mother1 they were safe1 but when  
they became discontented1 and wandered  
from home1 they were sometimes lost4    
,the rats were their principal enemies1 
and those from which they had most to   
fear4 ,they were constantly lurking     
about to catch the ducklings1 and       
sometimes the defenseless little ones   
ran directly into their deep holes1 from
 which there was no possibility of      
escape4 ,quite a number of ,lily's      
family came to an untimely end in this  
way4  ,when ,i saw them roving about in 
the high grass1 seeking in vain to find 
their way to their mother's presence1   
and hearing their calls for help1 and   
her answering cry of distress1 ,i could 
but think of the dear children who      
forget their mother's counsel1 and leave
 her protection before they are old     
enough to take care of themselves4  ,the

 ducklings1 ,i observed1 did not know   
who were their friends2 for1 one day1   
when the prettiest of the brood had     
found a way out of the rabbit-house1 ,i 
thought ,i would catch it1 and give it  
back to its mother4 ,it was much        
alarmed1 and ,lily was in equal trouble4
 ,it ran away from me1 thinking1 perhaps
 that ,i was a greater enemy than the   
rats1 against which it had probably been
 warned4 ,just as ,i was going to put my
 hand on it1 it hid itself in a         
rat-hole1 from which there was no       
escape4 ,i could not rescue it1 neither 
could its mother4 ,the next morning1    
when ,i went to look at the ducks1 and  
give them their breakfast1 there lay the
 poor duckling1 close by the fatal hole4
 ,the rat had brought it out1 and partly
 devoured it4  ,children often think    
they know what is best for them quite as
 well1 if not better1 than their        
parents1 and when told not to do this or
 that1 they are not satisfied to obey   
quietly1 but ask1 ,why not8 ,i think    

children may often be told why they are 
bidden to do this1 or forbidden to do   
that2 but they should obey their parents
 promptly1 whether they know their      
reasons or not4  ,sometimes there are   
reasons which children cannot           
understand1 sometimes there are reasons 
which it would not be wise to tell them1
 and sometimes it is not convenient to  
give the why and the wherefore4         
,children are commanded to obey their   
parents1--not the reasons their parents 
may give them4 ,the young ducks could   
not understand why their mother did not 
wish them to go out of that enclosure4  
,they could not comprehend the dangers  
which surrounded them4 ,they saw the    
birds flying about in the air1 and heard
 the hum of the bees as they were going 
abroad for honey1 or returning loaded to
 the hive1 and they could not understand
 why they might not wander about too4   
,the red clover looked very beautiful1  
and the white clover was so fragrant1   
they longed to ramble in it4 ,they      

thought their mother unnecessarily      
strict1 because she wished to keep them 
with her1 instead of permitting them to 
see all the pretty things of which they 
could now and then catch a glimpse1 as  
they peeped through the cracks of the   
rabbit-house4  ,children sometimes feel 
unpleasantly because they are not       
permitted to play in the street4 ,ah6   
they are as ignorant of danger as the   
poor ducklings and they are too young to
 understand the peril to which they are 
exposed4 ,even if their mother should   
explain it to them1 they could realize  
but little about it4 ,it is by far the  
better way for children to feel that    
their mother knows best1 and to be      
satisfied that her reasons are good and 
sufficient even if they do not know what
 they are4  ,i once heard a             
distinguished clergyman say he had      
always observed that those persons who  
had learned to obey their parents       
promptly1 most readily yielded to the   
claims of ,god1 and became converted1   

while those who had always liked their  
own way had generally a long1 severe    
struggle1 before they were willing to   
give up their sins1 and oftentimes could
 not make up their minds to do so1 and1 
though deeply convicted1 remained       
impenitent4  ,it is a fearful thought   
that1 if you form a habit of            
disobedience to your parents1 it may    
cost you the salvation of your soul4    
,,praying ,,for ,,rain4   ,it was the   
first of ,july4 ,there had been no rain 
for several weeks4 ,every one feared    
there would be a drought4 ,the farmer   
looked anxiously upon his fields of     
corn1 whose deep green leaves had not   
yet begun to turn yellow1 and upon the  
potatoes1 whose blossoms were still     
unwithered4 ,they could not long remain 
thus beautiful and thriving1 if the     
refreshing rain was withheld4 ,the      
ground was so dry that1 in hoeing the   
garden1 no moisture could be observed4  
,mrs4 ,dudley talked with her children  
about the need of rain1 and the         

propriety of praying to our heavenly    
,father to water the earth1 that it     
might bring forth and bud1 and give seed
 to the sower1 and bread to the eater4  
,she told them how ,elijah prayed for   
rain1 after there had been none in the  
land of ,canaan for three years and six 
months1 and how ,god heard his prayer1  
and the heaven gave rain1 and the earth 
brought forth her fruit4  ,this great   
drought was a judgment upon the people  
of ,israel for their sin in departing   
from ,god1 and worshipping idols4 ,there
 had been1 in consequence of this want  
of rain1 a sore famine4 ,we read in the 
book of ,kings of one poor woman1 who   
had only a handful of meal in a barrel1 
and a little oil in a cruse4 ,when      
,elijah met her1 and asked her for      
water1 and a morsel of bread1 she told  
him this was all she had1 and that she  
was gathering two sticks1 that she might
 bake it for herself and her son1 that  
they might eat and die6 ,she know not   
where to find any more food for herself 

or her child1 and expected to pine away1
 stricken through for want of the fruits
 of the field1 and to die with hunger4  
,elijah bid her not to fear1 but go and 
do what she had said4 ,he asked her to  
make him a little cake first1 and bring 
it to him1 and afterwards make one for  
herself and son4 ,for thus saith the    
,lord ,god of ,israel1 the barrel of    
meal shall not waste1 neither shall the 
cruse of oil fail1 until the day that   
the ,lord sendeth rain upon the earth4  
,it would not have been strange1 if this
 widow of ,zarephath had been unwilling 
to divide her handful of meal with      
,elijah1 or if she had doubted the      
promise which was made to her1 but she  
did not4 ,she baked the little cake for 
the stranger1 and afterwards one for    
herself and her boy1 and there was      
plenty of meal and of oil left for      
another repast4 ,she1 and he1 and her   
house1 did eat of it many days4 ,the    
barrel of meal wasted not1 neither did  
the cruse of oil fail1 till the ,lord   

sent rain upon the earth1 and her wants 
could be supplied in the usual way4 ,she
 did not lose the reward promised to    
those who give a cup of cold water to   
the friends of ,god4  ,god does not     
willingly afflict the creatures he has  
made4 ,he is a gracious ,god1 merciful1 
and of great kindness1 and has          
compassion even on the beasts of the    
field4 ,when ,jonah complained that he  
spared ,nineveh1 because its inhabitants
 humbled themselves before him1 and     
turned from their evil way1 after having
 sent him to prophesy to them that in   
forty days it should be overthrown1 he  
said to ,jonah1 ,should ,i not spare    
,nineveh1 that great city1 wherein are  
more than six-score thousand persons    
that cannot discern between their right 
hand and their left2 and also much      
cattle8  ,in this long drought in the   
land of ,canaan1 the cattle must have   
suffered greatly1 and many of them      
probably perished4 ,indeed1 we read that
 ,ahab1 the king of ,israel1 and        

,obadiah1 the governor of his house1    
searched the land for the fountains and 
brooks1 to find grass to save1 the      
horses and mules alive1 that they might 
not be all lost4  ,god is a ,father1    
and1 like a tender1 loving father1 he   
removes his chastisements so soon as    
they have produced the effect designed4 
,he was grieved for the misery of       
,israel4 ,he told ,elijah he would send 
rain4 ,the prophet went to ,ahab1 who1  
when he saw him1 asked1 ,art thou he    
that troubleth ,israel8 ,elijah         
answered1 it was ,ahab1 and his father's
 house1 who troubled ,israel1 because   
they had forsaken the commandments of   
the ,lord1 and worshipped ,baalim4      
,elijah went up to the top of ,mount    
,carmel1 and earnestly prayed for rain4 
,god had promised that he would send it1
 and ,elijah no doubt pleaded this      
promise1 as he interceded with him4 ,he 
directed his servant to go where he     
could look towards the sea4 ,he went and
 looked1 and said1 ,there is nothing4   

,elijah was not discouraged4 ,he knew   
,god would remember his promise1 and he 
sent him seven times more4 ,the seventh 
time the servant returned1 and said1    
,behold1 there ariseth a little cloud   
out of the sea1 like a man's hand4 ,it  
grew rapidly larger and larger1 till the
 sky was black with clouds and wind1 and
 there was a great rain4  ,james1 in his
 ,epistle1 says1 ,the effectual fervent 
prayer of the righteous man availeth    
much1 and he mentions this instance of  
prevailing prayer in ,elijah1 as an     
encouragement to all ,christians to ask 
for needed blessings4 ,elijah was a man 
subject to like passions as we are1 he  
tells us1 and if he prevailed with ,god1
 so may others4 ,god is the same        
yesterday1 to-day1 and forever4 ,he does
 not change4 ,he is always a hearer of  
prayer4  ,mrs4 ,dudley also told her    
children that ,god hears the cry of all 
who are in distress4 ,she referred to   
one of the psalms of ,david1 where he   
describes a storm at sea1 and the great 

terror of the sailors4 ,then they cry   
unto the ,lord in their trouble1 and he 
delivers them out of their distresses4  
,god does not forget any creature he has
 made4 ,he provides the springs and the 
streams to give drink to the beasts of  
the field1 and to the birds which sing  
among the branches4 ,he causes the grass
 to grow for the cattle1 and herb for   
the service of man4 ,he feeds the fowls1
 and clothes the flowers with beauty4   
,he has taught us to ask for our daily  
bread1 and as this must depend upon     
fruitful seasons it is proper we should 
ask for rain1 whenever it is needed4    
,the children were quite interested in  
what their mother had told them4 ,they  
knew that she earnestly desired rain1   
and that she often asked ,god to send   
it1 before vegetation perished for want 
of it4 ,they watched the sky with great 
anxiety1 and when it became cloudy1 and 
continued so from day to day1 they      
thought surely a storm was near4 ,after 
several days1 there was a slight shower1

 but not enough to refresh the plants4  
,mary was greatly disappointed ,i       
thought1 7she said to her mother17 it   
was going to rain in answer to your     
prayer4  ,i thank ,god for that little  
rain1 said ,eddy1 as he talked about it4
 ,mrs4 ,dudley told him that was right1 
but they ought to pray for more1 it was 
so much needed4  ,the next ,sunday ,mrs4
 ,dudley was not well1 and could not    
attend church4 ,when her children       
returned she asked ,mary if they prayed 
for rain4 ,no1 mother6 she answered2 but
 ,i did4  ,the sky continued cloudy for 
some time1 and then the rain gently fell
 for a day and a night1 and all nature  
was refreshed and cheered4  ,soon       
afterwards ,i left ,mrs4 ,dudley's      
family4 ,when ,i had been absent about a
 fortnight1 ,i received a letter from   
,mary4 ,she told me about the bantams1  
and the flowers1 and many other things  
in which ,i was interested4 ,she wrote  
that it had rained on ,sunday1 and all  
day ,monday4 ,i cannot help thinking1   

she continued1 how good ,god is to send 
us rain when we most need it1 and what  
cause we have for thanksgiving4  ,i hope
 ,mrs4 ,dudley's children will never    
forget that ,god is the giver of every  
good gift1 and that he likes to have    
people ask him for what they need4      
,children should think of ,god as their 
best friend1 and should go to him in    
prayer1 feeling as sure he can and does 
hear them1 as they are that their mother
 does4 ,in a season of drought they     
should ask him for rain1 and when he    
sends it to make vegetation grow1 they  
should thank him for that evidence of   
his loving-kindness4     ,,the          
,,grape-,,clusters4   ,very beautiful   
were the grape-clusters as they hung on 
the graceful vine1 and very tempting to 
the hand that was near enough to pluck  
them4  ,two little boys came on an      
errand to the lady who lived in the     
house which the grape-vine shaded4 ,it  
was reviving to come out of the city's  
heat and dust1 and enter that pleasant  

parlour1 screened from the fiercer rays 
of the summer's sun by its green curtain
 of leaves4 ,the hot pavement and the   
glaring walls of the city seemed far    
distant1 for the charm of the country   
was spread over that retired room4 ,all 
city sights were shut out1 and peace and
 quiet reigned within4  ,the lady was   
sitting at her desk1 writing1 when the  
boys entered4 ,she spoke to them kindly1
 for they were objects of her kind care1
 although they did not live with her4   
,they handed her a note which required  
an answer4 ,she gave them permission to 
play in the yard1 while she should write
 it4 ,they were very happy1 for it was  
an unusual pleasure for them4 ,they     
examined the flowers which grew in the  
narrow bed by the high1 close fence1 and
 then they began to look wistfully at   
the rich bunches of grapes1 which were  
within their reach4 ,the lady had not   
told them that they might gather any1   
and they felt that they ought not to do 
so4 ,but the tempter was near1 and they 

listened to his suggestions4            
,illustration3 ,the lady was sitting at 
her desk writing1 when the boys entered4
  ,looking towards the house to see if  
they were observed1 they cautiously went
 up to the vine1 and each gathered a    
bunch of grapes4 ,they ate them         
secretly1 that they might avoid         
detection2 but although they knew it    
not1 there was an eye in the house that 
saw them1 and there was another eye from
 which their act was not hid--the eye of
 the all-seeing ,god4  ,when the note   
was written1 the boys were recalled to  
the parlour1 and pleasantly dismissed4  
,i think they must have felt somewhat   
ashamed1 that they had abused the       
confidence reposed in them1 and had been
 guilty of stealing from their kind     
friend4  ,after they left1 the lady was 
informed what they had done4 ,when she  
visited the home1 where they lived1 she 
mentioned the fact to their teacher1    
although she did not allude to it to    
them4  ,the teacher took occasion to    

talk with her scholars about being      
honest and trustworthy1 and asked them  
what they should think of children who1 
when sent on errands and permitted to go
 into the yard to enjoy themselves1     
should stealthily take the fruit which  
grew there4 ,they1 of course1 condemned 
such conduct4 ,she gave them the        
instruction they needed1 and endeavoured
 to impress its importance upon their   
minds4  ,soon after the close of the    
school1 the two boys who had taken the  
grapes went to her and told her what    
they had done4 ,she talked with them    
kindly4 ,they seemed truly penitent4    
,she asked them if they would like to go
 to the lady and acknowledge their      
fault4 ,they said they should1 and      
immediately they put on their straw     
hats1 and their clean sacks1 and went   
cheerfully to make all the reparation in
 their power for the fault they had     
committed4 ,confession is always        
pleasant to the truly penitent4  ,again 
they stood in that shaded parlour4 ,they

 were affectionately welcomed as before4
 ,they confessed freely and fully1 what 
they had done on their previous visit1  
and asked forgiveness1 which was readily
 granted4 ,just as they were leaving1   
they turned and inquired1 ,can you ever 
trust us again8 ,the lady assured them  
that she could1 and they went away happy
 and strengthened in their good         
purposes4  ,from that time there has    
been a marked change in the children4   
,their characters have much improved and
 they have been1 in all respects1 more  
conscientious and trustworthy4 ,one of  
the boys has1 ,i think1 found a         
,christian home1 and the other is       
waiting for one4     ,,it ,,almost      
,,makes ,,me ,,cry4   ,it almost makes  
me cry to think of the heathen1 said    
,willie ,dudley1 as he was standing by  
his mother's work-table1 with his elbow 
leaning upon it1 and his head resting   
upon his hand4 ,i don't wonder          
missionaries go to them4 ,his face was  
thoughtful and sad1 and the tears stood 

in his eyes4  ,he had just been looking 
at two hideous idols1 which had been    
brought from ,africa1 and his mother had
 been telling him that the heathen      
thought they were gods1 and prayed to   
them4  ,little ,eddie wondered that any 
people could think these stone images   
were ,god4 ,his large1 blue eyes looked 
larger and rounder than ever1 they were 
so filled with amazement at what he     
heard4 ,he could only say1 ,oh1 mother6 
oh1 mother6 in tones which indicated    
surprise1 pity1 and horror4  ,mrs4      
,dudley told her children that the      
heathen had not been taught1 as we have1
 that ,god is a spirit1 and that they   
had never learned the commandment1 ,thou
 shalt not make unto thee any graven    
image1 or any likeness of any thing that
 is in the heaven above1 or that is in  
the earth beneath1 or that is in the    
water under the earth2 thou shalt not   
bow down thyself to them1 nor serve     
them2 for ,i1 the ,lord thy ,god1 am a  
jealous ,god1 visiting the iniquity of  

the fathers upon the children unto the  
third and fourth generation of them that
 hate me2 and showing mercy unto        
thousands of them that love me1 and keep
 my commandments4  ,i don't wonder that 
the missionaries go to them1 was the    
sentiment on the mind of ,willie1 as he 
thought of the ignorance and degradation
 of the heathen4 ,he loved1 himself1 to 
hear about ,god1 and our blessed        
,saviour1 and he knew that ,god required
 a pure and spiritual worship4 ,he knew 
,god was the ,creator of the world1 and 
that his power and glory could not well 
be represented or conceived by man4 ,he 
had often heard of the heathen1 and had 
read about their idols1 but to see and  
handle a stone head which had been      
actually an object of religious worship1
 made it seem much more real to him than
 ever before1 that there are many people
 who have never learned to worship the  
true ,god4  ,willie has always had a    
great reverence for his heavenly        
,father4 ,several years ago1 he was     

reading a description of one of the     
idols of the ,hindoos4 ,the picture was 
disgustingly repulsive4 ,he went to     
,mrs4 ,dudley with his book1 saying1    
,mother1 ,i don't like to call g-o-d    
,god here2 ,i want to call it d-o-g1 for
 ,i don't think it is right to call such
 a thing by that great name4  ,perhaps  
,willie will some day be a missionary1  
and preach the glad tidings of salvation
 to those who are now sitting in        
darkness1 and in the shadow of death4   
,but if he is not a missionary himself1 
,i trust he will never forget to do what
 he can for those who1 far from their   
homes and their friends1 are fulfilling 
,christ's last command1 to go into all  
the world1 and preach the gospel to     
every creature4  ,all ,christians cannot
 be missionaries1 but they can all do   
something to spread a knowledge of true 
religion throughout the world4 ,they can
 contribute of their property to this   
noble purpose4 ,our heavenly ,father    
accepts the smallest gift1 offered in   

love4 ,we1 surely1 who live in          
comfortable homes1 and are surrounded by
 so much that is pleasant1 should never 
forget those who1 in foreign lands1 are 
preaching the unsearchable riches of    
,christ4  ,if our ,saviour were now upon
 the earth1 ,i suppose dear children1   
you think it would be a great pleasure  
to minister to his wants1 and provide   
him with food or clothing1 or any thing 
he might need4 ,it is delightful to know
 that what we do for those who love him1
 he accepts as done to himself4 ,in his 
,holy ,word he says1 ,inasmuch as ye    
have done it unto one of the least of   
these1 my brethren1 ye have done it unto
 me4     ,,the ,,boy ,,who ,,steals4    
,mrs4 ,dudley was sitting at her        
dining-table4 ,the dessert was before   
her4 ,there were fine1 red water-melons1
 rich and juicy1 with glossy black seeds
 peeping out from their hiding-places1  
and musk-melons1 fragrant and luscious1 
which grew in her own garden4 ,they had 
been gathered early in the morning1 by  

,george and ,willie1 and placed in the  
cellar1 that they might be cool and     
refreshing4 ,the boys had assisted in   
planting them in the spring1 and with   
their little hoes they had worked about 
them during the summer1 and subdued the 
weeds4 ,they had watched their growth1  
and every day they examined the vines to
 find those that were ripe4 ,they       
carefully gathered them1 and sometimes  
there were so many that their           
wheelbarrow was quite full4 ,then they  
had the pleasure of carrying some to    
their neighbours4 ,mrs4 ,dudley did not 
consider good ripe fruit injurious1 but 
much more healthy1 in summer1 than meat1
 puddings1 and pastries1 so that melons 
formed quite an important part of the   
family dinner4 ,the children enjoyed    
them particularly1 because they had     
raised them1 in part1 by their own      
industry4  ,george asked to be excused  
from the table4 ,not long after he left1
 ,mrs4 ,dudley heard a cry1 as if some  
child was in trouble4 ,she looked       

around4 ,mary1 and ,willie1 and ,eddie  
were there4 ,the sounds of distress     
could not come from ,george1 for he     
never cried in that way4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 
,dudley immediately arose and went out  
upon the lawn4 ,the children followed4  
,they looked here and there1 and soon   
saw a boy near the house4 ,he had a     
small bundle in his hand1 and a little  
tin pail4 ,i should think he was ten or 
eleven years old4 ,he was crying1 and   
calling to a boy who stood at the gate4 
,mr4 ,dudley inquired of him1  ,what is 
the matter8  ,john won't let me go home4
  ,how does he prevent you8 ,what does  
he do to you8 asked ,mrs4 ,dudley4  ,he 
won't let me alone4  ,does he try to    
make you fight8 she again inquired1--for
 she had frequently seen that large boys
 often love to tease and torment smaller
 ones1 and she thought perhaps this     
little fellow was abused by a tyrannical
 companion4 ,she thought of going to    
speak to the boy at the gate1 but ,mr4  
,dudley made further inquiries1 and the 

child's answers were not very           
satisfactory4  ,mary ,dudley now came   
near her mother1 and1 speaking in a low 
voice1 said to her1 ,that is the boy who
 steals4  ,while they were talking with 
him a larger boy came up1 and said his  
teacher had sent him and the boy at the 
gate to take ,jimmy back to school4     
,why1 what has he done8 asked one of the
 group which surrounded him4  ,he has   
been stealing the children's dinners4   
,he stole yesterday1 and he has been    
stealing to-day4  ,this was a sad       
account to hear4 ,jimmy begged to be    
permitted to go home1 but ,mr4 ,dudley  
told him he had better return to the    
school4 ,he then very reluctantly walked
 down to the gate with the largest boy1 
and ,i suppose was led back to his      
teacher4  ,mrs4 ,dudley had never heard 
of this child before1 but ,mr4 ,dudley  
said he had known him as a very bad boy4
 ,she asked ,mary how she happened to   
know any thing about him4 ,mary told her
 that he attended ,sunday-school1 and   

that1 a few ,sundays before1 one of the 
children could not find his cap4 ,a     
thorough search was made for it1 but it 
could not be found4 ,the superintendent 
thought some one must have taken it4 ,he
 suspected ,jimmy1 because his          
reputation was so bad1 and followed him 
on his way home4 ,jimmy had it on his   
head1 and his own cap was hidden under  
his sack6  ,the superintendent of the   
school talked with ,jimmy1 who said he  
would never steal again2 but1 alas6 he  
soon forgot his good resolution4        
,although he carried a dinner for       
himself in his tin pail1 he took        
whatever he liked from the baskets of   
his companions4  ,mrs4 ,dudley has seen 
this boy several times since she heard  
him crying on the lawn4 ,she says it    
always makes her feel sad to meet him1  
for she cannot avoid thinking1--that is 
the boy who steals4 ,she has learned    
that he has no father or mother1 but    
lives with his grandparents4 ,i fear he 
will bring down their gray hairs with   

sorrow to the grave4 ,he has allowed    
himself to steal small things1 and as he
 grows older he will probably take      
articles of more value4 ,he may become a
 housebreaker or a murderer4  ,it is    
dangerous to indulge in the least sin4  
,it hardens the heart1 and stifles the  
whisper of that still1 small voice1     
which so often tells children1 when they
 are tempted to do wrong1 ,that is not  
right2 you should not do that4  ,in some
 ,catechism the question is asked1 ,what
 is my duty to my neighbour8 and a part 
of the answer is1 ,to keep my hands from
 picking and stealing4 ,i suppose       
picking must mean1 secretly taking      
little pieces of cake1 or sugar1 or any 
thing of the kind1 of small value4 ,i   
presume ,jimmy was in the habit of      
picking1 at his grandmother's before he 
ventured to steal at school4  ,i could  
tell you several very sad stories of    
people who have stolen when they were   
children1 and who have grown more and   
more wicked1 as they have advanced in   

years1 till they became a curse to      
society and themselves4 ,the way of     
transgressors is hard4 ,these people    
have no true enjoyment4 ,there is always
 a fearful looking forward to the       
future4  ,it is not pleasant to me to   
write about bad children1 and ,i should 
not do it if it were not to warn the    
dear children ,i so much love against   
the formation of wrong and sinful       
habits4  ,how much better it would be   
for ,jimmy if he had learned to touch   
not1 taste not1 handle not1 that which  
does not belong to him6  ,illustration  
,,look ,,at ,,the ,,birds6   ,october1  
with its golden and crimson hues1 its   
gentle wind1 and its fair sunny noon1   
has passed away4 ,november has come4    
,the sun shines brightly1 and the sky is
 almost clear of clouds2 but the chill  
wind blows roughly1 and the leaves are  
rudely torn from the trees where they   
have gladdened us through the spring and
 the summer by their refreshing shade1  
their modest beauty1 and their sweet    

music1 as they sung to the gentle breeze
 which played amid the branches4 ,they  
lie now1 most of them1 beneath the      
trees1 wrinkled and faded1 or scattered 
here and there1 far from their fellows1 
wherever the cold blast has wafted them4
  ,the birds have been taught by their  
unfailing instinct that summer has      
departed1 and winter is near4 ,they no  
more warble their rich melodies1 or flit
 in and out of the bowery recesses of   
the honeysuckles or peep with knowing   
look under the eaves1 or into the       
arbour4 ,other purposes prompt to other 
acts1 and they are taking their farewell
 of the pleasant summer haunts1 where   
they have built their nests and reared  
their young4  ,this morning1 soon after 
sunrise1 ,willie was standing on the    
lawn1 contemplating the beauties of     
nature1 and thinking1 ,i suppose1 of the
 changes of the seasons1 when all at    
once ,i heard him shout1 ,look at the   
birds6 ,look at the birds6 ,we threw    
open the window1 and there were         

thousands and thousands of them almost  
over our heads4 ,their wings made a     
noise like the rushing of a steam-engine
 as it cleaves the air in its speed4    
,they were calling to each other with a 
short1 quick sound4 ,it seemed as if    
they were giving and receiving orders4  
,we watched them till they disappeared  
over the tree-tops4  ,there are more6   
,there are more6 shouted ,mary4 ,we     
again looked towards the rising sun1 and
 up over the eastern hills came another 
immense flock1 calling to each other as 
the first1 and they too disappeared     
behind the western hills4  ,there is    
another flock6 and so indeed there was4 
,up from the meadows and over the hills 
they came1 swaying up and down in their 
flight1 and so near that we could see   
each bird distinctly4 ,almost           
simultaneously they alighted on ,clover 
,hill to rest for a moment4 ,i can never
 forget their motion so full of grace   
and beauty1 waving and undulating like  
the gentle swell of the ocean4 ,soon1   

another company followed in the same    
direction1 and when they were over      
,clover ,hill1 up flew the others1 and  
away they went with them beyond our     
sight4 ,flock after flock appeared1 each
 taking the same general direction1 and 
some of them so large that they         
stretched from the hills which bounded  
our view on one side1 as far as our eye 
could see on the other4 ,they looked1 as
 ,willie said1 like bees swarming1 only 
they were much larger4 ,occasionally a  
few stragglers could be seen1 hurrying  
on to join their party1 which was in    
advance of them4 ,perhaps they had      
delayed to take a last farewell of their
 pleasant summer homes1 or1 may be1 they
 were dilatory in their habits1 and did 
not make their morning toilet in season4
 ,i hope they will be more prompt in    
future1 for it is a bad habit to be     
late1 and occasions1 often1 much        
vexation and inconvenience4  ,i never   
before saw so many birds together1      
although ,i have frequently been        

startled by the peculiar sound made by  
large numbers flying in company1 and    
have looked at them with wonder and     
admiration4  ,the migration of birds is 
one of the most remarkable phenomena in 
natural history4 ,the stork in the      
heaven knoweth her appointed times1 and 
the turtle1 and the crane1 and the      
swallow1 observe the time of their      
coming1 and so do all birds of passage4 
,their ,creator has endowed them with a 
wonderful instinct1 which1 in some way1 
unknown to us1 teaches them to guard    
against the severity of the season by   
seeking a warmer climate1 and when      
winter is past1 and the flowers appear  
on the earth1 and the vines1 with the   
tender grape1 give a good smell1 then   
the time of the singing of birds is     
come1 and their voice is heard in our   
land4 ,some of them return1 not only to 
the same country1 but to the same place1
 where they have previously built their 
nests1 and1 year after year1 raise their
 broods in the same friendly tree4  ,it 

is said that1 to enable birds to fly    
with ease1 and to continue long on the  
wing1 they must fly against the wind4 ,i
 observed1 this morning1 that there was 
a brisk wind from the west1 while the   
birds were flying a little south of     
west4 ,perhaps they had been waiting    
several days for a favourable wind1 and 
that may have been the reason of the    
great number of flocks we saw4  ,behold 
the fowls of the air1 said our ,saviour1
 in his sermon on the mount2 for they   
sow not1 neither do they reap1 nor      
gather into barns1 yet your heavenly    
,father feedeth them4 ,are ye not much  
better than they8 ,at another time1 when
 he was talking with his disciples about
 the persecutions they should endure for
 his sake1 he said to them1 ,are not two
 sparrows sold for a farthing8 and one  
of them shall not fall on the ground    
without your ,father4 ,but the very     
hairs of your head are all numbered4    
,fear ye not1 therefore2 ye are of more 
value than many sparrows4  ,not one of  

that immense number of birds1 which we  
saw flying to a warmer country1 can     
perish without ,god's knowledge4 ,he    
sees every one of them4 ,during the     
summer1 he has fed them on the meadows  
near the sea-shore1 and now that winter 
is approaching1 he has taught them to   
seek other localities1 where their      
appropriate food can be found4          
,whenever ,god's children are tempted to
 yield to despondency1 and to fear that 
they shall suffer from want1 let them   
remember that they are of more value    
than many sparrows1 and that if they    
trust their heavenly ,father1 their     
bread shall be given them1 and their    
water shall be sure4 ,he who feeds the  
birds will feed them4 ,may he      ,fill
 our souls with trust unshaken     ,in  
that ,being who has taken     ,care for 
every living thing1     ,in ,summer1    
,winter1 ,fall and ,spring4             
,illustration     ,,the ,,lost ,,child4 
,it was a ,sabbath morning in ,november1
 clear1 bright and frosty4 ,mrs4        

,dudley's family were preparing for     
church4 ,they heard ,carlo bark         
violently1 and knew a stranger must be  
near4 ,carlo is a faithful watch-dog1   
but his habit of barking at visitors is 
so disagreeable1 that he is usually kept
 chained in the day-time4 ,on ,sunday1  
as no company is expected1 he is        
permitted to go at large4 ,when ,mr4    
,dudley heard ,carlo1 he immediately    
threw open the window1 and spoke to him4
 ,he saw a gentleman1 who was evidently 
much alarmed4 ,none of the family knew  
him4 ,the stranger soon made known the  
occasion of his call1 by inquiring1     
,have you seen any thing of a stray     
child8  ,no1 we have not2 whose child is
 lost8  ,mr4 ,mc,pherson's4  ,how old is
 the child8  ,about six years old4 ,his 
mother sent him from home1 yesterday1   
about two o'clock1 and she has heard    
nothing from him since4 ,he had a small 
tin pail with him to get some yeast4    
,it is sad to hear that a child is lost1
 and all the family sympathized with the

 anxious parents4 ,how badly you would  
feel if ,i was lost6 said ,eddie1 and he
 looked sober and grieved1 as he thought
 of the little boy about his own age1   
who had wandered from home1 no one knew 
where4 ,there was much fear that he had 
fallen into the river1 as he had been   
seen on the dock4  ,at ten o'clock the  
family started for church4 ,they met    
people who were searching for the child1
 and who asked them1 as the gentleman   
had done at the house1 ,have you seen   
any thing of a stray child8  ,notice was
 given in the churches that a boy was   
lost1 and many a mother's heart beat    
quicker as she thought of her own dear  
little ones1 and imagined one of them   
sleeping1 perhaps1 through that cold    
,november night on the ground1 or       
7fearful thought67 buried deep in the   
chill water4  ,after church1 you could  
hear one and another inquiring          
anxiously1 ,has the child been found8   
,but no favourable answer was received4 
,in the afternoon1 however1 many hearts 

were gladdened by learning that he was  
safe4 ,he had gone to the village1 and  
got his pennyworth of yeast1 and then1  
instead of returning immediately1 he    
stopped to play with some boys4 ,he had 
gone with them to a part of the village 
with which he was not acquainted and    
when he wished to go home1 he did not   
know what direction to take4 ,he chose a
 road leading him from home1 and        
wandered at least five miles4 ,just     
before dark an old gentleman and his    
grandson were walking on the road1 and  
they observed this little boy crying4   
,what do you suppose he is crying about8
 said the child to his grandfather4  ,i 
don't know4 ,perhaps he has been sent to
 the grocery1 and does not like to go4  
,they watched him and found he did not  
stop1 but passed on with his tin pail1  
crying grievously4 ,they waited for him 
to come up to them1 and asked him1      
,what are you crying about8  ,i want to 
go home6  ,where is your home8  ,the boy
 could not tell4  ,what is your name8   

,william ,hudson4 ,he did not say1 as he
 should have done1 ,william ,hudson     
,mc,pherson4  ,the old gentleman kindly 
took him by the hand1 and led him to his
 own home4 ,william's tears were soon   
dried1 and he became quite contented4   
,it was too late to attempt to find his 
parents that night1 as he could not tell
 where they lived1 and the name of      
,hudson was not familiar to the good    
people who had given him shelter4  ,when
 ,sabbath morning came1 ,william was    
questioned again and again1 till at     
length some clue was obtained of his    
father's place of residence4 ,the horse 
was harnessed1 and ,william1 with lame  
and blistered feet1 was placed in the   
wagon4 ,about noon he safely reached    
home1 and was clasped once more to his  
mother's heart4 ,the father had not     
returned from his search1 and he        
afterwards said1 it had seemed to him   
that he never could go home without his 
child1 on account of the terrible and   
almost frantic distress of the mother4  

,as he approached his house1 borne down 
with grief1 he saw a wagon at the door4 
,his heart leaped with joy1 for he      
thought the lost one was found4 ,he     
opened the door hopefully1 and there1   
indeed1 was ,william gathered once more 
with his brothers and sisters around the
 great cooking-stove1 tears of joy      
flowing down the grateful mother's      
cheeks4  ,all this great grief which    
,william's father and mother            
endured--all the anxiety felt throughout
 the town--and all the sufferings of the
 boy himself1 were occasioned by        
,william's stopping to play1 when he    
ought to have gone directly home6       
,children often think they are quite as 
capable of judging for themselves1 as   
their parents are for them4 ,sooner or  
later this opinion will lead them into  
trouble4 ,william thought it was safe to
 stop and see the boys play marbles1 but
 he found1 to his sorrow1 that it would 
have been far better to have resisted   
temptation and denied himself the short 

pleasure he enjoyed4  ,every human heart
 is grieved when a child like ,william  
strays from home4 ,we do not wonder that
 his mother should be fearfully anxious 
in regard to his fate4 ,but1 oh6 how    
much more bitter tears a loving mother  
sheds1 when her dear ones stray from the
 path of virtue1 and become disobedient 
and wicked6 ,i hope none of the children
 who read about ,william will go astray 
from the right path1 but will ever      
choose that which is pure and lovely and
 of good report1 and which1 through the 
grace of ,god in ,christ ,jesus1 will   
safely lead them home to heaven4        
,illustration     ,,the ,,unpleasant    
,,neighbour4   ,eddie's father has a    
disagreeable neighbour4 ,in one way or  
another he is a constant source of      
annoyance4 ,sometimes his pigs will     
creep through the fence1 and root up the
 smooth green lawn4 ,his part of the    
fence he will not keep in repair1 and   
the hungry cows1 in search of food1 will
 break into the garden1 and make sad    

havoc among the cabbages and other      
vegetables4 ,his fine bay horse1 whom he
 knows will jump over any ordinary      
fence1 is permitted to run in a pasture1
 where he can eke out his scanty meal by
 a hearty lunch among ,mr4 ,dudley's    
corn4 ,all these aggressions1 and many  
more1 have been borne with the greatest 
patience4  ,mr4 ,dudley has often been  
advised to resort to the law as a means 
of defence1 yet he has been reluctant to
 do so4 ,the children have sometimes    
felt very indignant when they have been 
obliged to chase the pigs or the cows   
out of the yard or field1 but their     
parents have endeavoured to teach them  
,christian forbearance4  ,at one time   
,eddie had been thinking about ,mr4     
,morrison1--for by that name ,i shall   
call the unpleasant neighbour1--and he  
said very seriously to his mother1      
,mother1 can ,mr4 ,morrison go to heaven
 if he dies4  ,she hesitated a moment   
how to answer him1 for1 she had taught  
him that it is wicked to lie and to     

swear1 and that if a person loves ,god  
he will not be in the habit of          
committing such sins2 so she told him1  
that unless ,mr4 ,morrison repented he  
could not go to heaven4  ,at another    
time ,eddie and his mother were talking 
about ,god's love for the beings he has 
made4 ,she told him that ,god loves     
every one4  ,does he love ,mr4          
,morrison8 he inquired4  ,yes1 ,god     
loves ,mr4 ,morrison4 ,he is grieved and
 offended by his wickedness1 but he     
loves him4 ,you know ,i love you1 when  
you have done wrong1 although ,i am     
sorry that you have been naughty4 ,i do 
not cease to love you4 ,the ,bible tells
 us that while we were sinners1 ,god so 
loved us as to send his ,son to die for 
us4 ,he loves all1 and wishes all to    
repent and believe in ,christ1 and be   
happy4 ,he has provided a way for all   
who believe to be saved1 and it is only 
because people love sin more than they  
love holiness1 that they are lost4      
,nothing can give us a higher idea of   

,god's love1 than the thought that he   
loves every one--even his enemies4 ,god 
is love4 ,what a blessed1 glorious      
thought6 ,how it encourages us to trust 
him at all times6  ,god does not        
willingly afflict1 nor grieve1 nor      
punish any one4 ,all that he does1 he   
does from the truest love4  ,the        
knowledge that ,god loves us should lead
 us to love him4 ,we are naturally      
disposed to love those who love us1 and 
always do1 unless there is something    
repulsive about them4 ,there can be     
nothing repulsive about ,god1 for he is 
love1 and we who love him1 love him     
because he first loved us4  ,one night1 
after little ,eddie had repeated the    
,lord's ,prayer and his usual evening   
petitions1 he raised his head1 and said 
to his mother1  ,shan't ,i pray for ,mr4
 ,morrison1 now8  ,yes1 dear1 if you    
wish to1 she answered4  ,he bowed his   
head again1 and uttered a simple prayer 
for the man who was the occasion of so  
much trouble and perplexity to his      

father's family4 ,he prayed that ,god   
would forgive his sins for ,jesus' sake1
 and make him a good man4 ,it was very  
pleasant to hear ,eddie pray thus1 and  
to witness his kind and forgiving       
spirit4  ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,dudley have    
often regretted that the children should
 have their early memories saddened by  
such a neighbour1 but perhaps their     
heavenly ,father wishes to teach them a 
lesson of forbearance and love for those
 who injure them1 which they could not  
so well learn in any other way4  ,our   
,saviour1 when dying on the cross1      
taught us practically the duty of       
forgiveness4 ,he prayed even for those  
who put him to death4 ,father1 forgive  
them1 for they know not what they do4   
,do you not suppose he was pleased to   
hear ,eddie ask his ,father in heaven to
 forgive ,mr4 ,morrison and make him a  
good man8  ,illustration     ,,the ,,boy
 ,,who ,,kept ,,his ,,purpose4   ,i     
would not be so mean1 said ,george ,ward
 to a boy who stood by1 while he put the

 candy he had just bought in his pocket4
  ,illustration3 ,i wouldn't be so mean4
  ,you have no right to call me mean1   
replied ,reuben ,porter1 because ,i     
don't spend my money for candy4  ,you   
never spend it for any thing1 continued 
,george1 tauntingly4  ,it was true4     
,reuben did not spend his money4 ,do you
 suppose it was because he loved it more
 than other boys do8  ,reuben turned    
slowly away1 meditating upon what had   
occurred4  ,i will not care for what    
,george thinks1 he at length said to    
himself2 ,i have four dollars now1 and  
when ,i have sold my cabbages1 ,i shall 
have another dollar4 ,i shall soon have 
enough1 and his heart bounded joyfully1 
his step recovered its elasticity and   
his pace quickened1 as the pleasant     
thought removed the sting which the     
accusation of meanness had inflicted on 
his sensitive spirit4  ,enough did not  
mean the same with ,reuben as it means  
with grown people4 ,it had a limit4 ,he 
hastened cheerfully home1 or to the     

place he called home4 ,he had no father 
or mother there1 but kind and loving    
friends in their stead4 ,his father had 
died two years before1 leaving a wife   
and four children without property to   
sustain them4 ,reuben was the eldest1   
and as he was old enough to assist in   
the labours of a farm1 it was thought   
best he should leave his mother4 ,mr4   
,johnson1 a neighbour took him into his 
family1 where he soon became a great    
favourite4  ,there was one thing about  
the child1 however1 which good ,mrs4    
,johnson regarded as a great fault4 ,it 
was what she called a spirit of         
hoarding4 ,she said she never gave him  
an orange1 or an apple1 that he did not 
carry it to his room1 instead of eating 
it4 ,perhaps his sisters at home1 or    
dear little brother ,benny1 could tell  
what became of them4  ,mrs4 ,johnson had
 noticed1 too1 in his drawer1 a box1    
which was quite heavy with money4 ,she  
did not believe he had bought so much as
 a fish-hook1 since he had been in their

 family4 ,if he should go on in this way
 he will grow up to be a miser4 ,mr4    
,johnson smiled at his wife's           
earnestness1 and remarked that with such
 an example of generosity as ,reuben had
 constantly before him1 he could not    
believe the child was in much danger    
from the fault she feared4 ,it must be  
remembered1 he said1 that ,reuben has   
his own way to make in life4 ,he must   
early learn to save1 or he will always  
be poor4 ,there are his mother and      
sisters1 too1 who need his aid4  ,in    
various ways ,reuben added to his store4
 ,when the snow came1 he made nice broad
 paths about the house1 which so        
attracted the notice of a neighbour1    
that she asked if he might be allowed to
 make paths for her4 ,he rose early that
 he might have time for this extra work1
 and was well paid for his efforts4 ,the
 box grew heavier from week to week4    
,reuben had almost enough4  ,one day    
there was a barrel of flour left at     
,mrs4 ,porter's4 ,she thought there must

 be a mistake about it2 but the man said
 he was directed at the store to take it
 to that house4 ,mrs4 ,porter went      
immediately to learn about it1 and what 
was her surprise on finding her son had 
been the purchaser4 ,how could he pay   
for a whole barrel of flour8 ,the money1
 said the merchant2 he brought in a box4
 ,it was in small bits1 which took me   
some time to count1 but there was       
enough4  ,the mother called1 with a full
 heart1 at ,mrs4 ,johnson's1 and related
 what had occurred4 ,reuben wondered why
 his mother should cry so4 ,he thought  
she would be happy4 ,he was sure he was 
happy4 ,he had been thinking two years  
of that barrel of flour1 and now he felt
 more like laughing than crying4  ,those
 tears1 noble boy1 are not tears of     
sorrow1 but of the deepest1 fullest joy4
 ,you are more than repaid for your     
self-denial4 ,you have persevered in    
your determination4 ,you have resisted  
every temptation to deviate from the    
course which you marked out as right4   

,you have borne meekly the charge of    
meanness so galling to your generous    
spirit1 and now you receive your reward4
 ,you are happy1 and so is your mother1 
and so are your kind friends1 ,mr4 and  
,mrs4 ,johnson4  ,that night1 ,mr4      
,johnson remarked to his wife1 as they  
sat together before the cheerful fire1  
that he had some idea of keeping the    
little miser and educating him4 ,a boy  
who could form such a purpose1 and keep 
it1 will1 in all probability1 make a    
useful man4 ,after-years proved the     
correctness of this conclusion4 ,reuben 
is now a man of intelligence and wealth4
 ,he is one whom the world delights to  
honour2 but among his pleasantest       
memories1 ,i doubt not1 is that of the  
barrel of flour he bought for his       
beloved mother4  ,filial love will never
 go unrewarded4  ,illustration          
,,mary',s ,,story4   ,mary and ,eddie   
had retired to their little beds4 ,their
 mother had said good night1 and had    
given them both a kiss4 ,she was just   

leaving the room1 when ,eddie said to   
his sister1  ,now you can tell me about 
,jesus4  ,this simple remark revealed to
 ,mrs4 ,dudley the subject of their     
conversation after she left them for the
 night4 ,it gave her great pleasure1 for
 she desires nothing so much as that her
 children may love the ,saviour1 and she
 knows the more they think about him1   
and the more they learn of his life1 the
 more they will find him worthy of love4
 ,mrs4 ,dudley offered up a silent      
prayer to her heavenly ,father that the 
,holy ,spirit would teach them and guide
 them into all truth4  ,she did not     
remain with the children to hear them as
 they talked together1 but a few days   
afterwards she asked ,eddie what ,mary  
told him about ,jesus4 ,he repeated the 
history of his birth1 of the cruel      
persecution of ,herod1 of his blameless 
life1 and his death upon the cross4     
,eddie is too young to realize much     
about the great love of ,christ1 and how
 much he has done for us that we may be 

happy1 but he is not too young to love  
him4  ,i hope he will never forget the  
sweet story ,mary told him4 ,jesus loves
 little children4 ,he is their best     
friend1 always ready to forgive them    
when they are sorry for doing wrong1 and
 to help them when they try to do what  
is right4  ,even now1 as ,i am writing1 
,i hear children singing      ,there is 
a happy land     ,far far away4  ,the   
sound grows fainter and fainter--eyelids
 are drooping--sleep is near--the voices
 are hushed--the little ones are        
slumbering4 ,may holy angels guard their
 bed4  ,illustration     ,,the ,,sunny  
,,face1 ,,and ,,the ,,shady ,,face2     
,,or1 ,,june ,,and ,,november4   ,how   
happy ,i am to-night6 ,i love you so    
much ,i want to be with you all the     
time1 said ,willie to his mother1 as he 
followed her from the dining-room to the
 nursery1 one stormy evening4  ,what    
made ,willie so happy8 ,it was not      
because the day had been pleasant1 and  
he had been permitted to enjoy himself  

out of doors1 for a chilling snow had   
been falling1 and ,willie had been      
obliged to remain in the house4 ,it was 
not because he was well1 for many hours 
of the day he had been lying on the bed 
too ill to sit up all the time4 ,it was 
not because he had received a handsome  
present1 for none had been given him4   
,there had been nothing unusual to make 
him so happy1 excepting a thought hidden
 in the secret recesses of his heart4   
,shall ,i tell you what that thought    
was1 that made his face so bright and   
sunny1 that made his eyes sparkle1 and  
wreathed his lips with smiles8 ,i will  
tell you in his own words1 and ,i hope  
you will treasure it in your heart4 ,if 
you do1 your face1 too1 will be cheerful
 and smiling1 and your friends will love
 to look upon you4  ,when ,willie told  
his mother how happy he was1 she put her
 arm around him1 and drew him lovingly  
to her side4 ,what makes you so happy8  
she inquired4  ,i suppose it is because 
,i have been trying to be good1 he      

answered4  ,that always makes people    
happy1 his mother replied4  ,willie is  
generally a good boy1 but he sometimes  
does wrong1 and wrong-doing always makes
 him sad4 ,it was a great pleasure to   
him that he had tried to be good1 and   
had been enabled to overcome temptation4
  ,all children are sometimes tempted to
 do wrong1 and it often requires a      
severe struggle to decide to do right4  
,but every child who overcomes evil     
feels a conscious happiness and         
self-respect in so doing4 ,i hope you   
will try to be good4 ,if you do1 and    
look to ,christ for strength1 he will   
aid you1 and through his grace you will 
be able to become conqueror over the    
sins that so easily beset you4  ,henry  
,maxwell lives in the same town with    
,willie1 and is of the same age4 ,these 
boys often play together4 ,i regret to  
be obliged to say that ,henry is not so 
good a child as ,willie4 ,he does not so
 promptly obey his mother1 and of course
 he cannot be so happy4 ,sometimes he   

pouts out his lips1 when his mother     
wishes him to do something which he does
 not exactly like4  ,i one day heard his
 mother talking to him about his teeth4 
,she wished him to brush them again1 as 
he had not done it thoroughly the first 
time4 ,it was astonishing to see how    
that fair1 round face was disfigured by 
that ugly pout1 and it was sad to hear  
his dissatisfied ,i don't want to4 ,when
 his mother insisted on obedience1      
,henry reluctantly complied with her    
wishes1 closing the door behind him with
 great violence4  ,his face was not     
sunny and bright like ,willie's1 when he
 had tried to be good1 but was dark and 
shady1 like a clouded sky4 ,it was not  
pleasant to look upon1 and it made the  
heart of his mother heavy and sad to see
 it4 ,i hope ,henry will learn to be    
cheerful and prompt in his obedience to 
his mother1 for1 if he should not1 the  
expression of his face will grow more   
and more disagreeable1 till1 when he is 
a man1 it will look more like a chilly  

day in ,november1 than a sweet1 gladsome
 day in ,june4  ,i do not wish you      
should tell me1 but ,i should like to   
have you ask yourself1 when you have    
read about these two boys1 which of them
 you are most like4 ,is your face sunny1
 or shady8     ,,it ,,isn',t ,,fair4 ,i 
,,peeped4   ,willie and ,eddie were     
playing ,hide the ,button4 ,after they  
had played some time1 and it was        
,willie's turn to find it1 he came into 
the nursery with his face flushed1 and  
evidently much excited4 ,it isn't fair1 
said he1 and the tears gathered in his  
eyes1 and his lips quivered with        
emotion1 ,i peeped4 ,eddie must hide it 
again2 and he went out of the room1 for 
,eddie to put the button in another     
place4  ,willie had been overcome by    
temptation4 ,he had done a dishonourable
 act1 but his conscience was quick to   
reprove him1 and he had listened to its 
admonitions4 ,there had been a short but
 severe struggle in his mind1 and truth 
and honour had conquered4 ,he was brave 

enough to confess his fault1 and to do  
what he could to make amends for it4    
,mrs4 ,dudley was not at home1 but a    
friend who had charge of the children   
told her the circumstance4 ,it rejoiced 
her greatly that her dear boy should    
have had the manliness to acknowledge   
his error2 and it encouraged her to hope
 that he would never be guilty of a     
similar fault again4 ,willie is a       
conscientious boy4 ,he sometimes does   
wrong1 as in this instance1 but when he 
reflects1 he is always sorry4  ,mrs4    
,dudley did not say any thing to ,willie
 about the occurrence2 but a few        
evenings afterwards as she was sitting  
at the tea-table alone1 the others      
having all left1 he came to her and     
stood by her side1 leaning his elbow    
upon the table1 and resting his head    
upon his hand4 ,she knew by his manner  
and his serious look that he had        
something in particular to say to her4  
,she put her arm around him and drew him
 close to her4  ,mother1 said he1 the   

other day1 when you were gone1 ,i peeped
 while ,eddie hid the button2 and then  
went on and told her all about it4 ,mrs4
 ,dudley talked with him a short time1  
and said he had done right in confessing
 his fault1 and in refusing to profit by
 his wrong act4 ,she knew he was much   
happier than he could have been if he   
had done otherwise4 ,he that covereth   
his sins shall not prosper2 but whoso   
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have
 mercy4 ,willie found the happiness of  
an approving conscience2 and ,i doubt   
not that ,jesus looked down with love   
upon him1 as he does upon all true      
penitents4 ,there is joy in heaven over 
one sinner that repenteth4  ,if ,willie 
had not confessed his fault1 and been   
sorry for it1 his conscience would have 
been hardened and he would probably have
 peeped another time1 when the children 
played the same game4 ,but now1 if he   
should be tempted in this way again1 he 
would remember how much he suffered in  
consequence of having once yielded to a 

similar temptation1 and would not allow 
himself to commit the wrong4  ,it is    
very important that children should     
early learn to confess their faults1 and
 not form the habit of endeavouring to  
hide them from others4 ,if they have    
injured any individual1 they should     
apologize to that individual4 ,sometimes
 it is only necessary to confess to     
,god1 but we should not be satisfied    
with doing it in a general manner4 ,each
 wrong act1 so far as we remember it1   
should be mentioned4  ,if we really love
 our heavenly ,father1 we shall wish to 
tell him all about ourselves4 ,we shall 
have no desire to conceal any thing from
 him1 and it will be a pleasure to us to
 think that he knows every thought and  
feeling of our hearts4  ,willie had no  
wish to conceal from his mother the     
wrong he had done2 he preferred to tell 
her about it2 and ,i have no doubt he   
had previously told his ,father in      
heaven4  ,if we confess our sins1 he is 
faithful and just to forgive us our     

sins1 and to cleanse us from all        
unrighteousness4     ,,the ,,chrysalis4 
,o mother1 look here6 ,what is this8    
exclaimed ,eddie1 as he was in the      
garden with his mother and ,mary and    
,willie4 ,he was standing by a tall     
pole1 around which a ,lima bean-vine had
 wound itself4 ,he had been gathering   
the great dry pods in a basket to       
preserve them for winter1 when his      
grandmother would come to ,clover-,hill 
to see her dear grandchildren4 ,his     
attention had been attracted by         
something peculiar1 and he immediately  
called his mother to come and see it4   
,mary and ,willie ran to look4 ,mrs4    
,dudley found it was a beautiful green  
chrysalis1 suspended by its silken cords
 to the vine4 ,the colour was soft and  
delicate1 and it was ornamented with a  
black line1 and with bright golden      
spots4  ,isn't it pretty1 mother8 ,how  
did it get here8 and many more questions
 were rapidly asked1 while the little   
folks carefully examined it4  ,mrs4     

,dudley told them what it was1 and that 
if they preserved it1 they would in a   
few days see a butterfly escape from it4
 ,eddie looked up astonished4 ,she also 
told them that it was once a worm1      
crawling about upon the earth2 that it  
had climbed up1 and suspended itself    
under the shelter of the leaves1 to     
await its change into a new and more    
attractive form of being4  ,mrs4 ,dudley
 took the chrysalis from the vine and   
carried it to the house1 and put it on  
the mantle in her room4 ,every day the  
children looked at it to ascertain if   
there was any change4 ,soon the colour  
began to fade1 and the delicate         
pea-green became an ashen white4 ,then  
it opened slightly1 where there had from
 the first seemed to be lines of        
division1 and they could peep in at the 
imprisoned insect4 ,the opening became  
wider and wider1 and one day1 when      
,eddie came into the room and went as   
usual to look at the chrysalis1 the     
shell was empty6 ,the butterfly had     

escaped4 ,he uttered an exclamation of  
mingled surprise and disappointment4 ,as
 he turned his head1 he saw1 on the     
little cotton muff of ,mary's doll1 the 
butterfly for which he had so patiently 
watched4  ,here it is1 mother6 he       
shouted in the most joyous tones1 and   
his eyes sparkled with delight4  ,eddie 
and his mother observed it for some     
time4 ,its long1 slender legs rested on 
the muff1 and ever and anon it would    
open and close its brilliant wings1 as  
if to try their power1 or to dry the    
miniature feathers which adorned them4  
,its colour was a rich orange1 shaded   
from the lighter tints to the deeper1   
and variegated with stripes of black4   
,the children examined it with a        
microscope1 which made it appear even   
more beautiful and wonderful than       
before4  ,it remained on the muff       
several hours1 and then flew to the     
window1 and alighted on the curtain4 ,at
 evening1 it was found on the cushion of
 a spool-stand1 and there it passed the 

night4 ,the next day it disappeared1 and
 the children saw it no more4 ,it       
probably flew away through the open     
window1 to enjoy its brief life under   
the smiling sun4  ,the children talked  
much about the transformations which had
 taken place in the life of that        
caterpillar4 ,their mother told them    
that the butterfly was sometimes        
considered a type of immortality4 ,in   
this world we are1 like the worm1 in an 
inferior state of existence4 ,our bodies
 are laid in the grave1 but we are not  
dead1 any more than the unmoving        
chrysalis--which remained so long on the
 mantel just where it was placed--was   
dead4 ,the spirit still lives1 and1     
after it has freed itself from the      
imprisoning flesh1 is more beautiful    
than before1 and is susceptible of more 
perfect enjoyment in the pure atmosphere
 of heaven4     ,,christmas ,,at ,,the  
,,cottage4   ,mrs4 ,dudley's children   
look forward to ,christmas with many    
anticipations of pleasure1 for several  

weeks before it comes4 ,they are quite  
busy in preparing for it4 ,their mother 
is the repository of their secrets1 and 
assists them by her advice in making    
their arrangements4 ,many important     
deliberations take place about mats1    
pin-cushions1 and bookmarks4  ,as the   
day approached1 the children often      
expressed the wish that it was here4 ,a 
few days was a long time for them to    
wait4 ,but time did not hasten4 ,the    
hours were just sixty minutes1 and the  
minutes just sixty seconds4 ,the clock  
ticked on as usual4 ,it was unmoved by  
all the excitement1 and never1 for an   
instant1 quickened its pace4  ,when     
,saturday came1 their mother proposed   
that the presents should be distributed 
that evening4 ,she did not like to have 
the children wish the ,sabbath past1 and
 on ,monday morning there would be but  
little time to make their arrangements  
before the hour for school4 ,she knew   
they would be quiet and happy if they   
had some new books to read1 and would be

 perfectly willing to lay aside other   
gifts till ,monday4  ,mary wished to    
decorate the parlour with evergreens4   
,mrs4 ,dudley sent a man to get some for
 her4 ,she and ,willie arranged them in 
bunches and wreaths4 ,eddie helped all  
he could1 and was as happy as any of    
them4 ,in the afternoon their mother    
assisted them4 ,she put the bunches made
 of the delicate1 feathery hemlock1 and 
the dark glossy laurel1 over the        
windows1 and suspended the wreaths where
 the bay-windows projected from the     
room4 ,small branches of cedar and      
spruce were tastefully arranged in      
vases1 relieved by the rich1 green      
leaves of the ivy1 and the bright1      
lively twigs of box4  ,the children     
wished for a ,christmas tree1 but the   
evergreens they had were all too small  
for that purpose ,mrs4 ,dudley suggested
 that the hat-stand might be            
substituted4 ,they were delighted1 and  
immediately busied themselves in        
adorning it with garlands4 ,it proved   

quite ornamental1 and the pegs served a 
very useful purpose4 ,mary arranged on  
some strips of white paper the words1 ,a
 merry ,christmas4 ,the letters were    
made of the small leaves of the box1 and
 were fastened on with gum-arabic4      
,these were placed amid the wreaths on  
the transformed hat-stand4  ,when all   
these arrangements were completed to    
their satisfaction1 they left the room4 
,mrs4 ,dudley remained some time longer4
 ,when she left1 the door was locked4   
,mr4 ,dudley returned from the city1    
where he had been spending the day1     
bringing some friends with him4 ,tea was
 speedily despatched1 and then all the  
family were summoned4 ,the parlour door 
was unlocked4 ,there were various toys1 
baskets1 and reticules suspended on the 
hat-stand4 ,there was a nice little felt
 hat for one of ,mary's dolls1 and a    
looking-glass for the baby-house1 and an
 embroidered cushion1 which ,willie's   
industrious fingers had made for ,minnie
 ,dudley1 as the doll is called--a far  

better employment for him1 ,i think1    
than throwing it about and treating it  
roughly1 as ,i have sometimes heard of  
boys doing4 ,there were humming-tops1   
which reminded me1 by their music1 of   
the great spinning-wheel that whirred   
away in my mother's kitchen when ,i was 
a child4 ,there were graces1 and        
battle-doors1 and jack-straws for the   
amusement of the children when it was   
too cold or stormy to play out of doors4
  ,on a table was an array of slippers1 
which ,mary and her mother had wrought  
for father and the boys4 ,there was     
merry capering when they were           
transferred to the feet of their owners4
 ,i shall not tell you whether ,mr4     
,dudley so far forgot his dignity as to 
partake of the excitement1 but ,i am    
quite sure he was much gratified by the 
present ,mary had made for him with her 
own hands1 and that he kissed his thanks
 with great fondness4  ,most valuable of
 all to the little folks1 and most      
gladly welcomed1 were the books4 ,how   

eagerly they looked them over4  ,there  
was a present to ,mrs4 ,dudley from her 
children1 which ,i must not forget to   
tell you about4 ,it was a plain gold    
pin1 in which1 neatly plaited1 were six 
bunches of hair4 ,one of them was dark1 
streaked with gray--the others were     
auburn1 flaxen1 and brown4 ,she knew    
whence the treasures came to unite in   
that beautiful mosaic1 and the tears    
were ready to start from her eyes as she
 received that precious token of family 
love4  ,when ,i was a child1 ,i heard   
little about ,christmas4 ,it came and   
went without my knowledge4 ,but ,i enjoy
 the return of it very much now1 and    
sympathize with children in the interest
 with which they regard it4 ,i like to  
think they are treasuring up such       
cheerful memories to make their early   
home attractive to their age4  ,the     
little ,dudley's will always like to    
look back to this pleasant evening1 and 
wherever they are1 their hearts will    
warm more fondly on account of it to    

their father's cottage1 nestled in the  
valley1 and they will be in less danger 
of forgetting the lessons of love and   
kindness they have learned there4     ,i
 ,,will ,,conquer ,,myself4   ,in one of
 the oldest towns of ,new-,england there
 lived1 many years ago1 a little girl1  
whom ,i shall call ,helen ,earle4 ,her  
father had been engaged in the ,east    
,indian trade1 and had accumulated great
 wealth4 ,her mother was a sweet1 gentle
 woman1 who most tenderly loved her     
children1 and endeavoured to correct    
their faults1 and develop their         
excellencies4 ,in ,helen's home there   
was every comfort and every luxury that 
heart could desire1 but she was not     
always happy4 ,she had one fault1 which 
often made herself and her friends very 
unhappy4 ,it was the indulgence of a    
violent temper4 ,she would allow herself
 to become exceedingly angry1 and her   
usually beautiful face was then         
disfigured by passion4 ,her mother was  
greatly grieved and distressed by these 

outbreaks of ill temper1 and did all in 
her power to restrain them4 ,she talked 
with her daughter earnestly in regard to
 the sin of such a temper4 ,helen would 
weep bitter tears1 and express much     
regret for the past1 but she could not  
quite make up her mind to determine to  
overcome temptation4 ,the task seemed   
too difficult1 and she shrunk from the  
attempt4  ,mrs4 ,earle shed many tears  
in secret over this sad failing in her  
beloved child1 and most fervently       
pleaded for help from ,him who had given
 her the care of this immortal spirit to
 educate for eternity4 ,she knew that   
,god alone could change ,helen's heart1 
and give her power to overcome sin1 even
 though assaulted by the fiercest       
temptation4  ,one day1 when ,helen was  
very angry at something which had       
occurred1 her mother led her up stairs  
to her own room and left her alone4 ,for
 a time she cried violently1 then she   
grew calm and quiet1 and her mother     
could hear her walking back and forth   

across the room1 talking to herself4    
,she listened4 ,how her heart rejoiced  
when she heard her repeating1 again and 
again1 ,i ,,will ,,conquer ,,myself6 ,i 
,,will ,,conquer ,,myself6  ,and ,helen 
did conquer herself4 ,she had come to   
the determination1 not that she would   
try to conquer1 but that she would      
conquer1 and1 by the gracious help which
 is always given to those who ask1--she 
nobly succeeded4 ,from that hour she was
 able to overcome the temptation1 and   
was not overcome by it4 ,she grew up to 
womanhood remarkable for the evenness   
and gentleness of her temper4 ,none1 who
 had not known her in childhood1 would  
have suspected that she was not always  
thus mild and lovely4  ,helen did for   
herself what no earthly friend could do 
for her4 ,by the power of her will she  
controlled her impulses1 and this       
triumph was of far more value to her    
than all the wealth of her father4 ,it  
made her a blessing to her friends1     
strengthened all her good purposes1 and 

enabled her to perform the duties of    
life without the friction which a bad   
temper always occasions4 ,it gave her   
that true self-respect which elevates   
the character1 and which none can feel  
who are not conscious of the power to   
rule their own spirits4  ,no child is   
blamed for having a quick temper1 but he
 is blamed if he allows himself to be   
overpowered by it4 ,if he really        
determines1 as ,helen did1 to conquer   
himself1 he will succeed4 ,the old      
proverb1 ,where there is a will1 there  
is a way1 will never fail in such a case
 as this4 ,god helps those who help     
themselves1 and he is ever ready to     
assist us in subduing what is wrong in  
our own spirits4  ,the ,bible contains  
many passages which condemn anger3 ,he  
that is soon angry1 dealeth foolishly4  
,be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry1
 for anger resteth in the bosom of      
fools4 ,make no friendship with an angry
 man1 and with a furious man thou shalt 
not go4 ,he that is slow to wrath is of 

great understanding1 but he that is     
hasty of spirit exalteth folly4 ,let    
every man be swift to hear1 slow to     
speak1 slow to wrath2 for the wrath of  
man worketh not the righteousness of    
,god4  ,all habits grow stronger by     
indulgence4 ,if you allow yourself to   
become angry to-day1 you will more      
easily become so to-morrow4 ,if you     
control your temper to-day1 it will be  
less difficult to control it to-morrow4 
,helen's victory was obtained by        
decision4 ,to form the determination to 
conquer herself required more effort of 
will and more strength of character than
 any subsequent struggle with her       
besetting sin could possibly require4   
,if you have any fault which you wish to
 correct1 you must fully make up your   
mind to succeed4 ,you must resolve that 
you will conquer4 ,if you should        
occasionally be overcome1 yield not to  
despair1 but with renewed courage try   
again4      ,on yourself and ,god       
relying1     ,try1 keep trying4         

,illustration     ,,selfish ,,ella4     
,ella ,russell is a little girl with    
soft1 flaxen hair1 bright eyes1 and a   
complexion fair and clear4 ,she is neat 
and orderly in her habits1 and is very  
gentle and mild in her manners4 ,her    
musical laugh sometimes rings through   
the house like a sweet melody4 ,it is so
 contagious that you would laugh        
yourself to hear it4  ,ella is obedient1
 and needs as little care as any child  
,i ever knew4 ,her father is living1 but
 she has no mother1 and ,ella lives with
 a ,mrs4 ,lindsley1 who has three       
daughters1 two of them older and one    
younger than ,ella4 ,she is much        
attached to this lady1 and feels        
perfectly at home in her house4  ,ella's
 mother was in feeble health several    
years before her death4 ,ella was her   
constant companion1 and nothing gave her
 more pleasure than to wait upon her and
 do all in her power to relieve her     
sufferings and make her more            
comfortable4 ,mrs4 ,russell said her    

daughter was an excellent nurse1        
although she was not more than seven or 
eight years old4 ,it shows how much even
 small children can do for the comfort  
of their invalid friends1 if they really
 try4 ,it is very gratifying to a mother
 to have a child so careful and         
thoughtful1 and ,ella and her mother    
loved each other more and more every    
day4 ,mrs4 ,russell's disease was       
consumption1 and she could not be       
restored to health4 ,poor ,ella1 how    
lonely she felt when her mother died6   
,she was young to know so much sorrow4  
,ella's home is not far from the city4  
,her father often goes there1 and       
frequently sends her some delicacy which
 he knows she would relish--a box of    
early strawberries1 or a basket of plums
 or peaches1 or whatever fruit may be in
 season4 ,mr4 ,russell is exceedingly   
generous1 and he expects his little     
daughter to divide the fruit with the   
family where she has found so excellent 
a home4  ,ella1 good child as she is in 

most respects1 has one sad fault4 ,she  
is selfish4 ,when she receives any      
rarity she would prefer to eat it       
herself1 just as the chickens do when   
they have found a nice tit-bit4 ,it is  
really a trial to her that she cannot   
eat a whole basket of peaches before    
they would spoil6 ,indeed1 one day1     
after receiving such a present1 she said
 to a person in the family1 ,i wish my  
father would not send so many4 ,i like  
it better when ,i have only a small     
basket1 and can keep it in my own room4 
,at one time ,mr4 ,russell sent a basket
 of peaches to ,mrs4 ,lindsley4 ,ella   
was not at home4 ,she had gone out to   
make a call on some of her friends4 ,she
 heard this basket had been sent1 and   
hastened back as soon as she could4 ,i  
hope they haven't eaten up all my       
peaches6 was her first exclamation4 ,she
 was quite indignant to find the basket 
had been opened4  ,mrs4 ,lindsley gave  
her all she considered it safe for her  
to eat2 but ,ella was not happy4 ,she   

felt as if they all ought to be hers1   
and she really cried about it4 ,a day or
 two after ,ella saw her father1 and he 
told her the peaches were designed for  
the family4 ,ella was somewhat          
mortified1 and afterward told ,mrs4     
,lindsley what her father said about the
 basket of fruit4  ,it seems very       
strange that ,ella should be so selfish1
 for her father is not at all so1 and ,i
 know it must grieve him to have a child
 of his so forgetful of the enjoyment of
 others4 ,this selfishness does not make
 her happy4 ,it occasions her much      
trouble1 and it always will4  ,i know a 
little boy1 six years old1 who is very  
fond of fruit1 and who is much delighted
 when his father brings him an apple2   
yet ,i have seen him1 when he had but   
one1 divide it between his brothers and 
sisters1 and reserve no part of it for  
himself4 ,he seemed entirely happy in   
doing so4  ,one day he heard his mother 
say1 ,i have not even a penny in my     
purse4 ,he went up-stairs to his        

money-box1 and brought down a handful of
 pennies1 and gave them to her4 ,his    
mother kissed his plump1 brown cheek1   
and thanked him for his gift4           
,illustration3 ,his mother kissed his   
plump1 brown cheek4  ,which should you  
prefer to be like--selfish ,ella1 or    
this generous little boy8  ,the selfish 
person is always willing to receive     
favours1 but to the generous it is more 
blessed to give than to receive4        
,illustration     ,,our ,,father ,,who  
,,art ,,in ,,heaven4   ,father is       
coming1 father is coming6 shout a merry 
group of children1 as ,mr4 ,wilmot      
appears around a little knoll1 on his   
return from his business4  ,let us run  
and meet him1--and away they scamper    
over the lawn to see which will get to  
him first4 ,they are laughing gaily1 and
 their feet trip lightly1 as hatless and
 bonnetless they hasten to him4 ,mary's 
brown curls are streaming in the wind1  
and it is a beautiful sight to look upon
 these children1 so full of life and joy

 and love4  ,mr4 ,wilmot greets them    
with a smile1 and stoops to kiss each of
 them1 as they put up their arms to give
 him a loving welcome to his home4 ,one 
of them takes his basket1 and another   
his cane1 and then the unoccupied hands 
are claimed by the tiny ones who love to
 walk by his side4  ,why do these       
children hasten so eagerly to meet their
 father8 ,it is just because he is their
 father4 ,he has provided them with a   
home1 and with food and clothing1 and   
has given them many pleasant things to  
enjoy4 ,he loves them1 and his love and 
approbation are very precious to them4  
,they obey his wishes1 and strive to    
please him1 and this is one source of   
the happiness which fills their hearts4 
,i think most of you1 dear children1    
have kind parents1 to whom you are      
warmly attached1 and that you do not    
hear the name of father without emotions
 of pleasure4 ,some of you have no      
earthly father1 but you all have one in 
another and better world4  ,most of you1

 in your infancy1 have learned to repeat
 the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,how beautiful and
 expressive are the words with which it 
commences1 ,our ,father who art in      
heaven4 ,god1 then1 is your father1 and 
you may go to him as his children4 ,you 
may tell him all your wants1 all your   
sorrows1 and all your joys4 ,you may    
pour out your heart to him with perfect 
freedom4 ,you need not fear to do this  
as you would to a stranger1 for he is   
your ,father1 and knows all about you4  
,he knows every time you suffer1 and he 
sees every thought of your heart4 ,god  
loves you more than any earthly friends 
can1 and he has enabled them to bestow  
upon you all the comforts which surround
 you4  ,when you kneel down to pray1    
will you not remember that it is to a   
father you are speaking1 and will you   
not love him as truly and warmly as you 
do the dear father who takes you on his 
knee1 and speaks so kindly and          
affectionately to you4 ,your father in  
heaven has given you this earthly       

parent1 and you should surely love him  
for all he has done for you4  ,do not   
let the precious words1 ,our ,father who
 art in heaven1 be unmeaning ones to    
you2 but strive to realize the great    
goodness and condescension of ,god in   
permitting you to call him by so sweet a
 name1 and give him the only thing you  
can in return1--your young and grateful 
hearts4  ,illustration     ,,hattie     
,,and ,,herbert4   ,was there ever so   
good a mother as you are8 said ,hattie  
,atherton1 throwing her arms around her 
mother's neck1 and kissing her with     
great affection4  ,oh yes6 answered     
little ,herbert1 in a solemn tone1 there
 is one a great deal better4  ,why1     
,herbert6 what do you mean8 exclaimed   
,hattie1 who knew ,herbert loved his    
mother as dearly as she did4  ,i mean   
,god4 ,he is better than mother4  ,but  
,god is a ,father4 ,he is our ,father in
 heaven1 continued ,hattie4  ,herbert   
was quite satisfied with ,hattie's      
correction1 and was then ready to agree 

with her1 that his mother was the best  
mother in the world4  ,herbert was a    
very little boy1 but he had been taught 
that ,god was more worthy of love than  
even his father or mother could be4 ,he 
was too young to understand much about  
the being of ,god1 and when he called   
him a mother a great deal better than   
his own mother1 it was an expression of 
his love and reverence4  ,do you1 dear  
children1 when you realize something    
about the love which your mother feels  
for you1 and which enables her          
cheerfully to do so much for your       
comfort1 remember that ,god loves you   
even more than she does1 and that ,he is
 far more deserving your strongest      
affections8  ,he that loveth father or  
mother more than me1 the ,saviour said1 
is not worthy of me4 ,god should occupy 
the first place in your heart1 and next 
to ,him you should love your parents4   
,happy is that child who is so willing  
to be governed by her mother's wishes   
that she is at all times ready to       

exclaim1 ,was there ever so good a      
mother as my mother6  ,illustration     
,,the ,,two ,,wills4   ,when a man of   
wealth dies1 there is always much       
interest felt in regard to the          
disposition he has made of his property 
by will4 ,sometimes large bequests are  
made to benevolent societies1 and the   
donor is generally considered a very    
generous man4 ,many bless his memory1   
and his name is cherished with grateful 
respect4 ,it is right that it should be 
so4 ,god loves the cheerful giver4  ,i  
have just read the last will and        
testament of a little boy nine years    
old1 who lived in ,ohio4 ,not very long 
ago he was taken ill with fever4 ,the   
disease was violent1 and he suffered    
much4 ,at length it became evident that 
he must die4  ,a few hours before his   
death1 he looked up to his mother and   
said3  ,do you remember my gold dollar8 
,yes1 my son2 but we had better not     
think of that now4  ,but mother1 said   
,george1 ,i want you to give it to the  

missionaries1 and my shillings too1 and 
all the pennies4 ,give it all to the    
missionaries4  ,george died1 and ,i     
trust has gone to heaven4 ,his desire to
 do good was no doubt acceptable and    
pleasing to ,god4 ,he could not receive 
here the reward ,god has promised to    
those who give to the poor1 but in      
another world his heavenly ,father can  
most richly recompense him4 ,the sum    
contributed by the dying child was not  
large1 but it was all he had4  ,in the  
same town lived a little girl1 whose    
father was a clergyman4 ,one after      
another of his dear ones were taken from
 him4 ,a precious babe of seventeen     
months1 a sweet prattler of three years1
 and another of five1 were called to    
leave this world and grow up with the   
angels in heaven4 ,then this child of   
eleven must go too--the fourth out of   
that family circle within one short     
month6 ,she had been a follower of the  
,saviour for three years1 and had       
thought much of the condition of the    

heathen1 who have no knowledge of the   
way of salvation through ,christ4 ,she  
hoped1 if she lived1 to become a        
missionary herself1 and teach them about
 the true ,god and his son ,jesus       
,christ4  ,she was ill nearly three     
weeks1 but she was not unhappy4 ,she did
 not fear to die4 ,the ,saviour1 whom   
she loved1 was near her1 to walk with   
her through the valley of the shadow of 
death1 and his rod and staff--they      
comforted her4 ,she knew that her       
beloved parents would soon join her in  
the heavenly world1 when they all       
together should enjoy the immediate     
presence of their ,lord4 ,she looked    
forward cheerfully and joyfully1 to the 
glorious immortality upon which she was 
so soon to enter4 ,when dying1 she      
exclaimed1 ,it is all dark here1 but ,i 
shall soon be where it is light4 ,i     
shall be with my heavenly ,father1 and  
the blessed ,saviour1 and all the good  
people4  ,one of this child's last      
requests was1 that her dollar--the only 

money she possessed--should be sent to a
 missionary society to buy ,testaments  
for heathen children4  ,these children's
 offerings1 small though they are1 are  
yet precious gifts cast into the        
treasury of our ,lord4 ,their influence 
will never cease4 ,many souls may be    
converted through the truth these two   
mites may be the means of teaching4     
,illustration     ,,bless ,,god ,,for   
,,this ,,doll4   ,when ,mary ,wilson was
 about five years old1 her aunt ,ann    
came from a distant place to make her   
mother a visit4 ,she was fond of        
children1 and often talked and played   
with her little niece1 and assisted her 
in making dresses for her doll4 ,this   
gratified ,mary1 and made her love her  
more and more1 as we always love those  
who are kind to us4  ,mary's doll was   
not pretty1 but she liked it very much1 
and took good care of it4 ,she always   
undressed it at night1 before she went  
to bed1 and put on a nice white         
night-gown her mother had made for it2  

and in the morning she would dress it   
again for the day4 ,she named it        
,louisa1 but her younger brother always 
called it ,quesa1 and1 after a time1 all
 the family spoke of it by that name4   
,mary often wished she could wash       
,quesa's face1 as her own was washed2   
but she had tried it once1 and found it 
would not answer1 for the colour came   
off its cheeks1 and it looked more than 
ever as if it needed a good rubbing with
 a sponge4  ,sometimes1 when passing the
 shop-windows1 and seeing the new dolls 
so temptingly displayed1 ,mary would ask
 if she might stop and look at them1 and
 would1 perhaps1 say1 ,i should like    
that doll4 ,mrs4 ,wilson would gladly   
have purchased one of them for her1 but 
she was obliged to be economical1 and   
could not gratify all her wishes4 ,mary 
had early to learn many lessons of      
self-denial1 and ,i must do her the     
justice to say she was always satisfied 
with her mother's decision4  ,mary would
 occasionally go to walk with her aunt  

,ann1 who observed with what delight she
 looked at the porcelain dolls1 so      
bright and fresh1 and she thought she   
could not make her a more acceptable    
present than one of them4  ,one day1    
when ,mary was not with her1 she bought 
a doll with rosy lips and cheeks1 blue  
eyes1 and short curling hair1 and       
dressed it in clothes which could be    
taken off and put on easily1 as all     
little girls like to have them4 ,it was 
indeed very pretty1 and its face could  
be washed without injury as often as    
,mary pleased to do it4  ,mary knew     
nothing about the present she was to    
receive1 till all this was done2 and    
then her aunt1 going into the nursery1  
put it in her arms as she was sitting in
 her low chair playing with ,quesa4     
,mary looked at the new doll1 and then  
at her aunt1 and then at the doll again1
 as if to say1 ,what does all this mean8
 ,aunt ,ann answered the look by saying1
 ,the doll is for you1 ,mary4  ,it was  
just what she had long wanted1 and her  

heart was full of happiness and         
gratitude4 ,after holding it a moment1  
she laid it carefully in her chair1 and 
kneeling down1 put her little hands     
together and closing her eyes1 said1    
,bless ,god for this doll4 ,mary had    
been taught that ,god was the giver of  
every good gift1 and she felt1 that     
although aunt ,ann gave her the doll1   
her heavenly ,father had put it into her
 heart to do so1 and she wanted to thank
 him for making her so happy4  ,perhaps 
you think that ,god is too great a being
 to care about your little wants1 and   
that he does not put the thought into   
any body's heart to buy dolls for       
children1 as ,mary ,wilson did4 ,nothing
 which concerns the happiness of the    
creatures he has made1 is too small for 
his attention4 ,nothing escapes his     
notice4 ,the very hairs of your head are
 all numbered4 ,so small a bird as a    
sparrow1 the ,bible tells us1 cannot    
fall to the ground without his          
knowledge4 ,if he cares for the birds1  

he certainly does for children1 and     
wishes them all to be good and happy4   
,god has given you all many gifts1 for  
which you ought to thank him4 ,if ,i    
should look into your play-rooms1 how   
many things ,i should see which add to  
your enjoyment6 ,in one there is a      
pasteboard house1 with windows and      
doors1 and partitions to divide it into 
rooms4 ,it is furnished with tables and 
chairs1 and the dolls can sit in them4  
,in another1 are blocks with which to   
build houses1 castles1 and railways1 or 
any thing the fancy of the young        
architect may dictate2 and here is      
,noah's ark1 in miniature1 containing   
himself and family1 and many animals4   
,countless other toys are distributed   
among my young friends1 which make their
 bright eyes sparkle1 and wreathe their 
lips with smiles4  ,other treasures1    
more valuable than these1 are not       
wanting4 ,how many books ,i see6 and as 
,i open them1 one after another1 at the 
fly-leaf1 ,i read your own names and the

 names of those friends and relatives   
who have given them to you4  ,have you  
ever thanked your heavenly ,father1 as  
,mary ,wilson did1 for these pleasant   
things which make you so happy1 and for 
all the blessings he confers upon you8  
,your parents provide you with food and 
clothes1 and many other comforts which  
you need2 but it is ,god who enables    
them to do so1 and who fills their      
hearts with such love for you as to make
 it a pleasure to watch over and care   
for you4 ,you should be grateful to them
 for all their kindness1 but you should 
never forget that to your ,father in    
heaven you owe your gratitude for such  
loving friends4  ,god himself has taught
 you to ask him1 day by day1 for your   
daily bread4 ,that prayer shows who     
provides for your wants1 and whom you   
should thank for the pleasant things you
 enjoy4  ,there is one gift of exceeding
 great value which the ,lord has        
bestowed upon us--greater than all      
others--but ,i will tell you about it   

another time4     ,,bessie ,,hartwell4  
,children who are called obedient       
children are often not so prompt in     
their obedience as they should be4      
,instead of doing directly as they are  
bidden1 they stop to ask ,why8 and seem 
to wish some other reason for compliance
 with a command than the word of a      
parent4 ,it is often proper to tell     
children why they should do or should   
not do certain things2 but children     
should be careful to remember that they 
must obey1 whether they know the reason 
of the requirement or not4  ,bessie     
,hartwell is about eleven years old4    
,she is generally a good child1 but1    
like all others whom ,i have known1 she 
has some faults4 ,although she always   
intends to obey1 she does not always    
obey instantly4 ,i will tell you a sad  
accident which befell her in consequence
 of this tardiness1 and you will see it 
would have been much better for her if  
she had learned to be prompt4  ,she was 
travelling with an aunt on a steamboat4 

,she was very happy1 for she was going  
to visit her grandfather and            
grandmother1 and she knew she should    
enjoy herself on the fine farm1         
scampering about over the fields1 raking
 the new-mown hay1 and riding on the top
 of the load4  ,bessie always liked to  
go to the country4 ,her home was in the 
city1 where she had only a small yard1  
not much larger than her grandmother's  
capacious kitchen1 to play in1 and that 
was surrounded by a high1 close fence1  
so that she could see only the tiny     
patch of grass beneath and the beautiful
 blue sky above4  ,children in the      
country do not know how to prize their  
freedom4 ,if they could be penned up in 
the city for a few months1 as ,bessie   
was for the greater part of the year1   
they would learn to appreciate it1 and  
they would look upon every tree and     
every blade of grass as a friend4 ,the  
chirping of the crickets1 the singing of
 the frogs1 and the warbling of the     
birds would be thrice welcome music to  

them4 ,no wonder ,bessie was so happy   
when she thought of the wide lawn       
studded with trees1 the orchard rich in 
apples and pears1 the hills down which  
she and her sisters could run1 and up   
whose steep sides they must scramble    
when the horn sounds for dinner4 ,the   
country is rich in its treasures of     
happiness1 and they are bestowed freely 
and profusely upon every one who in the 
love of nature holds communion with her 
visible forms4  ,it was in the gray     
twilight of the morning that the        
steamboat arrived at the wharf4 ,when   
they went home1 ,bessie was awakened1   
and was soon ready1 with her            
travelling-bag on her arm1 to leave the 
boat4 ,her aunt took her by the hand1 to
 lead her across the gangway4 ,they had 
but just stepped upon it1 when she      
started forward to reach her uncle1 who1
 with an infant in his arms1 had just   
preceded her4 ,her aunt called to her to
 stop4 ,she paid no attention1 but      
passed rapidly on4 ,a car1 laden with   

baggage1 was drawn across the gangway4  
,it frightened her4 ,she stepped quickly
 aside1 and fell into the water4  ,oh6  
the agony of that moment6 ,her uncle and
 aunt could not aid her4 ,he besought   
the people near him to take the infant  
from his arms1 that he might leap into  
the water to attempt the rescue of the  
child2 but they would not do it4 ,they  
held him back1 that he might not expose 
himself to the danger of immediate      
death2 for he could not swim1 and of    
course he could not render the          
assistance which was needed4 ,he and her
 aunt were both obliged to stand and    
look on1 in unutterable anguish1 while  
strangers attempted to save her4        
,bessie fell in such a way that she did 
not sink under the water4 ,her clothes  
spread out1 and buoyed her up like a    
life-preserver4 ,a man let himself down 
as soon as possible2 but the rope was   
not long enough for him to reach        
,bessie4 ,he could only touch her with  
his foot4 ,she took hold of it1 and he  

slowly raised her till he grasped her   
bonnet4 ,in this way they were both     
pulled up1 and ,bessie once more stood  
by the side of her aunt4 ,how freely    
they all breathed once more1 when the   
terrible suspense was ended1 and she was
 safe6  ,bessie seemed scarcely aware of
 the danger she had been in4 ,she had   
been perfectly calm1 and did not lose   
her presence of mind2 and it was owing  
to this1 probably1 that she was so      
easily rescued4 ,she tried to save her  
travelling-bag1 but1 as she told her    
aunt1 she could not hold it any longer  
than she did4  ,it was wonderful that   
,bessie was not drowned4 ,if she had not
 been supported by her clothes1 she     
would have sunk beneath the water1 and  
when she arose would very probably have 
come up under the boat1 so that it would
 have been impossible to save her4  ,if 
,bessie had been in the habit of obeying
 so soon as she was spoken to1 she would
 not have met with this fearful         
accident1 and her uncle and aunt would  

have been spared the mental suffering   
they endured4 ,i should think she never 
again would forget to obey at the first 
word from those who have the care of    
her4  ,i hope1 dear children1 you will  
profit as much by ,bessie's accident as 
,i trust she will2 and that you will aim
 not only to be obedient1 but promptly  
obedient4 ,you may not suffer the same  
mishap that she did1 even if you allow  
yourself to form the same habit2 but it 
may lead you into as great danger1 and  
even greater1 for it may peril the      
purity and peace of your soul1 and that 
is of far more consequence than the     
safety of your body4  ,illustration     
,,mary',s ,,great ,,treasure   ,more    
than twenty years ago1 there was a      
little blue-eyed1 curly-haired child    
playing about one of the pleasant homes 
in the ,west4 ,she was happy and kind1  
and every one loved her4 ,she was only  
six years old1 yet she had a great      
treasure in her possession--greater than
 many of the kings and queens of the    

earth can claim4  ,what do you suppose  
this treasure was8 ,was it a valuable   
diamond8 ,was it an immense amount of   
silver and gold8 ,something better than 
diamonds or silver and gold1 was in this
 little girl's keeping--something which 
will be safe when these have all        
perished4  ,i will tell you what this   
treasure was1 because ,i want you to be 
as rich as ,mary1 and1 through the great
 goodness of ,god1 you may all have just
 such a precious gift4 ,it was a ,,new  
,,heart--a heart that loved her heavenly
 ,father1 that loved to pray to him and 
ask him to keep her from sin4  ,mary    
often talked with her companions about  
,jesus1 and before she was ten years old
 several of them had been brought to    
love and obey him1 and had1 like ,mary1 
a new heart4 ,how happy they were       
together6 ,how much the ,saviour loved  
them6  ,mary is now dead1 and has gone  
to heaven4 ,do you suppose she is sorry 
she so early went to ,christ and asked  
him for a new heart8  ,how pleasant it  

must have been to her to be able to say1
 as she looked back over her past life1 
that she could not remember the time    
when she did not love the ,saviour2 and 
she surely does not now regret1 that    
when she was a little child--less than  
most of you who are reading about       
her--she went to ,jesus and asked him   
for a heart to love him4  ,our heavenly 
,father will give you a new heart1 if   
you really wish to have it and feel your
 great need of it4 ,jesus died that you 
might be saved from sin1 and he loves   
little children4 ,will you not go to    
him1 as did ,mary1 and ask him for a new
 heart8 ,if you are sorry for your sins1
 tell him so2 and if you are not1 ask   
him to help you to feel how wicked sin  
is1 that you may have the great         
treasure4  ,illustration     ,,susan    
,,will ,,be ,,happier ,,if ,i ,,go      
,,with ,,her4   ,mary ,wilson is a      
little girl only nine years old4 ,she   
loves her mother very dearly1 and she is
 always happy to be with her4  ,mrs4    

,wilson lives in the country1 not far   
from a pretty village1 to which she     
occasionally goes to make a few         
purchases or call on a friend4 ,she     
sometimes takes ,mary with her1 who     
always enjoys such a walk4 ,she trips   
along by her mother's side1 sometimes   
taking her hand1 and sometimes stooping 
down to gather a wild-flower which      
blossoms by the roadside2 and then      
perhaps she runs on and watches the     
brook that trickles down the hill1 on   
its way to the river4 ,her smiling face 
and sparkling eyes show she is happy4   
,one day when she was all ready1 with   
her white sack and blue sun-bonnet on1  
to accompany her mother along the bank  
of the river to the village1 ,susan     
,grafton called for her to go with her  
in another direction1 on an errand for  
,mrs4 ,grafton4 ,mary was greatly tried4
 ,she wished very much to go with her   
mother1 but ,susan did not like to go   
alone4 ,what to do she did not know4    
,tears were in her eyes1 as she told her

 mother her trouble and asked her what  
she should do4 ,mrs4 ,wilson left the   
decision entirely to ,mary4 ,after a    
short struggle she smiled through her   
tears1 and said1 ,i should rather go    
with you1 mother1 but ,susan will be    
happier if ,i go with her4 ,i think ,i  
had better go with her4  ,mrs4 ,wilson  
kissed the quivering lip of her         
daughter1 and told her she had done     
right in thinking of ,susan's happiness4
 ,her heart ascended in prayer to ,god  
for his blessing on her dear child1 that
 she might ever be unselfish and        
self-sacrificing4  ,would not most      
children be happier than they now are1  
if1 like ,mary1 they tried to make      
others happy1 and were willing to deny  
themselves for the sake of their        
companions8  ,although ,mary was so much
 grieved to lose her walk with her      
mother1 she was far happier that        
afternoon than she would have been      
without an approving conscience4  ,will 
you not pray1 dear children1 for a kind1

 unselfish heart8  ,illustration        
,,the ,,news-,,boys' ,,bank4  ,,part ,i4
   ,how much money have you in the bank8
 ,i heard a gentleman inquire of a boy4 
,a dollar and a half1 he replied4 ,i    
looked up1 and saw before me a slender1 
bright-looking lad1 about fourteen years
 old4 ,the pantaloons he wore had       
evidently belonged to a full-grown man1 
and were rolled up at the bottom to make
 them short enough for the present      
wearer4 ,his coat had been cut short in 
the skirts1 and the sleeves hung loosely
 about his hands4 ,his shirt was not    
particularly clean1 neither was it very 
dirty4 ,his face1 however1 had been     
nicely washed1 so that there was nothing
 repulsive about the fellow4 ,the       
gentleman talked with him a few moments4
 ,i was quite interested in the         
conversation and learned from it that he
 was one of the news-boys of ,new ,york4
  ,illustration3 ,first interview with  
the news-boy4  ,patrick--for by this    
name ,i shall call the boy--sleeps at   

the lodging-house for news-boys1 and is 
there learning to read4 ,i concluded    
that ,i would go there1 and see for     
myself what had been done for the       
improvement and salvation of these      
energetic1 active boys4 ,i found the    
building to which ,i had been directed1 
but could not readily find the entrance 
which led to the room ,i was seeking4 ,i
 inquired of some poorly-dressed        
children where it was4 ,a boy about ten 
years old guided me4 ,he asked if ,i    
wanted a boy4 ,i was sorry to say ,no1  
for he looked so bright and active that 
it seemed a pity not to give him some   
employment4  ,i ascended one flight of  
stairs1 and another1 and still another  
and another1 before ,i came to the right
 door4 ,i knocked1 and was admitted by a
 gentleman who has the oversight of     
these boys4 ,the room which ,i entered  
was nicely painted and whitewashed4     
,there were many seats with desks as in 
a a schoolroom1 and there were books and
 slates on them4 ,maps and pictures hung

 on the walls1 and there was a library  
for those who could read4  ,the room was
 neat and tidy1 and quite inviting in   
its appearance4 ,at the farther end of  
it was an office for the caretaker1 and 
a bathing-room1 where water can be used 
without stint or measure4 ,the boys     
enjoy the free use of the water1 though 
probably many of them never bathed in   
their lives1 before they came to the    
lodging-house4 ,if cleanliness is next  
to godliness1 much has been already     
accomplished4  ,the school or           
sitting-room opens into the dormitory4  
,this is a large and well-ventilated    
apartment1 and1 being in the sixth      
story1 overlooks most of the buildings  
in the vicinity4 ,there were            
accommodations for fifty boys1 and the  
room is large enough for eighty4 ,each  
boy has a separate bed4 ,they are       
arranged in two tiers1 as in a          
steamboat4 ,the beds were all neatly    
made1 and looked quite comfortable4     
,many of these boys have never slept in 

a bed except in this room4 ,the remarks 
which they make to each other1 when     
comparing their beds1 with their clean  
sheets and pillow-cases1 with the boxes1
 areas1 and crannies where they have    
been accustomed to sleep1 are very      
amusing4  ,i am happy to know that there
 has been a constant improvement among  
the boys4 ,they grow more orderly1 and  
are more easily restrained1 and some of 
them give promise of making useful men4 
,they are not allowed to use profane    
language1 to fight1 nor to smoke in the 
rooms1 and generally manifest much      
kindness of feeling toward each other4  
,there was a table in the room1 which   
interested me greatly4 ,it was of       
black-walnut4 ,in the top there were one
 hundred and ten different holes1 large 
enough to admit a half-dollar4 ,each of 
them was numbered4 ,this was the bank in
 which ,patrick had deposited his money4
 ,there were one hundred and ten little 
divisions in the drawer1 corresponding  
with one hundred and ten openings in the

 top4 ,the boys each have a certain     
number for their own use1 and if they   
choose1 can safely secure their day's   
earnings for a time of need4 ,the       
superintendent keeps the key of the     
drawer4  ,several weeks ago1 the boys   
voted not to take their money from the  
bank till ,november1 that they might    
then have the means of purchasing warm  
clothes for the winter4 ,i had quite a  
curiosity to look into the bank1 to see 
how much the boys had saved4 ,in some of
 the divisions there were only a few    
pennies1 while in others there were     
several dollars4  ,i never looked upon  
any bank with so much pleasure1 as ,i   
did upon this simple one of the         
news-boys4 ,it was teaching them a      
lesson of economy and forethought1 which
 ,i trust they will never forget4 ,when 
they enjoy their comfortable coats and  
warm pantaloons in the cold weather of  
winter1 they cannot avoid remembering1  
that it was by taking care of the       
pennies1 that they were enabled so      

nicely to clothe themselves4 ,the       
news-boys have never been taught the    
true value of money4 ,they have not     
hesitated to gamble it away1 or to spend
 it for segars and tobacco1 and other   
unnecessary and hurtful things4 ,they   
have been exceedingly improvident and   
have had no idea of laying up any thing 
for the future4  ,one evening1 as the   
boys were gathered in their             
sitting-room1 one of them was leaning on
 the bank4 ,he held up a quarter of a   
dollar between his thumb and finger1    
and1 looking at his companions1 said1   
,you know ,simpson1 the pawnbroker8     
,yes4 ,he is a friend in need1 but here 
is a friend indeed6 and the bright      
silver dropped1 jingling1 into his bank4
  ,those news-boys all of them possess  
more than ordinary intelligence and     
energy of character4 ,every one of them1
 as a gentleman said1 is worth saving4  
,they are sure to make men1 and to exert
 an influence in the world4  ,after my  
return from my visit to their rooms1 ,i 

told some children about the necessities
 of these news-boys1 and how much they  
need better clothing4 ,a little girl1   
whom ,i know1 has determined to make a  
shirt for one of them4 ,i am sure it    
will be acceptable2 for1 frequently1    
when they first go to the lodging-house1
 they are so filthy that something must 
be given them to make them decent4      
,perhaps other children may like to do  
something to benefit those needy ones1  
who have no father nor mother to take   
care of them and provide for their      
wants4   ,,part ,,ii4  ,when the bank   
was opened1 the first of ,november it   
was found to contain seventy-nine       
dollars and eleven cents6 ,this sum of  
money had been saved in seven weeks1 by 
twenty-four boys4 ,they were quite      
astonished at their own success4 ,they  
learned the lesson by personal          
experience1 that if they took care of   
the pennies1 the shillings would take   
care of themselves4 ,some of them had   
saved enough to buy a new suit of       

clothes1 others enough for pantaloons1  
and others for a cap or shoes4 ,they    
were advised not to spend their money   
hastily2 but a few were too impatient to
 wait1 and the same evening they        
received it they went out to make their 
purchases4 ,others laid by their money  
till morning4  ,the news-boys found it  
was so much better for them to put their
 money in the bank1 than to spend it in 
gaming1 or for cigars1 or in other      
useless ways1 that they voted to close  
it again1 not to be opened till         
,december4 ,during the month of         
,november1 nineteen boys saved          
sixty-three dollars and forty-seven     
cents4 ,one of them had put in thirteen 
dollars4 ,he did not spend it all for   
himself1 but gave a part of it to his   
mother to pay her rent4  ,the boys were 
delighted with their wealth4 ,no hard   
times here6 they cried4 ,money isn't    
tight with us4 ,there is plenty of it4  
,one of the boys purchased an entire    
suit of clothes2 and when he made his   

appearance among the others1 in his nice
 blue jacket1 with bright buttons1 his  
pantaloons to match1 and his blue       
navy-cap1 he was greeted with cheers4   
,one and another examined his wardrobe1 
and all enjoyed his success4 ,who are   
you8 ,who'd think this was ,charley     
----8 ,is this a news-boy8 ,who'd       
believe this was a news-boy8 and various
 other exclamations escaped from them4  
,charley has done well this time4 ,yes1 
,charley did well1 and he will not soon 
forget the lesson he learned that month4
 ,he knows more of the true use of money
 than ever before4  ,the first of       
,december the boys voted to keep the    
bank closed till the third of ,january4 
,they decided not to have it opened on  
the first1 because there are so many    
temptations to spend money that they    
feared1 if they had it in their pockets1
 they should part with it foolishly4    
,one of the news-boys has been recently 
run over by a stage4 ,i inquired about  
him1 and learned that he is the very boy

 whom ,i met in a friend's office1 and  
my interest in whom led me first to     
visit the lodging-house4 ,this is the   
third time he has narrowly escaped      
death4 ,the omnibus passed directly over
 his body4 ,when he was taken up1 his   
companions thought him dying4 ,he was   
conveyed immediately to the hospital4   
,the boys at the lodging-house were     
saddened by ,patrick's troubles4 ,they  
expected he would die4 ,they recounted  
his excellencies of character4 ,his     
cheerfulness and ready wit were not     
forgotten4 ,patrick is not a boy of many
 words1 but when he speaks1 it is to the
 purpose4 ,the boys called at the       
hospital to see him4 ,the door-keeper   
said he never knew a boy who had so many
 cousins6  ,the next day ,patrick was   
better4 ,it was found that he was not so
 much injured as was at first supposed4 
,there was great rejoicing in the       
evening at the lodging-house4 ,a heavy  
load had been lifted from their hearts4 
,patrick would soon be among them again4

 ,they were cheerful and full of life   
and spirits4 ,patrick must be half made 
of ,india-rubber6 they exclaimed1       
gleefully4  ,this sympathy with each    
other is one of the most beautiful      
traits of their character1 and shows a  
nature that may be nobly developed4     
,they cannot but learn much that is good
 in the hours spent in their            
reading-room1 as they listen to the     
instruction of those interested in their
 welfare4 ,many of them have already    
found good situations1 and give promise 
of becoming useful men4 ,they appreciate
 kindness and civility4 ,mr4 ---- spoke 
to me in the street1 when he was walking
 with another gentleman and he shook    
hands with me too1 said one of them     
triumphantly1 as if he had risen in the 
scale of being1 and was more worthy of  
respect1 in consequence of the respect  
with which he had been treated4 ,few can
 estimate the power of sympathy4        
,speak gently1 kindly1 to the poor2     
,let no harsh term be heard2     ,they  

have enough they must endure1           
,without an unkind word4  ,i have never 
forgotten your words of kindness1 when  
,i was poor and almost discouraged1     
wrote one lady to another1 and no more  
will any child of want forget the       
utterance of a warm1 generous heart4  ,i
 should have told you1 that besides the 
money the boys put in the bank1 they    
earn enough to pay for their lodging1   
six cents a night1 and to purchase their
 food1 and1 sometimes1 various articles 
of clothing4 ,they are obliged to be    
very active1 and to be up early in the  
morning4 ,they may be found in all parts
 of the city1 crying their papers with  
loud1 piercing voices1 and running at   
full speed from street to street1       
stopping only to sell papers to any who 
may buy4  ,it would be well if they had 
some occupation which would expose them 
less to bad company and unsteady habits2
 but a news-boy can be honest1 virtuous1
 and temperate1 as well as any other    
boy1--if he will take the right way to  

be4  ,illustration     ,,ida',s ,,dress4
   ,at one time1 when ,mrs4 ,dudley was 
spending a few days in the city1 she    
went with a friend to call upon a poor  
woman whom she heard was in great need4 
,this woman had sent a daughter1 about  
eight years old1 to school for one day1 
and then found that she could not spare 
her2 she felt obliged to keep her at    
home to take care of the baby4  ,mrs4   
,carter--for by this name ,i shall call 
her--occupied a house back from the     
street4 ,the ladies ascended the steps  
leading to the first floor1 and inquired
 if she lived there4 ,she is in the     
basement1 was the answer4 ,they         
descended into the area4 ,it was neatly 
swept1 and in perfect order4 ,it must be
 a genteel woman who lives here1        
remarked ,mrs4 ,benton4 ,they knocked4  
,a voice bade them come in4 ,they opened
 the door and entered4 ,mrs4 ,carter was
 sewing by a table4 ,by her side stood  
,georgianna1 her oldest child1 plainly  
and neatly dressed4 ,at the other end of

 the table was a little girl about four 
years old1 whose name ,i forget1 and in 
the rocking-chair before the stove was a
 dark-haired babe1 quietly sleeping4    
,the room was neat and tidy4 ,there was 
a little fire in the stove1 but not     
enough to thoroughly warm the room4     
,the ladies inquired of ,mrs4 ,carter in
 regard to her circumstances4 ,they     
learned that her husband left her last  
spring1 and had gone she knew not where4
 ,he was a carpenter by trade1 and could
 earn two dollars a day4 ,she had always
 done what she could with her needle1   
and had earned a few dollars a month by 
binding shoes or doing other sewing4    
,they had lived very comfortably1       
renting good apartments for eight       
dollars a month1 and knew nothing of    
want or suffering4  ,mrs4 ,carter was   
obliged to give up her pleasant rooms1  
to remove to the basement4 ,she has     
laboured industriously1 whenever she can
 procure work1 to pay her rent1 three   
dollars a month1 and to provide food for

 her children4 ,she has known what it is
 to be both cold and hungry4 ,she has   
bought coal by the bushel1 and has      
sometimes been without fire in the dead 
of winter4 ,her family have lived       
principally upon bread and water1 and   
the little ones have cried for food when
 she had none to give them4  ,little    
,ida is too young to know her mother's  
sorrow4 ,she is a babe of only a few    
weeks old1 and she sleeps as sweetly in 
that great rocking-chair as any babe    
ever slept in a cradle4 ,she is warmly  
wrapped in a blanket1 and does not      
suffer1 although she has scarce a change
 of dresses4  ,when ,mrs4 ,dudley       
returned to her happy home1 she told her
 children about this family1 and        
particularly about the poor babe1 who so
 increased her mother's cares and       
labours1 yet repaying it all by the     
wealth of maternal love her coming had  
developed4 ,it was pleasing to see      
,georgianna lay her face so softly on   
the infant's1 and so gently rock her    

when her slumbers were disturbed4  ,mrs4
 ,dudley's children listened to her     
story with great interest1 and wished to
 do something for the family4 ,mary     
repaired some garments which her mother 
gave her1 and when this was done1 she   
went to her drawer and took out a small 
piece of calico1 which had been given to
 her to make her doll a dress4 ,she     
asked her mother if there was enough to 
make ,ida a dress4 ,mrs4 ,dudley        
examined it1 and told her there was4 ,so
 she cut it out for her daughter1 and   
showed her how to make it4 ,this work   
occupied her several days1 for ,mary    
goes to school1 and has not much time   
for sewing4 ,the dress looked very      
pretty when it was completed4 ,she had  
embroidered the tiny sleeves with a neat
 scollop1 and had taken great pains to  
make it strong and neatly4  ,the next   
time ,mrs4 ,dudley went to the city1 she
 took several small parcels for ,mrs4   
,carter1 who was much pleased with them4
 ,none gratified her more than the dress

 for the baby4  ,it will always be a    
pleasant recollection to ,mary that she 
made the heart of this suffering woman  
happy by sending a dress to her infant4 
,she learned the pleasure of giving1 and
 of exerting herself to do good to      
others4  ,if ,mrs4 ,dudley had had the  
dress made by a seamstress1 it would    
have been equally useful to ,mrs4       
,carter2 but ,mary would have lost the  
reward which she now enjoys in the      
consciousness of relieving the          
sufferings of the destitute4 ,i hope    
,mary will always be benevolent1 and    
never grow weary in well-doing4         
,illustration     ,,what ,,made ,,willie
 ,,happy4   ,willie was looking at the  
slippers which his mother had wrought   
for him1 and admiring the freshness of  
the colours4 ,they were a ,christmas    
present to him1 and had afforded him    
much pleasure4  ,you were very happy the
 evening they were given to you1 said   
his mother4  ,but no happier than ,i was
 last evening1 he replied4  ,i will tell

 you what made him so happy on the      
evening to which he alluded4 ,at        
,christmas1 two little books had been   
added to his library1 and another had   
been lent him by one of his companions4 
,when he had read these books1 he was   
very desirous to get still another4 ,he 
began to inquire how he could earn money
 enough to buy it1 for he thought he    
should like to purchase it himself4 ,he 
could think of nothing which could be   
done in the house1 by which he could    
replenish his purse2 so his mother told 
him1 if he would control his temper for 
a week1 she would get the book for him4 
,if he did get out of patience1 and     
immediately checked himself1 he was to  
receive it4  ,every evening ,willie came
 to his mother1 and told her how he had 
succeeded through the day4 ,she observed
 him very carefully1 and she knew that  
he really tried to conquer himself4 ,she
 encouraged him in his efforts1 and     
,willie was very happy--happy because he
 was succeeding in correcting what was  

wrong--and happy in the anticipation of 
the reward promised him4  ,the last day 
of the week came1 and passed away4      
,willie's father returned from the city4
 ,he brought with him a parcel done up  
in soft white paper1 and tied with a    
small red and white twine4 ,his mother  
opened it1 and there was the book for   
which she had sent4 ,she wrote ,willie's
 name in it1 with the day of the month1 
and then wrote ,a ,reward of ,merit4    
,she thought those few words would      
remind him of the way in which he earned
 the book1 and would encourage him to   
persevere in overcoming any bad or      
sinful habit4  ,all these things        
together made ,willie quite as happy as 
on ,merry ,christmas4 ,it always makes  
people happy to endeavour to subdue what
 is wrong in themselves1--such efforts  
being their own reward4 ,the            
consciousness of the approval of our    
heavenly ,father must always occasion   
the truest pleasure4     ,,do ,,you     
,,intend ,,to ,,be ,a ,,gentleman8  7,a 

,,question ,,for ,,boys47   ,as ,i sat  
at the table a few evenings since1 a    
gentleman called4 ,he was invited to    
take a seat with us4 ,as he had already 
supped1 he declined4 ,this person is a  
man of talent and education1 but as ,i  
turned to look at him1 in the course of 
conversation1 ,i observed a habit which 
so disgusted me1 that it was with an    
effort ,i could finish my tea4  ,this   
circumstance impressed on my mind the   
importance of forming correct habits in 
boyhood4 ,the child is father of the    
man1 ,wordsworth says in one of his     
poems4 ,the habits and character you    
form now will1 in all probability1 be   
the habits and character you will retain
 when you are a man4 ,i suppose the     
individual to whom ,i have alluded was  
entirely unconscious of doing any thing 
disagreeable4 ,if not1 perhaps he did   
not consider it of much consequence4 ,he
 may have grown up with the opinion that
 little things are of small importance4 
,now1 that this is not always so1 you   

may easily see if you drop a spark of   
fire in a pile of shavings3 the whole   
will be immediately in flames1 and will 
do as much injury as if it had been     
kindled by a large coal4  ,our happiness
 depends quite as much on little things 
as on great4 ,small trials are as       
difficult to bear as any4 ,people often 
lose their patience when a dress is     
torn1 or a pitcher broken1 who would be 
quiet and calm if some serious          
misfortune had befallen them4  ,i hope1 
boys1 you intend to be gentlemen4 ,i do 
not mean fops and dandies1 but true     
gentlemen4 ,you have perhaps seen the   
remark made1 that dress does not make   
the man1 but after he is made1 he looks 
better dressed up4 ,neither do          
gentlemanly habits and manners make the 
man1 but they certainly improve him     
after he is made1 and render him        
agreeable and prepossessing4  ,a farmer1
 or a cabinet-maker1 or a blacksmith1   
are no less gentlemen because they are  
engaged in these useful and honourable  

employments1 than are judges1 or        
merchants1 or ministers4 ,to be a       
gentleman is to be a man of gentle      
manners2 and who would not desire to be 
distinguished for such a trait8  ,if you
 intend to be gentlemen1 you must begin 
now1 by always conducting1 under all    
circumstances1 just as well as you know 
how4 ,some of you1 ,i suppose1 have     
better advantages of society1 and more  
careful instruction at home1 than       
others2 but no boy of intelligence need 
fail to be a gentleman if he tries4  ,a 
true gentleman is always courteous4 ,he 
answers respectfully when spoken to--no 
matter by whom4 ,do you remember the    
anecdote of ,general ,washington1 who   
raised his hat and bowed politely to a  
coloured man he met1 who had previously 
saluted him with the usual civility of  
the race8 ,a friend with him expressed  
surprise4 ,do you think1 said he1 ,i    
would be less polite than a negro8 ,i   
hope1 when you are tempted to be uncivil
 to those whom you consider beneath you1

 you will not forget the good example of
 the ,father of his ,country4 ,i suppose
 the secret of ,washington's politeness 
and greatness was1 as his mother proudly
 said of him1 that ,george was always a 
good boy6  ,he was a gentleman--such a  
gentleman as ,i should be glad to       
believe every boy who reads this book   
will one day be4 ,if you would be polite
 to all1 you must cultivate kind        
feelings towards all4 ,a gentleman is   
not a rough man4 ,he may have great     
energy and power of character1 as had   
,washington1 but still he is a          
gentle-man4     ,,generous ,,nelly2     
,,or1 ,,the ,,willing ,,mind4   ,nelly  
,wallace is about six years old4 ,she   
has a pleasant1 attractive face4 ,her   
long hair curls in ringlets over her    
neck4 ,she is one of the neatest and    
most gentle children ,i ever saw1 and   
gives her mother but little trouble4    
,indeed1 she is so orderly1 and active1 
that she is quite an assistance to her4 
,she sings like a lark1 and is patient  

as a lamb4 ,she is very generous1 too4  
,her father is obliged to live on a     
small salary4  ,nelly is a favourite    
with her father's friends1 and often    
receives a present from them4  ,one day1
 she heard her mother say to her father 
that they needed some particular article
 very much1 but he told her he had not  
money enough to purchase it4 ,she       
quietly left the room1 and went up      
stairs4 ,presently she returned1 and    
placed a five-dollar gold-piece1 which  
had been given to her1 in her mother's  
hand4 ,please use my money1 mother1 she 
said2 ,i should rather you would use it 
for what you need1 than keep it to buy  
something for myself4  ,at another time1
 her father was obliged to take a       
journey on business4 ,nelly brought     
forth her purse1 and offered its        
contents to him to defray his expenses4 
,dear child6 she knew nothing about the 
cost of travelling1 nor the value of    
money4 ,she thought her three-cent      
pieces would be all he would need4      

,illustration3 ,nelly brought forth her 
purse4  ,paul1 when exhorting the       
,corinthian church to liberality1 says1 
,if there be first a willing mind1 it is
 accepted according to that a man hath1 
and not according to that he hath not4  
,nelly had a willing mind1 and her      
father was as much gratified by her     
thoughtful consideration as he would    
have been if she had been able to       
furnish him all that he needed4 ,so our 
heavenly ,father is pleased with his    
children when they do what they can to  
provide for the wants of the needy2 and 
the smallest gift1 offered in love1 is  
not forgotten by him4  ,you recollect   
that our ,saviour1 when he saw the rich 
men casting their gifts into the        
treasury and the poor woman casting in  
her two mites1 said that she had cast in
 more than they all4 ,they had given of 
their abundance2 it had cost them no    
self-denial--but she1 of her penury1 had
 cast in all the living that she had4   
,god looks not only on the outward act1 

but at the heart4 ,he sees the motives  
which actuate us4 ,he saw ,nelly's      
heart1 and he approved her generosity4  
,he gave her an approving conscience1   
which made her very happy--far happier  
than she could have been if she had been
 selfish1 and thought only of her own   
enjoyment4     ,,lovest ,,thou ,,me8    
,jesus1 after his resurrection from the 
dead1 appeared at various times to his  
disciples4 ,once1 when ,peter1 ,john1   
and a few others were fishing in the    
,sea of ,tiberias1 he stood on the      
shore1 and inquired of them1 ,have ye   
any meat8 ,they answered1 ,no4 ,then he 
directed them to cast their net on the  
right side of the ship1 and they should 
find fish4 ,they did so1 and caught one 
hundred and fifty-three4 ,the disciples 
then knew it was ,jesus who had spoken  
to them4 ,after they had secured the    
fish by drawing the net to the shore1   
,jesus invited them to dine with him4   
,the disciples had observed1 so soon as 
they came to land1 a fire of coals1 and 

fish laid thereon1 and bread4 ,this was 
the refreshment our ,lord had prepared  
for them1 and he1 himself1 gave them the
 simple repast4  ,after they had dined1 
our ,saviour said to ,peter three times1
 ,simon1 son of ,jonas1 lovest thou me8 
,the first and the second time ,peter   
answered1 ,yea1 ,lord1 thou knowest that
 ,i love thee4 ,peter was grieved       
because ,jesus said unto him the third  
time1 ,lovest thou me8 and he replied1  
,thou knowest all things2 thou knowest  
that ,i love thee4  ,how did ,peter know
 that he loved ,jesus8 ,it was not      
because he always did right1 for a short
 time before he had denied his ,lord1   
and had more than once said that he did 
not know him6 ,yet1 notwithstanding     
this1 when he was now asked1 ,lovest    
thou me8 he could unhesitatingly answer1
 ,thou knowest that ,i love thee4  ,if  
you should be asked1 ,do you love your  
parents8 you would immediately answer1  
,yes4 ,you know you love them4 ,how do  
you know it8 ,it might not be so easy   

for you to answer this question as the  
other1 but at the same time you are     
conscious that you do love them4 ,you   
feel that they are your best friends4   
,they provide for all your wants4 ,they 
furnish you with food and clothes and   
the means of education4 ,they take care 
of you when you are well and when you   
are ill4 ,you feel grateful to them for 
what they do for you1 and you enjoy     
being with them1 and talking with them4 
,you like to please them1 and it makes  
you sad when you have grieved them4     
,children who love their parents very   
dearly sometimes do what they do not    
approve2 but they are always sorry for  
it1 as ,peter was when he went out and  
wept bitterly4  ,if you should be asked1
 ,do you love your heavenly ,father8    
could you as readily answer1 ,yes8 ,do  
you like to hear about him and his      
wonderful works8 ,is the story of       
,jesus' love for lost man one that      
interests you8 ,is it pleasant to you to
 think of living forever with the ,lord 

when you leave this world8  ,if you love
 your ,father in heaven1 you do not love
 to do what is wrong4 ,if you are       
overcome by temptation1 and sin against 
him1 you are sorry1 as you are when you 
sin against your earthly parents4       
,children1 and grown people too1        
sometimes seem to think that religion is
 to be kept by itself1 separate and     
distinct from our daily duties1 and that
 it consists in praying1 going to       
church1 hearing sermons1 and wearing a  
sober face4 ,it is true the ,christian  
often feels sober1 but there is no one  
who may be so cheerful as he1 for there 
is none that can be so truly happy4     
,true piety extends to all the acts of  
our lives1 and influences them all4 ,it 
does not forbid our doing any thing that
 it is right for us to do4 ,a ,christian
 child enjoys play quite as well as any 
other child4  ,if ,jesus should say to  
you to-day1 as he did to ,peter1 ,lovest
 thou me8 could you answer1 ,yes1 ,lord1
 thou knowest that ,i love thee8 ,it is 

just as easy for you to know whether you
 love him as it is for you to know      
whether you love your father and mother4
 ,i trust there are many children who do
 love the ,saviour1 and who wish to live
 to be good and to do good4     ,,my    
,,little ,,bag4   ,on my table lies a   
little bag4 ,it has no beauty to render 
it valuable4 ,it is not made of silk or 
velvet4 ,the material is plain muslin1  
and that by no means of the finest      
texture4 ,it is not very neatly made4   
,the stitches are irregular4 ,sometimes 
they are piled one above another1 and   
again they are scattered far apart4 ,the
 hemming shows that no skilful          
seamstress held the needle4 ,and yet    
this bag has afforded me much pleasure4 
,every stitch was made by the hand of   
love1 and with a desire to gratify me   
and add to my happiness4 ,it was a work 
of toil1 for the fingers were unused to 
such labour4 ,patient industry and      
persevering effort were required to     
accomplish it4 ,self-denial1 too1 was   

practised1 for play was forsaken on its 
account4  ,it was a gift to me from a   
dear child2 a token of his purest and   
warmest affection2 and that has made    
this coarse muslin more precious than   
the richest material could be1 which had
 no such extraneous value4  ,what a     
blessing is love6 ,how it enriches us6  
,without it we must ever be poor4 ,god  
is love1 and he has taught us to love   
one another4 ,love is the fulfilling of 
the law4 ,we must love our neighbour as 
ourselves4      ,little deeds of        
kindness1     ,little words of love1    
,make our earth an ,eden1     ,like the 
heaven above4  ,no offering of true love
 is valueless1 however small or         
imperfect it may be4 ,my little bag is  
rich in pleasant associations1 and ,i   
never look upon it but with a full      
heart4  ,god does not accept what we do 
for him because of any peculiar         
excellence in our devotion1 but because 
it is the result of our love to him4    
,illustration     ,,do ,,you ,,like     

,,your ,,seat8   ,on the day after one  
,fourth of ,july1 ,i was obliged to go  
into the city4 ,the cars were crowded   
with those who were returning1 after    
spending our national anniversary in the
 country4 ,how much they must have      
enjoyed that day of release from city   
labour1 and dust1 and close streets     
bounded by high brick houses6 ,how      
beautiful to them the green fields1 the 
shady trees1 and the soft-flowing river6
 ,how they gazed on the hills           
luxuriating in verdure1 and the valleys 
rich with their treasures of wealth and 
beauty6  ,god made the country1 and all 
his works are perfect4 ,i pity those who
 are pent up in a large prison-city with
 nothing but a dwarf-maple before their 
windows which at all resembles the      
country1 and who have to look up1 up1   
up1 before they can get a glimpse of the
 blue sky1 and the fleecy clouds which  
sail majestically along1 ever varying   
from one form of beauty to another4     
,thank ,god1 my young friends1 that he  

has given you a country home1 and never 
leave it1 unless stern necessity compels
 you to make your abode in the hot1     
crowded1 feverish city4  ,the cars1 on  
the morning of the fifth1 were1 as ,i   
have told you1 crowded1 and it was      
difficult to find unoccupied seats4 ,a  
gentleman and his wife entered a car1   
near the door of which were two seats   
with only one person in each4 ,the first
 was occupied by a boy about fifteen4   
,the gentleman politely asked him if he 
would sit with another gentleman1 that  
he and the lady who was with him might  
not be separated4 ,the first impulse of 
the boy was a civil one1 and he started 
to rise2 but the second thought was     
ungentlemanly1 ungenerous1 and extremely
 selfish4 ,i like my seat very well1 he 
muttered1 and drew back to the window   
and looked out4 ,perhaps even then he   
began to feel ashamed of such rudeness4 
,the gentleman behind him immediately   
arose1 and offered his seat4 ,it was    
accepted with a bow1 and a thank you1   

sir4 ,the lady was immediately behind   
the boy1 and1 as she seated herself1 she
 said to him1 in a low1 kind voice1 ,i  
fear you will never be a gentleman4 ,he 
made no reply1 nor did he move his face 
from the window1 but his very ears      
blushed4 ,he was evidently ashamed4     
,during the whole ride he kept nearly   
the same position1 not being willing to 
meet the eyes of his fellow-passengers1 
for he must have observed their         
disapprobation of his ill-manners2 and  
before the cars were entirely within the
 dept1 he went out upon the platform to 
escape from observation4  ,i hope the   
boy will never be rude in this way      
again1 for he evidently was made unhappy
 by it4 ,there is only one reason why ,i
 fear he will not profit by the         
well-merited rebuke he received1 and    
that is1 because ,i saw one of his      
cheeks puffed out with a quid of        
tobacco6 ,i confess ,i do not expect so 
much improvement from a boy who indulges
 in such a filthy habit1 as from one who

 does not4  ,a gentlemanly boy must     
always be happier than one who is rough 
and selfish4 ,the boy in the car did not
 enjoy his ride1 although1 as he said1  
he liked his seat very well4 ,his       
impoliteness made it unpleasant and the 
remembrance of it will never afford him 
gratification4 ,i hope none of you1 who 
read about him1 will be guilty of a     
similar error4  ,always try to be       
accommodating to those about you4 ,if   
you are asked to do a favour1 do it as  
if it gave you pleasure4 ,you will never
 have occasion to regret it4 ,be civil  
to those in your father's employment4   
,their love and respect is of value to  
you4 ,there are very few sunk so low as 
not to appreciate true politeness4      
,above all others1 be polite to your    
parents1 and your brothers and sisters4 
,do not indulge in harsh words4         
,perhaps the boy of whose history ,i    
have given you a single incident never  
read ,peter's instruction to the early  
,christians1 in his epistle to them1 and

 did not know that the apostle          
considered politeness of sufficient     
importance to be worthy of the attention
 of those to whom he wrote4 ,be         
courteous1 is his direction to them1 and
 ,i cannot give you better advice on the
 same subject4  ,illustration     ,,the 
,,little ,,beggar4   ,as ,i was walking 
up street1 a few days since1 ,i met two 
little girls who looked very much alike1
 and were nearly of the same age4 ,they 
wore gingham sun-bonnets1 which came far
 over their good-natured faces4 ,their  
calico dresses were neatly made4 ,their 
blue woollen stockings looked warm and  
comfortable1 but their shoes were old   
and much worn4  ,as ,i passed1 the elder
 held out her hand in a way which ,i    
could not mistake1 but ,i thought ,i    
would ask her what she wanted4 ,she     
replied1 ,a penny to get mother some    
sugar for her tea4 ,i talked with the   
children a few minutes about their      
mother1 and inquired if she sent them   
out to beg4 ,they said she was obliged  

to do it1 for their father was dead1 and
 she was not able to work4              
,illustration3 ,the elder held out her  
hand4  ,the children had such good1     
honest faces1 and gave such evidence1 in
 their general appearance1 of more care 
than most of this class of children     
usually receive1 that ,i thought ,i     
would go home with them1 that ,i might  
better judge of the correctness of their
 story1 and of the necessities of their 
mother4 ,so ,i said to them--  ,where   
does your mother live8  ,they named the 
street4  ,will you take me there8  ,yes1
 ma'am4 ,we must go this way2 and they  
turned off in the direction of their    
home4  ,what is your name8 ,i inquired  
of the elder child4  ,mary ,ann ----4   
,and what is your's8  ,ellen ----1      
answered the younger4  ,have you any    
brothers and sisters8  ,we have one     
sister and one brother4 ,her name is    
,joanna1 and his is ,michael4 ,a man    
took ,michael away the fifth of         
,july--the day after the ,fourth--and we

 haven't seen him since4 ,mother thinks 
we shall never see him again4  ,they    
told me that their father was a         
stone-picker1 and while he lived1 they  
did very well1 and went to school2 but  
since he died1 their mother had been    
ill1 and had bled at the lungs1 and was 
not strong enough to work4  ,i was      
pleased to see the children take each   
other by the hand1 and walk along quite 
lovingly by my side4 ,they appeared kind
 and polite to each other1 and seemed to
 think that in me they had found a      
friend4 ,they talked very fast1 and told
 me many things about themselves and    
their way of life4  ,we save our money  
to pay the rent4  ,how much does your   
mother pay8  ,three dollars4  ,three    
dollars a month6 ,i said1 thinking how  
much it was for a poor woman1 who had   
herself and three children to feed and  
clothe4  ,i don't know whether it is a  
month1 or a week1 or how long2 ,i only  
know it is three dollars4  ,once we were
 turned out in the snow4 ,oh6 how cold  

my feet were6 ,the remembrance of her   
sufferings seemed almost to make her    
shiver4  ,what did you do8  ,a woman    
took us in her house4  ,it is a long    
walk for you1 said ,mary ,ann1 as we    
crossed one of the broad avenues1 and we
 live in the top of the house4  ,when we
 reached the house where the children   
lived1 ,mary ,ann and ,ellen ran up     
before me so fast that ,i lost sight of 
them4 ,the hall was so dark that ,i     
could not see the stairs1 but ,i could  
hear their feet pattering quickly on1   
and ,i followed as best ,i could4 ,the  
last flight of stairs ,i could see      
distinctly1 for the sky-light was just  
over them4 ,they were brown with age1   
but they were evidently often swept and 
washed4 ,i entered a room in which ,i   
saw the children4 ,the woman there they 
introduced as their mother4 ,she did not
 receive me with much cordiality4 ,i    
suppose she wondered why ,i had come    
there4 ,her room was small and scantily 
furnished4 ,it was heated by a small    

furnace4 ,the great gray cat was dozing 
in the corner4  ,i seated myself on a   
clean wooden chair1 and began to talk   
with the mother about her children4 ,she
 told me of her only son1 as fine a boy 
as ever stood on two feet1 and her      
anxiety in regard to him4 ,i attempted  
to encourage her to hope that so soon as
 navigation closed1 he would return to  
her1 for he had been employed on a      
coal-boat2 but she refused to be        
comforted4 ,she wished to find a place  
for ,joanna in the city4  ,mary ,ann1   
who is nine years old1 said she should  
like to go to the country4 ,she thought 
she could wash dishes1 set the table1   
and sweep1 and ,i thought so too1 for   
she seemed to me one of the smartest    
little girls ,i ever saw4 ,she would    
have been quite willing to accompany me 
to the country1 if her mother had       
consented1 and ,i could have taken her4 
,the children's mother came to this     
country when she was quite young1 and   
lived for several years as a servant in 

different families4 ,she showed me      
several papers which she carefully      
preserved in a basket4 ,one was a       
certificate from a physician--another   
from the person who had employed her    
husband4 ,as she opened her trunk ,i    
observed its contents were nicely folded
 and arranged1 as if she had a love of  
order4 ,she told me she was able to do  
nothing but sew and could not procure   
much of that4  ,after the children came 
in1 they combed their hair1 and braided 
it1 and washed their hands and faces4   
,i inquired if the children could read4 
,ellen got her ,easy ,lessons1 and came 
and stood by my side while she read in  
it4 ,mary ,ann read very well in her    
geography1 and ,joanna in some ,reading 
,lessons which she had used at school4  
,i asked them if they could write4  ,i  
can1 replied ,mary ,ann4 ,i can write my
 name1 or ,i could your's if ,i knew it4
  ,i gave each of the children a piece  
of silver4 ,they immediately handed it1 
with a bright smile1 to their mother4 ,i

 told them ,i would call again and see  
them some time1 but ,i could not do it  
often4 ,when ,i bade them good-by1 they 
all followed me to the door1 and looked 
so pleased and happy that ,i felt amply 
repaid for my long walk4 ,i had gone but
 a few steps1 when ,mary ,ann came      
bounding along1 and asked1 ,when will   
you come to see us again8 ,i took her   
hand1 and we walked together to the next
 street4  ,there are many children as   
destitute as these little girls1 and    
many1 very many1 who have not even a    
feeble mother to care for them4 ,many   
poor children are sent out to gather the
 coal from the streets1 or bits of wood 
where new buildings are being erected1  
and their bread they beg from door to   
door4  ,in some of our cities benevolent
 people have opened schools for these   
miserable children1 where they are      
taught to sew and read1 and to observe  
to some extent the decencies and        
proprieties of life4 ,in some1 a dinner 
is given to its pupils1 and1 where it is

 possible1 a home for the homeless in   
the country4  ,children often save a    
part of their money for missionary or   
other benevolent purposes4 ,i cannot    
conceive a more suitable object for     
their benefactions than other children  
who are poor and destitute4 ,it is more 
blessed to give than to receive1 the    
,bible tells us4  ,i hope you do not    
forget to thank ,god for the comforts   
and happiness of home1 which you enjoy2 
and ,i hope1 also1 that you will not    
forget that we have the poor with us    
always1 and must do them all the good in
 our power4      ,have pity on them1 for
 their life       ,is full of grief and 
care2     ,you do not know one half the 
woes       ,the very poor must bear2    
,you do not see the silent tears        
,by many a mother shed1     ,as         
childhood offers up the prayer1         
',give us our daily bread4'     ,,little
 ,,charley4   ,charley was a sweet      
little babe4 ,it was a pleasure to kiss 
his plump cheek1 and pat his fat and    

dimpled arms4 ,he was a dear babe1 and  
we all loved him1 and our blessed       
,saviour loved him even more than we    
did4  ,before ,charley was two years    
old1 he became ill4 ,all that physicians
 could do was done for him1 but he daily
 grew more and more feeble4 ,the bright 
blue eyes lost their brilliancy1 and    
became faded and dim4 ,the plump and    
rosy cheek became hollow and pale4 ,the 
fat and rounded limbs grew thin and     
weak1 and we all felt that little       
,charley would soon be taken from us4   
,the same sweet smile lingered about his
 mouth1 although pain and suffering had 
saddened that baby-face4 ,he no longer  
tottered about the floor1 but was       
confined constantly to his bed4 ,not    
there even was he to remain more than a 
few short weeks4 ,the angel of death    
came1 and bore him to the ,saviour's    
bosom4 ,his friends looked at the       
beautiful casket1 and felt that the     
spirit which had inhabited it1 and made 
it precious1 was no more there4 ,they   

committed it tearfully to the grave1    
and1 lonely and sorrowing1 returned to  
their desolate home4 ,the crib was      
vacant--the tiny shoe had no owner--the 
rattle lay neglected4 ,there was no need
 of the noiseless step lest the sleeper 
should be awakened4 ,little ,charley    
slept in death4  ,how sad and broken    
those loving hearts6 ,those parents were
 ,christian parents1 and they sorrowed  
not as those without hope4 ,jesus1 their
 ,saviour1 had wept1 and they knew their
 tears were not forbidden4 ,one of the  
cords which bound them to earth was     
snapped asunder4 ,they had one child in 
heaven1 there to be a pure and sinless  
spirit in the immediate presence of his 
,father--,god4 ,there was comfort in the
 thought that ,charley's tiny bark had  
safely passed over the sea of life1 and 
was securely anchored in the haven of   
eternal rest4  ,charley had a brother1  
,willie1 two years older than himself4  
,little could he know of death--but he  
knew he had no baby-brother now1 and his

 mother told him ,charley was in heaven4
  ,i hope1 mother1 said he1 the apostles
 will not get him4  ,why1 my child8     
,because they did not want little       
children to go to ,jesus1 was his       
artless reply4  ,this little boy has    
recently removed1 with his parents1 to  
the city4 ,he does not like it as he did
 the green grass and shaded fields of   
the country4 ,he feels lonely without   
the companionship of the trees and the  
birds1 and he wishes that ,god would    
take him right up to heaven to play with
 ,charley4  ,how is it with you1 my dear
 child8 ,are you ready to be taken right
 up to heaven8 ,do you love your        
,saviour8 ,do you obey your parents8    
,are you truthful and conscientious8 ,do
 you study your ,bible to learn all you 
can about ,god1 and what he would have  
you be and do8 ,do you pray to him daily
 for ,his blessing1 and ask ,him to keep
 you from sin8 ,do you seek ,his        
forgiveness for all you have done that  
is wrong8  ,so live1 that when the angel

 of death comes for you1 he may carry   
you where ,charley is1 into the blessed 
home prepared for all who love ,god4    
,when ,he will come1 you cannot know4   
,be always ready1 and then ,he will not 
find you unprepared4  ,illustration     
,,darling ,,willie4   ,willie was an    
active little boy1 just large enough to 
be dressed in frock and pantaloons4 ,he 
was very affectionate1 and everybody who
 knew him loved him4  ,when he left the 
green fields in the country1 to come    
with his parents to the city1 he did not
 feel so happy as in his pleasant home  
by the river side1 where the wild birds 
sung to him1 and where he could watch   
the branches of the old elm swaying in  
the breeze4  ,it was autumn when he came
 to town1 and there were no flowers in  
the yard attached to his city home4 ,the
 grass was brown and frost-bitten1 and  
soon the white snow came and covered it4
 ,the stone walks were swept1 and when  
it was not too cold1 ,willie could ride 
around the little square1 seated on his 

velocipede4 ,in his mother's parlour1 he
 could make houses with his blocks1 or  
stables for his tin horses1 and often he
 went out to walk or drive with his     
mother1 who always enjoyed taking him   
with her4  ,the winter passed away1 and 
every month the strong cords of love    
were binding him still more closely to  
the hearts of his friends4 ,spring      
came--the fresh grass sprung up1 and the
 dandelions opened their blossoms in    
,willie's playground4 ,how he loved to  
look at them6 ,those blades of grass1   
and the yellow flowers1 filled his heart
 with gladness4 ,his eyes sparkled1 and 
he could scarcely stand still as he     
talked about them4  ,willie was1 one    
day1 sitting with his grandmother by the
 open window4 ,the sun had just sunk    
below the horizon1 and the clouds were  
gorgeously tinted with his parting rays4
 ,some of them were of a rich golden    
hue1 and others were dyed with rosy     
light4 ,it was an exceedingly beautiful 
sunset1 and ,willie1 who loved all      

nature1 gazed for some time in silent   
admiration4 ,then1 looking up to his    
grandmother's face1 and pointing to the 
west1  ,see1 grandmother1 said he1 what 
a beautiful home ,charley has6          
,illustration3 ,willie was one day      
sitting with his grandmother by the open
 window4  ,charley was ,willie's little 
brother1 whom the angels had taken from 
earth1 and carried to live with ,jesus4 
,he thought ,charley must have felt     
lonely when he first went to heaven2    
but1 as he would say1 now he has got    
acquainted1 he is very happy4           
,sometimes ,willie would ask his mother1
 ,would you be lonesome without me1     
mother8 ,it was always a pleasant       
thought to him that he might early die  
and go to ,jesus4  ,willie liked to look
 at the blue sky4 ,perhaps it was       
because he thought it was ,charley's    
home4 ,he watched every evening for the 
moon1 with her silvery light1 and for   
the twinkling stars4  ,at one time1 a   
cousin of his called to see him4 ,he    

brought a basket with him4 ,raising the 
cover1 he said--  ,willie1 come1 look in
 my basket4  ,willie came as requested4 
,oh6 ,i know what it is6 ,it is a rabbit
 for me6  ,so it was4 ,george opened the
 basket1 and out jumped a white rabbit1 
with pink eyes4 ,it was a beautiful     
animal4 ,willie capered with delight4   
,he had a live plaything1 and it pleased
 him more than the velocipede1 or his   
blocks1 or any of his toys4  ,willie    
said he loved his cousin ,george for    
bringing him the rabbit1 and his cousin 
,walter for sending it to him4 ,they    
were happy because they had made him so 
happy4  ,not long after this rabbit was 
added to ,willie's amusements1 very sad 
tidings came to the home of ,george and 
,walter4 ,it was said that ,willie was  
dead4 ,it seemed scarcely possible--for 
it was only a few days since he had sent
 a message of love to them4  ,some      
member of the family immediately went to
 town1 and called on ,willie's father4  
,it was indeed true that ,willie was not

 there6 ,he had gone to be with the     
angels4 ,god had heard his prayer4      
,heaven was a better1 safer1 happier    
place for him than even his pleasant    
home1 with his fond parents1 and he was 
taken right up there1 as he wished1 to  
be with ,charley4  ,saturday evening    
,willie went to his bed in apparent     
health4 ,sabbath morning he complained  
of not feeling entirely well1 and on    
,wednesday he laid aside his garment of 
mortality1 and put on the beautiful     
robes made white in the blood of the    
,lamb1 in the spirit-world4 ,he was a   
lovely child when he dwelt with us here 
below2 how very lovely he must be in the
 bright world to which he has gone6     
,his mother often weeps when she thinks 
of him1 and she misses him more than any
 one but a mother can4 ,there is no one 
to play with his blocks1 or his tin     
horses1 or his pretty rabbit4 ,yet      
,willie is very happy1 and his mother   
has no wish to recall him to earth1     
lonely and desolate as is their once    

cheerful home4  ,willie will shed no    
more tears4 ,he will never feel sad or  
lonely4 ,he will suffer neither pain1   
nor hunger1 nor weariness4 ,but we1 who 
love him1 may weep1 as did ,jesus when  
,lazarus lay in the grave2 and we shall 
never forget the sweet child1 so full of
 life and love1 who was given us for a  
little while1 and then taken home to    
glory4  ,dear children1 who read about  
,willie1 are you prepared to follow him 
and ,charley1 where they are gone to    
dwell with that ,saviour who1 when he   
was on earth1 took little children in   
his arms1 and blessed them1 and said1 of
 such is the kingdom of heaven8         
,illustration     ,,widow ,,cahoon ,,and
 ,,her ,,grandson4   ,i wish to make a  
call in ---- street1 said a lady to me1 
as we together were visiting some of the
 poor of the city4 ,there is a ,mrs4    
,smith living there1 a poor old woman   
nearly eighty years old4 ,she is infirm 
and partially blind4 ,she has a little  
grandson1 and she has no means with     

which to take care of him4 ,we hope to  
persuade her to give him to us1 and let 
us find a good home1 by adoption1 for   
him4  ,it was a warm winter's morning4  
,snow had fallen the day before1 but it 
was rapidly disappearing4 ,the foot sank
 in the melting mass at every step4 ,the
 crossings were muddy1 and it required  
some skill to pick our way along        
dry-shod4  ,we turned into the street1  
and sought for the number which had been
 given us4 ,we found it on the door of a
 low1 shed-like building1 old and out of
 repair4  ,does ,mrs4 ,smith live here8 
we inquired4  ,no1 ma'am4  ,is there an 
old lady1 who is almost blind1 and who  
has a little grandson1 in the house8--we
 further asked1 thinking ,mrs4 ,smith   
might not be known by name4  ,no1 ma'am4
 ,there is no such person here4  ,does  
she live in the neighbourhood8  ,she may
 be in ,no4 ----4  ,we made inquiries at
 several doors1 dodging in quickly to   
avoid the great drops which came        
pattering down on the pavement from the 

gutterless eaves1 but we could learn    
nothing of the object of our search4    
,at length we came to a grocery1 and1   
stepping in by the mackerel barrels     
which stood at the door1 we repeated our
 inquiry--  ,can you tell us where ,mrs4
 ,smith lives8 ,she is an old lady1     
almost blind1 and has a little grandson4
  ,oh1 yes6 ,i know her well4 ,she is a 
deserving1 needy woman4  ,the man       
followed us to the street to point out  
the house where she lived4 ,as he was   
telling us1 a woman passed by4 ,he spoke
 to her1 saying1  ,you know where ,mrs4 
,smith lives--the old lady who is almost
 blind1 and who has a little grandson8  
,yes4  ,will you show these ladies the  
place8  ,yes4  ,she walked on with us   
till she came to a large tenement       
building1 and then directed us to a room
 in the upper story4 ,we thanked her1   
and entered the narrow hall1 and passed 
up the still narrower staircase4  ,we   
knocked at the door1 and were bidden to 
enter4 ,the old lady was not there4 ,we 

inquired for her again1 and learned that
 she had just gone out4 ,the woman said 
she would send for her4 ,a boy1 ten or  
twelve years old1 went to find her4     
,while he was gone1 we talked with his  
mother1--a round-faced1 good-natured1   
intelligent ,irish woman4 ,we asked her 
where ,mrs4 ,smith lived1 and she said  
she was most of the time with her4 ,poor
 woman6 she had only a living-room and a
 bed-room for herself and four children1
 yet she was willing to share them with 
another as poor and more helpless than  
herself4  ,she was a widow1 too1 and had
 no one to depend upon4 ,her husband    
died last spring4 ,during the summer she
 had provided for her family by washing 
and cleaning1 but this winter she finds 
it almost impossible to get work4 ,one  
of the children is a babe1 who was lying
 on a rough1 unpainted board-cradle1    
rudely put together by some unaccustomed
 hand4 ,this infant had been taken care 
of during the summer by his brother1 not
 more than ten or twelve years old1     

while his mother was absent at work4    
,there was a little girl1 about eight   
years old1 who attends the ,industrial  
,school4 ,she was quite unwell1 and had 
not been able to go out for several     
days4 ,she sat in the great             
rocking-chair1 looking sad and          
disconsolate1 as most sick children do4 
,she was comfortably clothed4 ,her dress
 she had received at the school1 and had
 sewed on it herself doing all her      
little fingers could do to make it4 ,her
 hair was neatly combed4 ,she was       
feverish and very thirsty4 ,sometimes   
she went to the pail herself for a cup  
of water1 and sometimes her brother     
would get it for her4 ,he seemed kind1  
gentle1 and sympathizing--a good example
 for some more favoured boys4  ,pretty  
soon the door opened1 and an aged woman1
 bent with years and breathing hard and 
painfully1 entered the room4 ,a boy1    
with a complexion fair and transparent1 
through which the blue veins showed     
themselves1 immediately followed her4   

,she greeted us kindly1 and took a chair
 by my side1 bending towards us that she
 might hear more easily1 for she was    
almost deaf4 ,she told us that since her
 daughter's death she had been entirely 
dependent on charity4  ,after talking   
with her a short time1 ,mrs4 ,b----1 the
 lady accompanying me1 gave her little  
grandson a penny to buy some candy4 ,she
 did so1 because she wished to talk with
 his grandmother about him1 and thought 
he had1 perhaps1 better not be in the   
room4 ,so soon as he left1 she asked the
 old lady if she had made up her mind to
 part with the child4 ,she had been     
spoken to a fortnight previously in     
regard to it by another lady1 and seemed
 then unwilling that he should leave    
her4 ,she said she had come to the      
conclusion that she must give him up1   
for she was too old and feeble to take  
care of him1 and she was constantly     
anxious about him4 ,she could not do for
 him all that he needed1 and she knew it
 would be much better for him to be     

adopted in some kind family1 where he   
could be brought up as a son4 ,she spoke
 of him most tenderly and               
affectionately4 ,he was her earthly all4
 ,she had taken care of him from his    
infancy4 ,she came from ,ireland for    
that very purpose4 ,his father had died 
before he was old enough to remember    
him1 and his mother had supported him by
 her own industry4  ,the grandmother's  
name was not ,smith1 as we called her4  
,it was1 as she said1 widow ,cahoon4    
,the daughter's name was ,smith1 and the
 sunny-haired boy was ,david4 ,last     
,may1 ,mrs4 ,smith died of cholera1     
leaving her aged mother homeless1 and   
her beautiful boy an orphan4  ,when     
,david returned with a great piece of   
molasses-candy1 he did not keep it all  
himself4 ,he divided it among the other 
children without being told to do so4   
,this showed that he was a generous     
child1 and loved to make others happy4  
,when he had eaten his portion1 his     
grandmother washed his face1 neck1 and  

hands1 and put on his best clothes1     
which his mother had made for him before
 her death4 ,he looked very tidy and    
comfortable in his brown overcoat and   
his new boots--a ,new-,year's present4  
,the grandmother tied up a pair of shoes
 and a few socks in a little bundle4    
,when she handed it to ,david1 he burst 
into tears4 ,he felt that he was really 
going from his dearest friend4 ,she wept
 aloud for a few minutes1 but when she  
saw how much it affected him1 she wiped 
away her tears1 and attempted to cheer  
him4 ,he summoned his resolution and    
became once more calm4  ,mrs4 ,b----    
took him by the hand1 and led him down  
stairs4 ,as he left the room1 ,i gave   
mine to his grandmother1 who uplifted it
 in both her's1 as if pleading1 in      
silent agony1 for strength to bear this 
new trial4 ,i shall never forget the    
expression of that wrinkled1 up-turned  
face4 ,dear old grandmother6 ,who will  
comfort her now8 ,david will not forget 
her1 but he cannot put his arms around  

her neck1 nor cheer her with the        
sunlight of his bright face4 ,she is    
alone--none of her kindred near4 ,the   
lady who took charge of ,david will do  
what she can for her1 but her heart must
 yearn for the dear boy that poverty and
 age compelled her to give to the       
fostering care of strangers4  ,when     
,david reached the street1 the tears    
were tracing their way over his round1  
plump cheek1 but soon a smile played    
around his mouth4 ,mrs4 ,b---- took him 
into a toy-shop1 and purchased for him a
 tin horse suspended in a wheel1 which  
he could roll about the room4 ,he       
selected this himself1 and it was       
delightful to see with how much pleasure
 he looked at it1 as he carried it in   
his hand4  ,we concluded to make no more
 calls that day1 but to take ,david     
directly to ,mrs4 ,b----'s4 ,when his   
coat and cap were taken off1 he began to
 roll the horse across the floor4       
,sometimes he would come and stand by my
 side1 and examine it closely4 ,i said  

to him--  ,have you ever been in the    
country8  ,oh1 yes4 ,i was there a      
month1 when we buried mother4  ,where   
were you8  ,we were with ,elek1         
grandma's son4  ,why doesn't your       
grandmother live with him8  ,he isn't   
kind to her4  ,was his wife kind8  ,no2 
she said she wouldn't live with him if  
grandma did4  ,what did you see in the  
country8  ,i saw the fields1 and the    
trees1 and horses1 and cows4  ,did ,elek
 have a cow8  ,yes2 and she went away   
every day1 and at night she came home1  
and they milked her4  ,did you see any  
birds8  ,i saw birds no bigger than     
that1 said he1 putting his hand over his
 horse so as to hide more than half of  
it1 and they sang all the time4 ,and    
there were some chickens1 that laid     
eggs1 and then ,elek's wife sold the    
eggs to the baker to pay for bread4     
,and had you apples or peaches8  ,i used
 to throw small stones at the apples1   
and knock them off4 ,the peaches ,i     
could reach with my hand4 ,i had just as

 many as ,i wanted4  ,the little        
orphan's month in the country had been a
 sunny spot in his memory1 clouded only 
by the unkindness of ,elek towards the  
grandmother he loved so much4  ,how     
strange it is that children can ever    
forget how much they owe their parents6 
,when the widow ,cahoon was young1 she  
had watched over his infancy4 ,she had  
carried him in her arms1 unmindful of   
her own weariness1 and had done all for 
him that his helplessness required4 ,but
 now she is old2 her eyes are dim2 her  
hearing is impaired2 her hands are      
tremulous1 and she is unable to provide 
for herself4 ,yet ,elek's heart is hard4
 ,he has forgotten all her love1 and    
will not even give her a home4 ,he      
cannot prosper4  ,i well remember1 when 
a child1 what a fearful impression a    
passage from the words of ,agur made on 
my mind3 ,the eye that mocketh at his   
father1 and despiseth to obey his       
mother1 the ravens of the valley shall  
pick it out1 and the young eagles shall 

eat it4 ,honour thy father and mother1  
7which is the first commandment with    
promise17 ,paul writes to the ,ephesian 
children1 that it may be well with thee1
 and thou mayest live long on the earth4
  ,i should fear to hear ,elek's future 
history4 ,it must be dark and sorrowful4
 ,his poor old mother uttered a groan1  
when1 as she was talking about ,david's 
mother1 ,i asked if she had any other   
children4 ,he isn't kind to her1        
explained its meaning4      ,sharper    
than a serpent's tooth it is     ,to    
have a thankless child4  ,i left ,david 
with ,mrs4 ,b----1 who will find him a  
home in some family where they wish to  
adopt a little son4 ,he will make       
friends for himself1--she said1         
confidently1 and ,i felt so also1 for   
his sweet1 intelligent face is too      
attractive and winning not to find its  
way to some loving heart4  ,when ,mrs4  
,b---- talked with him about his mother1
 he wept4 ,she soon comforted him1 and  
told him that ,god would provide for    

him4 ,he seems to possess a sensitive   
nature1 with1 at the same time1 the     
power of self-control4  ,who of you     
would like this orphan for an adopted   
brother8 ,he is only five years old4 ,i 
have written to a kind lady of my       
acquaintance1 who has adopted two little
 girls1 to inquire if she does not wish 
to add ,david to her household          
treasures4 ,there are many such homeless
 children in ,new ,york1 and it is an   
act of ,christian charity to adopt and  
educate them1 and one which is rich in  
blessings to every heart that is open to
 receive the fatherless and motherless4 
,mrs4 ,b---- would like to have adopted 
,david herself but she has so much to do
 for so many orphan children1 that she  
concluded she had not the time to devote
 to him4 ,she sent him to a place known 
as the ,home of the ,friendless4 ,this  
is a large brick house1 built on purpose
 to shelter those who have no home of   
their own4 ,there are always many       
children there1 who are kindly taken    

care of till homes can be obtained for  
them4 ,those who are large enough attend
 school4  ,i was so much interested in  
,david that ,i often called to see him4 
,the first call was made one day just   
before dinner4 ,i looked about for my   
little friend1 and found him in the     
wash-room4 ,he was standing by a great  
towel1 and wiping his fair1 plump face  
as nicely as he could4 ,i kissed his    
clean1 rosy cheek1 and inquired if he   
remembered me4 ,he smiled1 and said1    
,yes1 ma'am4 ,he appeared quite happy   
and contented4 ,his teacher told me that
 he was a remarkably good boy4  ,several
 applications were made for ,david by   
those who heard his story1 and found    
room in their hearts and houses for the 
fatherless and motherless boy4 ,his     
grandmother1 knowing that she was too   
aged and feeble to take care of him1    
gave him to the ,home4 ,it was a great  
trial to do so1 but she loved him too   
well not to seek his best interests4    
,she was willing to live alone1         

uncheered by the presence and affection 
of her darling grandchild1 if she could 
only feel that he would be kindly       
treated and educated by ,christian      
people4  ,a lady in ,illinois wrote that
 she had a dear little son in heaven1   
and wanted ,david to come to her to     
supply his place in the home circle1    
where he would find those whom he might 
call father1 mother1 and grandmother4 ,a
 clergyman in ,connecticut proposed to  
adopt him1 and was coming to ,new ,york 
the first of ,may to take him home1 if  
it should be thought best4  ,while      
,david was at the ,home for the         
,friendless1 his grandmother occupied a 
room not far from ,mrs4 ,b----'s4 ,it   
was on the lower floor1 so that she was 
no longer exhausted by going up so many 
flights of stairs4 ,several ladies      
united1 and each sent her a dinner one  
day in the week1 and saw that she was   
provided with breakfast and tea4 ,they  
furnished her with comfortable clothing1
 for which she manifested much          

gratitude4  ,it was always pleasant to  
call upon ,widow ,cahoon1 and hear her  
talk about herself and her previous     
charge4 ,she told us about his parents  
and grandparents4 ,his father's father  
was a ,methodist clergyman1 and his     
grandmother1 ,smith1 was a most devout  
woman4 ,she loved to talk of their      
excellencies of character1 and the good 
they had accomplished4 ,i never heard   
her without being reminded of ,god's    
faithfulness in showing mercy unto      
thousands of them that love him and keep
 his commandments4  ,one day1 when ,i   
was at ,mrs4 ,b----'s1 ,widow ,cahoon   
was ushered into her private room--a    
back parlour on the second story4 ,she  
was much out of breath1 and it required 
some time for her to recover herself    
sufficiently to talk4 ,at length she    
spoke of her children1 some of whom she 
hoped were living4 ,two sons and a      
daughter had come to ,america long      
before she did1 and had gone to         
,pennsylvania4 ,she had not heard from  

them for twelve years4 ,she had often   
prayed that she might see them before   
she died1 and she hoped still that she  
should4 ,she had been the mother of     
eleven children1 and here she was       
entirely alone1--no relative near her to
 care for her in her age and            
helplessness4 ,she was very desirous    
,mrs4 ,b---- should write to            
,pennsylvania to make inquiries about   
her children4 ,it seemed almost a       
hopeless effort1 but1 to gratify her1   
,mrs4 ,b---- wrote to the postmaster of 
the town where her sons were last heard 
from4 ,in about a week an answer came   
from the postmaster saying that he was  
well acquainted with ,james1 and had    
seen him a short time previously4 ,he   
spoke highly of him1 as an industrious  
and respectable man1 and one who would  
be happy to provide for his mother4 ,in 
regard to her other son1 he said he did 
not know him personally4 ,his reputation
 was good1 and his circumstances were   
such that he could assist in the care of

 his mother4 ,from ,james the ,widow    
,cahoon afterwards learned that her     
daughter had married and moved farther  
west1 but she had not been heard from   
for ten years4 ,when ,mrs4 ,b---- read  
the letter to her1 she was much         
overcome1 and the tears chased each     
other down her furrowed cheeks4 ,glory  
be to ,god6 she exclaimed4 ,he has      
lifted a load off my heart4 ,i shall see
 my sons before ,i die4 ,bless the ,lord
 that ,i ever saw the like of you6 ,i   
have been trying seven years to get that
 letter written6  ,i had the pleasure of
 carrying to her a letter from ,james1  
and reading it to her myself4 ,as ,i    
entered the room she was sitting by the 
little stove in a large rocking-chair1  
looking as comfortable as one could     
wish4 ,she seemed very happy1 and told  
me about the prospect of seeing her     
sons4 ,they will send for me1 and ,i    
shall go to them1 was a cheering and    
delightful thought4 ,she said she was   
expecting every day a letter from       

,james4 ,when ,i told her ,i had brought
 it1 her face lighted up1 and she       
uttered expressions of thankfulness1    
evidently from a full and overflowing   
heart4 ,she spoke of ,david1 and of     
being once more with him1 if the boys   
should send for him4 ,she wished to do  
what was best for the child1 and was    
still willing he should be adopted1 if  
it was thought desirable4 ,she expressed
 the utmost confidence in ,mrs4 ,b----1 
and was willing to leave it all to her  
judgment4 ,this was the last time ,i    
ever saw the ,widow ,cahoon1 and we     
shall probably never meet again4 ,she   
had no earthly treasure to confer upon  
me1 but she gave me her blessing1 and1  
,i doubt not1 will remember me in her   
prayers so long as she remains upon     
earth2 and when the spirit-world is our 
home1 ,i shall expect her face1         
unwrinkled by sorrow or age1 to beam    
upon me a heavenly welcome4 ,it was but 
little ,i did for this poor widow1 and  
yet that little has been rich in        

blessings to me1 and may be to mine1 for
 whom she fervently prayed4  ,james1 in 
his second letter1 sent a check to his  
mother to pay her fare from ,new ,york  
to ,pennsylvania with a request that    
,david might accompany her4 ,he will    
provide for them both in future4  ,so   
soon as arrangements could be made1 the 
now happy widow and her little grandson 
started1 under the protection of a      
friend1 for her new home in the country 
where1 ,i suppose1 they now are4 ,what a
 pleasure it must be to ,james to have  
his mother once more with him1 and to be
 able to do something for her who has   
done so much for him6 ,little ,david    
will again see the birds and the        
chickens1 and be surrounded by kind and 
loving friends4 ,the ladies of the ,home
 will occasionally inquire about him1   
and if he needs their care they will    
provide for him1 as his grandmother made
 them his legal protectors4 ,if ,i ever 
hear more about ,david which ,i think   
will interest you1 ,i shall write you   

again in regard to him4  ,illustration3 
,finis