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entered on their duty, following their father's spade, gathering out stones and large weeds as he threw them out in digging.

Little Sarah began to move, and with slow unwilling steps at last reached a gooseberry tree, and after waiting a minute or two, as if debating between her conscience and her will, she sat down at the foot of the tree, and very deliberately began to pull the fruit one by one into the basket; she then began to cry, having pricked her finger with a thorn.

We went up to her; How many gooseberries are you to gather, Sarah?

To fill my basket, she replied, sobbing.
The sooner the better then, Sarah.

It pricks my fingers; father knows it pricks my fingers.

Be careful, and then you will not prick your fingers.

Looking at her fingers, she said, It bleeds, it does!

Must I go and tell your father?
No, he won't take any

notice. What will you do, then?

She made no answer, but looking at her finger with some self-pity, drew the back of her hand over her eyes to wipe off the tears, and began her work again with caution.

Why, Sarah, do you go on gathering when you prick your fingers?

Father bid me.

Will you fill your basket?

Yes, father bid me.

You will be very long about it.
I'll make haste.

Who are they for?

For mother, father bid me take 'em to mother. Does she want them for herself?

Nay, she sells 'em.

We remained by her, interested to observe whether she would accomplish her task; she was soon arrested to contemplate two gooseberries particularly large, she then plucked a strawberry leaf which was near her, and putting it on one side the basket, placed the two gooseberries in it.

What are you going to do with these fine large gooseberries?

One's for father, and one's for mother.

Take care of them, then, and make haste to fill your basket.

Yes, I will.

We moved on, and Louisa said, Do you not think, uncle, this little girl has taught us a very good lesson this morning?

I should like to have your sentiments upon it, my love.

Really I think I saw the natural dislike to obey; and the objection to the work set her because it was not agreeable to herself; but the respect for her father's command induced her to go. She complained as if she thought her father unreasonable when she hurt herself, but then the command of her father impelled her to

persevere; it was all because "father bid me ;" and at last she began to delight in the opportu nity of taking an offering to her father and mother, in such a pretty spirit of love, as gave a new motive for exertion. I think this is to "honor thy father and mother."

It is a very pretty interpretation of the feeling of the little girl, and I do think a true one; it is however evident that the child is well trained; -we will go on and see if any other incident will afford us instruction.

We took our station near Thomas and his children; he touched his hat as we approached, and the boys followed his example, Jane also made her curtesy; the children were a little tempted to gaze at my young party, but Thomas said,

Don't be rude, children, mind your work; they renewed their application, and as they filled their baskets, emptied them into two barrows, one for the stones, and the other for the weeds.

You are right, Thomas, to bring up your children to habits of industry.

It is my duty, Sir, and it is part of the training we ought to bring them up in, if we would desire them to be useful members in society, or happy either; there's none so miserable as idle people, and they're sure to be ungodly too.

How do you manage with them to make them so industrious?

I can hardly say, Sir; I think it comes natu

rally, as a part of the duty they owe to their parents.

Do you take the fifth commandment as a motive to present to your children?

Why, Sir, as far as regards the mother and me I do, at least I try to do it; only telling them that it is the will of the Lord; so that they may understand it is not a rule of my own making.

How then do you teach them to know the exact duties they owe?-you must excuse my asking you, but my young friends and I are just now particularly engaged in the consideration of this commandment.

I ask your pardon, Sir, I've but little to say, I think it is all in that explanation in the Catechism; he looked kindly at my companions, and added, "to love, honour and succour my father and mother;"-I think they must mind these three things, and our Lord explains it something in the same way, from which, I take it, the explanation in the Catechism is framed.

Do you try to fix these principles in their minds?

Yes, Sir, I do, and I find it as great a lesson to myself, as to them; for I think to myself,— How can they love me if I do not behave so as to win their love; and how can they honor me if I do not show them that the principles I act on are honorable; and how can they succour me if I do not make them like little partners in all that concerns us, so that they lend a helping hand in every thing: in short, Sir, I find the work must begin at home.

The children frequently looked at their father whilst he spoke; as if it was a principle of reasoning which they were accustomed to hear, and in which they agreed.

Turning to Louisa, I said, I think we can trace these principles to have been operating in little Sarah's mind. Do you know, Thomas, that your little girl has been gathering the gooseberries.

I did not know it, Sir; but I thought she would go in time, she's very apt to be fondling about me, and would spend her time in talking about loving father and mother, but I always tell them, love must be proved; and for that reason, I set her to gather the gooseberries, to teach her what I mean by practice, and she has minded the rules. But, Sir, if you would like to hear a man of God talk about the duty of children; I think you'd be pleased to hear my old father tell you what he thinks. I owe my instruction to him, and he greatly helps me to discharge my duty to my own. He's old and infirm now, but

his grey hairs are full of godly wisdom.

Where does he live?

Oh! ever since my mother died, he lives with my wife and me, and a blessing we find him; he often hears my children read in the Bible, and it's a sight I love to see, when he puts on his spectacles, and opens our large Bible, and gets the young ones round him, and talks to them of God's word, and of the love of Jesus.

If you will allow me, we will come another

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