her son. A great many boys would never have thought of such "a trifle," as they would call it; or, if they should happen to think of it, would deny that they had done anything to be sorry for.

Francis had been better instructed, and the instruction had not been given in vain. He knew and felt that he had done wrong. So far from regarding Hiram's illtreatment of him as justifying his refusing him his skates, he knew that that was the very reason why he should have let him have them, on the principle of returning good for evil-the CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLE.

"Mother," said Francis, "why

do we always feel bad when we have done anything that is wrong?"

"Because God has made us to feel so. He has done so that we may follow the right and avoid the wrong. He thus shows that He is the friend of virtue and the enemy of vice."

"There are some boys who never feel bad when they do wrong has the Lord made them different from us?"

"No; all have the same moral constitution; but the consciences of some have been cultivated more carefully than those of others. You are to be thankful that this is the case with yours."

HERE resided some time since, in a small town about

one hundred miles from London, a mother and daughter, both widows. The daughter had two sons, fine, noble boys, who were everything that could be wished to the mother and grandmother -cheerful, affectionate, and obedient in all that was required to promote their comfort and happi

ness.

But as they advanced towards manhood, and became acquainted

with men, some of whom were soldiers and sailors, and listened to their stories of life on the ocean and in the army, the elder boy became exceedingly anxious to enlist in the army or navy, and made known his wishes; but was met with decided opposition, and so strenuously, that he consented to postpone his purpose for a year or two.

At last he broke through all restraint, and his mother and grandmother were obliged to give him up. With almost broken hearts they fitted him out with what was ne

cessary of clothing and such comforts as they could get together, not forgetting the blessed Bible, which he had been taught to read; and with many prayers and tears committed him to his and their God, and he sailed for Bombay, as one of a regiment of soldiers.

Forgetting all his religious training, and leaving his Bible at the bottom of his chest, where his mother had placed it, he immediately began to turn his back upon everything that was righteous and wise and of good repute, and before the end of the long voyage to India he became as bad as any of his companions. These habits after a while broke down his fine constitution, and brought him to death's door. He was placed in hospital, where he lingered a long time, and seemed hastening to his grave.

At this time he was visited by a missionary, whose faithful instructions and prayers were blessed to his conversion from sin to holiness, from the service of Satan to the love and service of his blessed Redeemer. With this change of heart came improvement in health, and when well enough to leave the hospital he obtained a release from the army, and,

enlisting under the banner of the Captain of salvation, became a lay missionary, and was sent some eight hundred miles into the interior, where he was an instrument of great good. Before his illness he was wholly unmindful of his home and of those once so dear to him, who were weeping and praying for him of whom they had received no tidings since he left them. On his recovery, however, he wrote to his mother, and continued to do so, but by some defect in the postal system none of his letters reached their destination.

Meantime the younger son, after long and tenderly affectionate attention to his mother and grandmother, was seized with the same spirit of roving; and, notwithstanding the entreaties of his mother, followed his brother as a soldier, fell into the same ruinous courses, and was placed in the same hospital to die. Of him no tidings came.

About this time the elder son was, in the providence of God, brought back to Bombay, and was requested to visit a very sick soldier. He went, and found him in a hopeless condition, and sought to lead him to the Lamb of God who taketh

away the sins of the world, but the man was hardened and indifferent. However, he continued to visit, converse, and pray with him, and with him, and being led to ask his name, was shocked to find that this poor soldier was his own dear brother, whom he supposed safe at home with his mother. After this he did not leave him, but day and night watched and prayed with him, until he was brought to see his lost and ruined condition, and led to lay hold upon the hope that was set before him in the Gospel; and he died rejoicing in the hope of salvation through the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Of all these deeply interesting circumstances the sorrowing ones at home remained in total ignorance, and had come to the sad conviction that their dear boys had fallen victims to the diseases of the climate, and lay in unknown graves.

At this time the grandmother was taken sick and died, but on her death-bed, having heard that there was a society in London for sending missionaries to the heathen, she said to her daughter: "There is a "There is a twenty-pound note in my drawer, and I wish you to promise that when I am gone it shall be sent to help

the blessed cause of missions." She promised, and performed the promise, wondering why she should be required to give so much of the little she had left for the support of her lonely widowhood. But she sent the note, and with it gave its history, praying that God's blessing might accompany it.

Now she was alone in the world, yet not alone, for she knew the way to the throne of and the pregrace, ciousness of those words of our Saviour, "Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest;" and though she wept bitter tears, she had joy and peace in believing.

After the death of his brother the survivor wrote a full account to his mother of all that had occurred in relation to them both since leaving home, and committed the letter to the hand of a friend, just about to embark for England, who promised to seek the mother and deliver it to her. Months passed before he reached his destination, and on his arrival he sought the home of the lone widow, and found her hopeless of ever knowing the fate of her boys.

The friend said, "I have brought a letter from your son, whom I left