13. This lesson of my blessed mother, I trust, was not lost upon me. Nearly forty years have gone since that day, and I have passed through many trying scenes; but none ever made so strong an impression on my feelings as that heartless remark of George Summer. It was so unjust, so cruel, so uncalled for. Now, boys, remember always to treat your school-mates with kindness. Never indulge in taunting remarks towards anyone; and remember that the son of a poor man, and even of a drunkard, may have sensibilities as keen as your own.

14. But I have not told you the whole of this story. A few days ago a gentleman called at my place of business, and asked if I did not know him. I told him I did not. "Do you remember," said he, “being at a spelling-match at a certain time, and that a rude, thoughtless boy twitted you of poverty, and of being a drunkard's son?" "I do, most distinctly," said I.

15. "Well," continued the gentleman, "I am that boy. There probably has not been a month of my life since then but I have thought of that remark with regret and shame; and as I am about leaving for California, perhaps to end my days there, I could not go without first calling on you, and asking your forgiveness for that act.”

16. George Summer acted honourably then, and I gave him my hand as a pledge of forgiveness. Did I do right? You all say yes. I forgave; but, while memory lasts, I cannot forget the anguish which his cruel words caused me. And let me urge

it npon you, boys, never to reproach others for misfortunes which they cannot avoid.

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A LITTLE girl, nine years of age, was called as a witness in a court of justice, against a prisoner who was on trial for a crime committed in her father's house.

2. "Now, Emily," said the counsel for the prisoner, upon her being offered as a witness, "I desire to know if you understand the nature of an

oath." "I don't know what you mean,” was the simple answer. "There, said the counsel, addressing the judge, "is anything further necessary to show that this witness should be rejected? She does not understand the nature of an oath.”

3. "Let us see," said the judge. "Come here, my child." Encouraged by the kind tone and manner of the judge, the child stepped towards him, and looked confidingly up in his face with a calm, clear eye, and in a manner so artless and frank, that it went straight to the heart.

4. "Did you ever take an oath ?" inquired the judge. The little girl stepped back with a look of horror, and the red blood came up in a blush all over her face and neck, as she answered, "No, sir." She thought he intended to inquire if she had ever blasphemed!

5 "I do not mean that," said the judge; who saw her mistake; "I mean, were you ever a witness before?" "No, sir, I never was in court before," was the answer.

"Do you

6. He handed her an open Bible. know that book, my child?" She looked at it, and answered, "Yes, sir; it is the Bible." "Can you tell me what the Bible is?" inquired the judge. "It is the word of the great God," she answered.

7. "Well," said the judge, "place your hand upon the Bible, and listen to what I say;" and he repeated, slowly and solemnly, the following oath: "Do you swear that, in the evidence which you shall give in this case, you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the

truth, and that you ask God to help you?" "I do," she replied.

8. "Now," said the judge, "you have been sworn as a witness: will you tell me what will befall you if you do not tell the truth?" "I shall be shut up in prison," answered the child. "Anything else?" asked the judge. "I shall never go to heaven," she replied.

9. "How do you know this?" asked the judge again. The child took the Bible, turned rapidly to the chapter containing the commandments, and pointing to the one which reads, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour," said "I learned that before I could read."

10. "Has anyone talked with you about your being a witness against this man?" inquired the judge. "Yes, sir," she replied; "my mother heard they wanted me to be a witness, and last night she called me to her room, and asked me to repeat to. her the Ten Commandments; and then we knelt down together, and she prayed that I might understand how wicked it was to bear false witness against my neighbour, and that God would help me, a little child, to tell the truth. And when I came here with father she kissed me, and told me to remember the ninth commandment, and that God would hear every word that I said."

11. "Do you believe this?" asked the judge, while a tear glistened in his eye, and his lip quivered with emotion. "Yes, sir," said the child, with a voice and manner that showed her full belief in its truth. "God bless you, my child," said the

judge, "you have a good mother." "The witness is competent" he continued, turning to the prisoner's counsel. "Were I on trial for my life, and innocent of the charge against me, I would desire no better witness than this. Let her be examined."

12. She told her story with the simplicity of a child; but there was that in her manner and words which carried conviction of her truthfulness to every heart. The counsel for the prisoner asked her a multitude of ingenious questions; but in nothing did she vary from her first statement.

13. The truth as spoken by that little child was sublime. Falsehood and perjury, on the part of the prisoner, had preceded her testimony, and villainy had made up for him a sham defence. But by her testimony, falsehood was scattered like chaff. The little child, for whom a mother had prayed for strength to be given her to speak the simple truth, broke the cunning devices of matured villainy to pieces, like a potter's vessel. The strength that her mother prayed for was given her; and the sublime and terrible simplicity with which she spoke, terrible to the prisoner and his associates, was like a revelation from God himself.