and talked about the old hornet. They, however, cheerfully proceeded to do as their employer requested.

"You are in a bad situation, neighbour," said Simeon, as he came alongside the foundered team; "but my men are coming with two yoke of oxen, and I think we shall soon manage to help you out."

"You may take your oxen back again," replied Reuben, quickly; "I want none of your help.”

In a very friendly tone Simeon answered, "I cannot consent to do that; for evening is coming on, and you have a very little time to lose. It is a bad job at any time, but it will be still worse in the dark."

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Light or dark, I do not ask your help," replied Reuben emphatically. "I would not help you out of the bog the other day when you asked me."

"The trouble I had in relieving my poor oxen teaches me to feel for others in the same situation. Do not let us waste words about it, neighbour. It is impossible for me to go home and leave you here in the bog, and night coming on."

The team was soon drawn out, and Simeon and his men went away, without waiting for thanks.

When Reuben went home that night, he was unusually thoughtful. After smoking awhile in deep comtemplation, he gently knocked the ashes from his pipe, and said, with a sigh,

"Peg, Simeon Green has killed me!"

"What do you mean?" said his wife, dropping her knitting with a look of surprise.

"You know when he first came into this neighbourhood, he said he would kill me," replied Reuben; "and he has done it. The other day he asked me to help his team out of the bog, and I told him I had enough to do to attend to my own business. To-day my team stuck fast in the same bog, and he came with two yoke of oxen to draw it out. I felt ashamed to have him lend me a hand; so I told him I wanted none of his help; but he answered, just as pleasant as if nothing contrary had happened, that night was coming on, and he was not willing to leave me in the mud.',

"He is a pleasant spoken man," said Mrs. Black," and always has a pretty word to say to the boys. His wife seems to be a nice, neighbourly body, too." Reuben made no answer; but after meditating awhile, he remarked, "Peg, you know that big ripe melon down at the bottom of the garden? you may as well carry it over there in the morning."

His wife said she would, where " over there" was. Reuben walked backwards and forwards, and round and round, with that sort of aimless activity often manifested by fowls, and fashionable idlers, who feel restless, and do not know what to run after. At length the cause of his uncertain movements was explained.

without asking him to explain But when the morning came,

"I may as well carry the melon myself, and thank him for his oxen. In my flurry down there in the marsh, I forgot to say that I was obliged to him."

He marched off toward the garden, and his wife stood at the door, with one hand on her hip, and the other shading the sun from her eyes, to see if he would carry the melon into Simeon Green's house. It was the most remarkable incident that had ever happened since her marriage. She could hardly believe her own eyes. He walked quickly, as if afraid he should not be able to carry the unusual impulse into effect if he stopped to re-consider the question. When he found himself in Mrs. Green's house, he felt extremely awkward, and hastened to say,

"Mrs. Green, here is a melon, my wife sent to you, and we think it is a ripe one."

Without manifesting any surprise at such unexpected courtesy, the friendly matron thanked him, and invited him to sit down. But he stood playing with the latch of the door, and without raising his eyes said,

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May be Mr. Green is not in this morning?"

"He is at the pump, and will be in directly," she replied! and before her words were spoken, the honest man walked in, with a face as fresh and bright as a June morning. He stepped right up to Reuben, shook his hand cordially, and said,

"I am glad to see you neighbour. Take a chair-take a chair."

He

"Thank you, I cannot stop," replied Reuben. pushed his hat on one side, rubbed his head, looked out of the window, and then said suddenly, as if by a desperate effort, "The fact is, Mr. Green, I did not behave right about the oxen."

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much con

"Never mind-never mind," replied Mr. Green. "Perhaps I shall get into the bog again, one of these rainy days. If I do, I shall know whom to call upon." Why do you see,' " said Reuben, still fused, and avoiding Simeon's mild, clear eye-" you see the neighbours here are very ugly. If I had always lived by such neighbours as you are, I should not be just as

I am."

very

others what we want "You know the good experience, that if we

“Ah, well, we must try to be to them to be to us," rejoined Simeon. Book says so. I have learned by speak kind words, we hear kind echoes. If we try to make others happy, it fills them with a wish to make us happy. Perhaps you and I can bring the neighbours. round in time to this way of thinking and acting. Who knows?-let us try, Mr. Black, let us try. And come and look at my orchard. I want to show you a tree which I have grafted with very choice apples. If you like, I will procure you some cuttings from the same stock."

They went into the orchard together, and friendly chat soon put Reuben at his ease. When he returned home, he made no remarks about his visit; for he could not, as yet, summon sufficient greatness of soul to tell his wife that he had confessed himself in the wrong. A gun stood behind the kitchen door, in readiness to shoot Mr. Green's dog for having barked at his horse. He now fired the contents into the air, and put the gun away into the barn. From that day henceforth he never sought for any pretext to quarrel with the dog or his master. A short time after, Joe Smith, saw him pat Towzer on the head, and heard him say, "Good fellow." Simeon Green was too magnanimous to repeat to any one that his quarrelsome neigh

bour had confessed himself to blame. He merely smiled as he said to his wife, "I thought we should kill him after a while." Joe Smith did not believe in such doctrines. When he heard of the adventures in the marsh, he said, "Sim Green is a fool. When he first came here, he talked very big about killing folks, if they did not mind their P's and Q's. But he does not appear to have as much spirit as a worm, for a worm will turn when it is trod upon." Poor Joe had grown more intemperate and more quarrelsome, till at last nobody would employ him.

About a year after the memorable incident of the watermelon, some one stole several valuable hides from Mr. Green. He did not mention the circumstance to any one but his wife; and they both had reason for suspecting that Joe was the thief. The next week, the following anonymous advertisement appeared in the newspaper of the county: "Whoever stole a lot of hides on Friday night, the 5th of the present month, is hereby informed that the owner has a sincere wish to be his friend. If poverty tempted him to this false step, the owner will keep the whole transaction a secret, and will gladly put him in the way of obtaining money by means more likely to bring him peace of mind." This singular advertisement, of course, excited a good deal of remark. There was much debate whether or not the thief would avail himself of the friendly offer. Some said, he would be a greenhorn if he did; for it was manifestly a trap to catch him. But he who had committed the dishonest deed alone knew whence that benevolent offer came, and he knew that Simeon Green was not a man to set traps for his fellowcreatures.

A few nights afterwards, a timid knock was heard at Simeon's door, just as the family were retiring to rest. When the door was opened, Joe Smith was seen on the steps, with a load of hides on his shoulders. Without raising his eyes, he said in a low, humble tone,

"I have brought them back, Mr. Green. Where shall I put them ? "

"Wait a moment till I can light a lantern, and I will

T

go to the barn with you, " he replied. "Then you will come in, and tell me how it happened. We will see what can be done for you."

Mrs. Green knew that Joe often went hungry, and had become accustomed to the stimulus of gin. She therefore hastened to make hot coffee, and brought from the closet some cold meat pie. When they returned from the barn, she said,

"I thought you might feel better for a little warm supper, neighbour Smith."

Joe turned his back towards her, and did not speak. He leaned his head against the chimney, and after a moment's silence, he said, in a choked voice,

"It was the first time I ever stole anything, and I have felt very bad about it. I did not think, once, I should ever come to be what I am. But I took to quarrelling, and then to drinking. Since I began to go down hill, every body gives me a kick. You are the first man that has offered me a helping hand. my children starving. You have sent them many a meal, God bless you! and yet I stole the hides from you, meaning to sell them the first chance I could get. But I tell you, Mr. Green, it is the first time I ever deserved the name of thief."

My wife is feeble, and

"Let it be the last, my friend," said Simeon, pressing his hand kindly. "The secret shall remain between ourselves. You are young, and can make up lost time. Come, now, give me a promise that you will not drink one drop of intoxicating liquor for a year, and I will employ you, to-morrow, at good wages. Mary will see to your family early in the morning, and perhaps we may find some employment for them also. The little boy can at least pick up stones. But eat a bit now, and drink some hot coffee. It will keep you from wanting to drink anything stronger to-night. You will find it hard to abstain at first, Joseph; but keep up a brave heart for the sake of your wife and children, and it will soon become easy. When you feel the need of coffee, tell my Mary, and she will always give it you."