How long do you stop at a comma? at a semicolon? - at a

RULE. When you look at the persons to whom you are reading, look at them as you would if you were talking to them.

THE LITTLE WOOL MERCHANT-concluded.

1. In three years our little adventurer had acquired more money than his father had seen in his whole life, and he naturally became very anxious to go home and tell his parents his good luck. He had never visited them, nor had they heard one syllable from him since he left them.

2. His father had heard others talk, and he had often talked himself, about the famous little wool merchant; but he never once dreamed it was his own son. Nichols for some time intended to write to his father; but then he thought how grand it would be to go home of a sudden, with handsome presents, and surprise them all with his riches.

3. It was a joyful day for the little merchant when he came within sight of his native town, after such a long and eventful absence. He left his horses, his wagons, and his domestic, at a neighboring inn, and having put on the self-same clothes he wore away, (which, by the way, could not be made to fit decently without considerable ripping, piecing, and pulling,) he bent his steps towards his father's dwelling.

4. He opened the kitchen door just as the family were sitting down to supper. One of his brothers remembered his old clothes, and the moment he saw him he threw himself on his neck, exclaiming, 'It is my brother! It is my brother!' 'Yes, yes,' said one of the girls, jumping and capering, and catching hold of the skirts of his coat, 'It is our Nichols!'

5. His mother sprang forward, and the little wanderer sank on his knees before her. She kissed him again and again; but her voice trembled so that she could not speak for many minutes. It is indeed our boy,' said the father, dashing the tears from his eyes. 'He has been gone so long,' said the mother, 'that I cannot find it in my heart to scold at him for not letting us know where he has been. Poor child! he has got on the same old coat that he wore away!'

6. What have you been doing all this time?' said his father, looking a little displeased at his forlorn appearance. 'When you have heard my story, I do not think you will blame me,' replied Nichols in a respectful tone, but first let me give my brothers and sisters the presents I have brought for them.' So saying, he gave his father a purse containing an hundred

pieces of gold; one to his mother, containing fifty pieces; and one to each of his brothers and sisters, containing twentyfive pieces.

7. The old man blushed and turned pale at the sight of so much money; and thinking Nichols could not have gained it honestly, he cried out, in a sorrowful tone, 'Ah! my child, what have you done? My wretch ed boy, is it possible you have turned robber! '

8. 'Oh, my dear father,' replied the little merchant, 'do not have such a thought as that! After all the good lessons you and my mother gave me when I was little, do you think it is possible for me to do such a wicked thing? When you have heard my story, I do not think you will be ashamed to own me as a son.'

9. Then he told how he had gone to Lord Baltimore to get work; how kindly that gentleman had assisted him; how he had bought wool with the money; how he had sold it for double what it cost him; and finally, that he had become rich enough to keep horses, wagons, and a man of his own.

10. Ah, ha!' shouted his brothers, 'you are the little wool merchant we have heard so much talk about!' 'Is it possible?' asked his delighted father, bursting into tears.

11. 'Yes, my dear father,' replied the happy son. 'It is even so; and if you will go to the inn with me, I will prove it by my loaded wagons, and letters from the richest merchants in the country.'

12. And did you always wear these old clothes? asked one of his sisters.

'3. 'Not these,' replied the little economist; 'but

Sometimes they used

some that were full as coarse. to laugh at me, and say, "I guess you drive a pitiful trade, Nichols, by the looks of your coat ;" but I did not mind them much, for I knew my own business best. Once Lord Baltimore heard them laughing at me, and he told me I had better put off my wooden shoes, and get a more decent coat.

14. 'I told him I would do anything to please him, but that for myself I did not care about anything more than comfortable clothing. I told him I should be robbed in the woods and by-roads, if I dressed like a gentleman; that the tavern keepers would all charge me more, and give me better things to eat and drink than I wanted; and that if I ate, drank and slept like a rich man, I should never become rich.

15. 'The Baron said he believed I was right, and told me he had no doubt I should prosper, if I continued my old habits of prudence and industry. So,' added Nichols, I kept on my wooden shoes, and my peasant dress-I carried a mouthful of bacon, and a bottle of beer in my knapsack; and I slept in the barn with my horses.'

16. You were wiser than those that laughed at you,' said his father; but after all, my son, I can hardly believe this great story you are telling us.'

17. Indeed, it did all seem like a dream to the family, till his horses, his wagons, and his letters were shown them. You may be sure the fortnight Nichols spent at home was a happy one. When, at the end of that time, he told his mother he must leave her, she said it did not seem as if she had seen him a single day; but his

father said he should not be urged to stay longer. 'He has grown rich by attending to his business,' said he : 'and that is the way he must keep so.'

18. After many a kind and sorrowful farewell, Nichols returned to business again. In process of time he became a rich and celebrated merchant; but the love of money did not, as it sometimes does, destroy all other tastes and affections.

19. Before Nichols was thirty years old, he gave up his profitable traffic to one of his brothers, and purchased a fine large farm, not far from home, where he spent the remainder of his industrious and useful life. He had given his sisters a good education, and they were all well married, and lived within a day's ride of their father's house.

20. The old folks were happy with their children. When the neighbors talked of what the little wool merchant had done for them, the old lady would smile and say, 'Why, to be sure, we are comfortable and happy; how can we be otherwise, when we have such good children?' And Nichols would answer, 'How could we be otherwise than good, when we have such a good mother?'

21. I suppose some of my young readers will want to hear more about Lord Baltimore. He removed to London, about the time Nichols made his visit at home; and his young friend did not see him for several years. He could not, however, endure the thought of looking upon the good old gentleman no more before his death; and when he quitted business, he made a journey to London, on purpose to thank him again for all he had done for him.