try to draw her off from her care of her sick mother. The poor woman declined very fast. Betsy was much employed in reading or praying by her while she was awake, and passed good part of the night while she slept, in doing some fine works to sell in order to supply her sick mother with little delicacies which their poor pittance could not afford, while she herself lived on a crust.

Mr. Stock knew that Betsy would have little or nothing after her mother's death, as she had only a life income. On the other hand Mr. Thompson, the tanner, had offered him two hundred pounds with his daughter Nancy: but he was almost sorry that he had not in this case an opportunity of resist ing his natural bias, which rather lay on the side of loving money: "For," said he, "putting prin

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ciple and putting affection out of the question, I "shall do a more prudent thing by marrying, Betsy "West, who will conform to her station, and is a

religious, humble, industrious girl, without a shil-\ how "ling, than by having an idle dressy lass, who will neglect my family and fill my house with com pany, though she should have twice the fortune "which Nancy Thompson would bring."

At length poor old Mrs. West was released from all her sufferings. At a proper time Mr. Stock proposed marriage to Betsy, and was accepted. All the disappointed girls in the town wondered what any body could like in such a dowdy as that. Had the man no eyes? They thought Mr. Stock had had more taste. Oh! how it did provoke all the vain idle things to find, that staying at home, dressing plainly, serving God, and nursing a blind mother, should do that for Betsy West, which all their contrivances, flaunting, and dancing, could not do for them.

He was not disappointed in his hope of meeting with a good wife in Betsy, as indeed those who marry

on right grounds seldom are. But if religious persons will, for the sake of money, chuse partners for life who have no religion, do not let them complain that they are unhappy; they might have known that before hand.

Tommy Williams was now taken home to Stock's house and bound apprentice. He was always kind and attentive to his mother; and every penny which Will Simpson or his master gave him for learning a chapter, he would save to buy a bit of tea and sugar for her. When the other boys laughed at him for being so foolish as to deny himself cakes and apples, to give his money to her who was so bad a woman, he would answer, It may be so, but she is my

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"mother for all that.”

Mr. Stock was much moved at the change in this boy, who turned out a very good youth. He resolved, as God should prosper him, that he would try to snatch other helpless creatures ftom sin and ruin. "For," said he, "it is owing to God's blessing on "the instructions of my good minister when I was a "child, that I have been saved from the broad way "of destruction." He still gave God the glory of every thing he did aright; and when Will Simpson one day said to him. Master, I wish I were half as good as you are."-"Hold, William," answered he gravely, "I once read in a book, that the "devil is willing enough we should appear to do "good actions, if he can but make us proud of "them."

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But we must not forget our other old acquaintance, Mr. Stock's fellow-prentice. So next month you may expect a full account of the many tricks and frolicks of idle Jack Brown.

PART

PART III.

Some Account of the Frolicks of idle Jack Brown.

You shall now hear what befel idle Jack Brown, who, being a farmer's son, had many advantages to begin life with. But he who wants prudence may be said to want every thing, because he turns all his advantages to no account.

Jack Brown was just out of his time when his master Williams died in that terrible drunken fit at the Greyhound. You know already how Stock succeeded to his master's business, and prospered in it. Jack wished very much to enter into partnership with him. His father and mother too were desirous of it, and offered to advance a hundred pounds with him. Here is a fresh proof of the power of character! The old farmer, with all his covetousness, was eager to get his son into partnership with Stock, though the latter was not worth a shilling; and even Jack's mo◄ ther, with all her pride, was eager for it, for they had both sense enough to see it would be the making of Jack. The father knew that Stock would look to the main chance; and the mother, 'that he would take the labouring oar, and so her darling would have little to do. The ruling passion operated in both. One parent wished to secure to the son a life of pleasure, the other a profitable trade. Both were equally indifferent to whatever related to his eternal good.

Stock,

Stock, however, young as he bird to be caught with chaff.

was, was too old a His wisdom was an

overmatch for their cunning. He had a kindness for Brown, but would on no account enter into business with him. "One of these three things," said he, "I am sure will happen if I do; he will either "hurt my principles, my character, or my trade; "perhaps all." And here, by-the-bye, let me drop a hint to other young men who are about to enter into partnership. Let them not do that in haste which they may repent at leisure. Next to marriage it is a tie the hardest to break; and next to that it is an engagement which ought to be entered into with the most caution. Many things go to the making such a connection suitable, safe, and pleasant. There is many a rich merchant need not be above taking a hint in this respect from James Stock the shoemaker.

Brown was still unwilling to part from him; indeed he was too idle to look out for business, so hẹ offered Stock to work with him as a journeyman; but this he also mildly refused. It hurt his good-nature to do so; but he reflected that a young man who has his way to make in the world must not only be good-natured, he must be prudent also. "I am re"solved," said he, to employ none but the most

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sober, regular young men I can get. Evil com"munications corrupt good manners, and I should "be answerable for all the disorders of my own "house if I knowingly took a wild drinking young "fellow into it. That which might be kindness to "one, would be injustice to many, and therefore a ❝ sin in myself."

Brown's mother was in agreat rage when she heard that her son had stooped so low as to make this offer. She valued herself on being proud, for she thought pride was a grand thing. Poor woman! She did not

know

know that it is the meanest thing in the world. I was her ignorance which made her proud, as is apt to be the case. "You mean spirited rascal," said she to Jack, "I had rather follow you to your grave, as "well as I love you, than see you disgrace your family by working under Jem Stock, the parish 66 apprentice." She forgot already what pains she had taken about the partnership, but pride and passion have bad memories.

It is hard to say which was now uppermost in her mind, her desire to be revenged on Stock, or to see her son make a figure. She raised every shilling she could get from her husband, and all she could crib from the dairy to set up Jack in a showy way. So the very next market day she came herself, and took for him the new white house with the two little sash windows painted blue, and blue posts before the door. It is that house which has the old cross just before it, as you turn down between the church and the Greyhound. Its being so near the church to be sure was no recommendation to Jack, but its being so near the Greyhound was, and so taking one thing with the other it was to be sure no bad situation; but what weighed most with the mother was, that it was a much more showy shop than Stock's; and the house, though not half so convenient, was far more

smart.

In order to draw custom, his foolish mother advised him to undersell his neighbours just at first; to buy ordinary but showy goods, and to employ cheap workmen. In short, she charged him to leave no stone unturned to ruin his old comrade Stock. Indéed she always thought with double satisfaction of Jack's prosperity, because she always joined to it the hope that his success would be the ruin of Stock, for she owned it would be the joy of her heart to bring that proud upstart to a morsel of bread. She did not understand