wards him, and even those, who, being confined to their hovels, might be fairly said to be bed-ridden, turned their languid eyes to him, and appeared sensible of his pity and caressings.

" be

"These have been all very faithful creatures," would say, "and have strong claims upon me that poor fellow, who has now scarce a leg to stand upon, was the constant companion of my peregrinations for six andtwenty years, and was as proud and prancing, as he is now humble and decrepit; and the iron-grey invalid, which you see yonder, dragging his slow length along, was in the days of his youth such a roving, riotous fellow, that no gate or hedge could keep him within bounds, and it was a day's work sometimes to catch him; nay, when he was caught, it required more address and horsemanship than ever I was master of, to make him understand, that the philosophy of a parson's pad had more charms for me than all the flights of Bucephalus, or even of Pegasus himself. Look at him now. The morality of the contrast is obvious."

ers.

"In this manner he went on, enumerating the several qualities, and historical anecdotes of the several pension"There was one," he remarked, "that was at no time a horse for him, and would not probably have been amongst his pensioners, but that he had been once rode by a relation of his, a young agreeable rake, who valued him for the very points that made him useless to me, his skittishness, and impetuosity; all which, he asserted, were the sure marks, both in man and beast, of a generous spirit, high heart, and noble disposition. Now, as my little frolic loving cousin was precisely of this character himself, and after a mad, but not vicious career of fifteen years, consolidated into a very good man, I suffered the T 2 horse

horse and his master to reform themselves at leisure, and wish with all my soul, that half the reformed rakes about town, had turned out so well, after sowing their wild oats, as did this young gentleman, and his favourite steed, who, for the eight last' years of his servitude, was a pattern of sobriety to horses and riders.

The Boy of Dundee.

A LADY, in the neighbourhood of Dundee, in Scotland, going to visit a poor woman in the town, was directed, by mistake, to the lodging of another person, and knocking at the door, was desired, in a low female voice, to come in.

On going into the room, she found a poor helpless woman on a bed, who seemed to be in a miserable situation, in consequence of a paralytic stroke which she had had five years before.

Her friendly visitor pitying her condition, was surprised to hear her say, that she thought herself one of the happiest of mortals; and on desiring an explanation, the poor wo man related the following particulars.

In the younger part of life she was left a widow, with an only son; who, when she had the stroke, was twelve years of age. Till that time, by spinning and other 'work, she had been enabled to maintain herself and her child; and to pay a trifle for his education. Since that trying dispensation of Providence, confined to her bed, and deprived of the use of her limbs, she had been unable to do any thing for herself; and had no money to pay another. Her son, at that early age, trusting to the Divine blessing, took the noble resolution, by the labour

of

of his own hands, to supply the wants of his afflicted parent. A female neighbour sometimes called in to do little kind services for her; bat her chief comfort, and her support, arose from the affection and unceasing attention of her son. He procured such work as his years would admit, in the Osnaburg manufactory at Dundee. Every morning, after cleaning the room in which they dwelt, getting ready their breakfast, and making his mother as comfortable as he could till his return, he left her with a smiling countenance, to attend the labours of the loom; and returned in the evening with his well earned pittance, to enjoy a cheerful meal with his beloved parent. And thus had they lived for the space of

five years.

But this is not all; the mother could not read; the son, by her kindness, had obtained that advantage. He had read the Holy Scriptures; and he knew the truth as it is in Jesus. In the midst of poverty and distress, he had found great riches; and he experienced that the ways of religion are "ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace!" Reflecting, therefore, on the many hours he was under the necessity of leaving his mother, alone and unemployed; and desirous that she also should share in the blessings which he enjoyed from his religious knowledge; he resolved to teach her to read: and, in due time, accomplished the pleasing task; affording her, by this means, a comfort, and delight, which, she confessed, had made her one of the happiest of women. She added, that during her son's absence, she loved to meditate on the holy volume, whose divine truths had filled her soul with humble hope and joy; and afforded her that peace, which the world can neither give nor take away! and that it was unspeakably pleasing to her, to think she owed all this, by the blessing of Providence, to her beloved

son.

T 3

THE

THE CONVERT;

OR THE

Effects of a Storm on board a Berwick Smack. (Drawn up from a Narrative of the facts, for The Cheap Magazine.)

A BERWICK smack, a few years ago, on her passage from Leith to London, encountered a violent gale off the coast of Norfolk. The wind being from the N. E. and the ship heavily laden, it was expected, by all on board, that she would either founder, or be dashed to pieces on a lee-shore. The passengers on board, less accustomed to scenes of this kind than the sailors, were seized with the utmost consternation; some were wring ing their hands in the agonies of despair, and others fervently casting their eyes upwards, and inwardly im ploring the protection of the Almighty; whilst some again were dishonouring his name, by the most horrid oaths and imprecations. Of the latter description was a young officer, who was going to London to join his regiment His conduct exhibited the most violent symptoms of the deepest despair-Whenever he felt the ship reel, he vociferated, "We will all be in hell in a moment!" and when the roaring of the wind, and dashing of the waves struck his ear, "D-n them, there they come again, down we go-we'll all be in hell in a moment!" This frantic behaviour, so unsuitable to his present circumstances, was observed by a young lady, who was also a passenger on board-she accordingly addressed herself to him, and as well as she could, pointed out to him the madness of his conduct. She told him, that instead of blaspheming thus the name of his Maker, he ought rather to employ his time in preparing for eterni

"Pray,"

ty by praying for the forgiveness of his sins. says he, "me pray-I cannot pray-I never prayed in my life; Oh! teach me to pray, and I'll pray, for I do not know how to pray." She repeated to him the Lord's prayer and some psalms, and requested him to say them after her, but all that she could get him to say, was “O Lord, I cannot pray, teach me to pray ;" and as the storm seemed to increase, he would then again exclaim, "there it comes, down we go." The lady upon this told him that, she supposed, he must have been guilty of some heinous. crime, which sat heavily on his mind, and if this was the case, he ought to confess it, and if it was reparable, he must determine to repair it."Yes!" cried he, "I am guilty of crimes, horrid crimes! but there is one, but I can say no more—I am a d-ned villain !"-The young lady pressed him, if it was of the nature alluded to, freely to confess it, and that perhaps the storm was sent for the wisest purposes, to awaken him to a sense of his sins, and finally, to promote his happiness; that if her advice. or assistance could be of any use, he might fully command them. “Well” says he, "I confess my sins freely to you, and perhaps, as you say, it may turn to my advantage. When our regiment lay in A, I seduced a young lady there, under promise of marriage, and have now abandoned her to all the disgrace to which her situation will soon expose her; but if God will please to send me safe to London, I will promise to send for her, and marry her, without delay, as the only satisfaction I can make." The lady exhorted him solemnly to fulfil bis promise, and to trust in God, and to beware, should the Almighty at this time spare him, of offending for the future. He renewed his promise with an oath, and faithfully fulfilled it. The ship arrived safely at London, be

sent