ndeavoured
to make Joe lovable, and congratulated himself on his first successful
attempt. He did not speak in the very words of the Poet, but his
sentiments were the same, as he talked to John of his victory.

"There is a golden chord of sympathy,
Fix'd in the harp of every human soul,
Which by the breath of kindness when 'tis swept,
Wakes angel-melodies in savage hearts;
Inflicts sore chastisements for treasured wrongs,
And melts away the ice of hate to streams of love;
Nor aught but _kindness_ can that fine chord touch."

Joe Murray was quite right in telling Edith that a little of the leaven
of kindness and love went a great way in a family. No man can live to
himself, that is to say, no man's acts can affect himself only. Had Fred
set an example of revenge and retaliation, other boys would have no
doubt acted in like manner on the first occasion of irritation. Now they
all helped to reform Joe White, and did not return evil for evil, as
had been their custom. Fred was the oldest but one of the little
community, and had always been looked up to as a clever boy, up to all
kinds of spore and diversion. He was the leader of their plays and
amusements, and but for the occasional outbreaks of his violent temper
would have been a great favourite. As it was, the boys liked him, and
his master was undoubtedly very fond of Fred Parker. He was an honest
truthful boy though impetuous and headstrong.

Permission was given the lads, who as we have said were six in number,
to walk out one fine September afternoon without the guardianship of
their master. They were to gather blackberries, highly esteemed by Mrs.
Barton for preserves, and it was the great delight of the boys to supply
her every year with this fruit. Blackberrying is a very amusing thing to
country children. It is less so perhaps in its consequences to the
nurse, or sempstress, who has to repair the terrible rents which
merciless brambles make, but of that children, boys especially, think
little or nothing. On they went, each provided with a basket and a long
crome stick, for the purpose of drawing distant clusters over ditches
or from some height within the reach of the gatherer. At first they
jumped and ran and sang in all the merriment of independence. The very
consciousness of life, health, and freedom was sufficient enjoyment, and
there was no end to their fun and their frolics until they came to the
spot where the blackberries grew in the gre