, and promised to amend; and what was still better, he was
faithful to his promise.

Though his wife's father had for some time refused to see him, yet, on
being made acquainted with his promises of reformation, he advanced
money sufficient to enable him to restore his garden to its former
state, Jonathan did not deceive him; for his garden put on another
appearance, and cut a more splendid figure than ever. After this,
neither his prudence nor activity forsook him, but he became at once,
and continued so even to old age, the honest man, the indulgent husband,
and the tender father. He would sometimes tell this tale of his follies
to his son, as a lesson to him, how dangerous it is to get connected
with bad company, and how easily human nature is led astray by the
poison of example. The son, who thus acquired knowledge at the father's
former expense, became a wise and prudent man, and conceived such an
aversion to idleness and drinking, that he continued all his life as
sober as he was laborious. Thus was an innocent infant the cause of
reformation in a deluded father.

[Illustration]

THE SPARROW'S NEST.

[Illustration]

Billy Jessamy, having one day espied a sparrow's nest under the eves of
the house, ran directly to inform his sisters of the important
discovery, and they immediately fell into a consultation concerning the
manner in which they should take it. It was at last agreed, that they
should wait till the young ones were fledged, that Billy should then get
a ladder up against the wall, and that his sisters should hold it fast
below, while he mounted after the prize.

As soon as they thought these poor little creatures were properly
fledged, preparations were made for the execution of their intended
plan. The old birds flew backwards and forwards about the nest, and
expressed, as well as they were able, the sorrow and affliction they
felt on being robbed of their young. Billy and his two sisters, however,
paid no regard to their piteous moans; for they took the nest, with
three young ones in it.

As they had now got the innocent prisoners in their possession, the next
thing to be considered was, what they should do with them. The younger
sister, being of a mild and tender-hearted disposition, proposed putting
them into a cage, promising to look after them herself, and to see that
they wanted for nothing. She reminded her brother and sister how pretty
it would be to see and hear those birds when