is delightful spot
Charlotte used frequently to sit in her little chair, while employed in
knitting stockings for her mamma.

As she was one day thus employed, she saw a poor old man advancing very
slowly towards her. His hair was as white as silver, and his back bent
with age; he supported himself by a stick, and seemed to walk with
great difficulty. "Poor man," said Charlotte, looking at him most
tenderly, "he seems to be very much in pain, and perhaps is very poor,
which are two dreadful evils!"

She also saw a number of boys, who were following close behind this poor
old man. They passed jokes upon his thread-bare coat, which had very
long skirts, and short sleeves, contrary to the fashion of those days.
His hat, which was quite rusty, did not escape their notice; his cheeks
were hollow, and his body thin. These wicked boys no sooner saw him,
than they all burst out a laughing. A stone lay in his way, which he did
not perceive, and over it he stumbled, and had like to have fallen. This
afforded them sport, and they laughed loudly; but it gave great pain to
the poor old man, who uttered a deep sigh.

"I once was as young as you are," said he to the boys, "but I did not
laugh at the infirmities of age as you do. The day will come in which
you will be old yourselves, and every day is bringing you forward to
that period. You will then be sensible of the impropriety of your
present conduct." Having thus spoken, he endeavoured to hobble on again,
and made a second stumble, when, in struggling to save himself from
falling, he dropped his cane, and down he fell. On this, the wicked boys
renewed their laugh, and highly enjoyed his misfortune.

Charlotte, who had seen every thing that had passed, could not help
pitying the old man's situation, and, therefore, putting down her
stockings on the chair, ran towards him, picked up the cane, and gave it
to him, and then taking hold of his other arm, as if she had been as
strong as a woman, advised him to lean upon her, and not mind any thing
the boys might say to him.

The poor old man, looking at her very earnestly, "Sweet child," said he,
"how good you are! This kindness makes me in a moment forget all the
ill-behaviour of those naughty boys. May you ever be happy!"--They then
walked on together; but the boys being probably made ashamed of their
conduct by the behaviour of Charlotte, followed the old man no farther.

While the boys were turning about, one of them fell down