is note is my affair, and I mean to pay it myself with my own
earnings. No objections, mother."

Like a sensible woman as she was, she did not make any objections. She
was conscious of Bobby's talents; she knew that he had a strong mind of
his own, and could take care of himself. It is true, she feared the
influence of the great world, and especially of the great city, upon
the tender mind of her son; but if he was never tempted, he would never
be a conqueror over the foes that beset him.

She determined to do her whole duty towards him, and she carefully
pointed out to him the sins and the moral danger to which he would be
exposed, and warned him always to resist temptation. She counselled
him to think of her when he felt like going astray.

Bobby declared that he would try to be a good boy. He did not speak
contemptuously of the anticipated perils, as many boys would have done,
because he knew that his mother would not make bugbears out of things
which she knew had no real existence.

The next day, Mr. Hardhand came; and my young readers can judge how
astonished and chagrined he was, when the widow Bright offered him the
sixty dollars. The Lord was with the widow and the fatherless, and the
wretch was cheated out of his revenge. The note was given up, and the
mortgage cancelled.

Mr. Hardhand insisted that she should pay the interest on the sixty
dollars for one day, as it was then the second day of July; but when
Bobby reckoned it up, and found it was less than one cent, even the
wretched miser seemed ashamed of himself, and changed the subject of
conversation.

He did not dare to say any thing saucy to the widow this time. He had
lost his power over her, and there stood Bobby, who had come to look
just like a young lion to him, coward and knave as he was.

The business was all settled now, and Bobby spent the rest of the week
in getting ready for his great enterprise. He visited all his friends,
and went each day to talk with Squire Lee and Annie. The little maiden
promised to buy a great many books of him, if he would bring his stock
to Riverdale, for she was quite as much interested in him as her father
was.

Monday morning came, and Bobby was out of bed with the first streak of
dawn. The excitement of the great event which was about to happen had
not permitted him to sleep for the two hours preceding; yet when he got
up, he could not help feeling sad. He was going to leave the little
black h