hut him up, hungry, in a room filled with tempting food, and
commanded him not to touch or taste it. Had an allegation of evil
conduct been brought against Emily Winters; had any right reason for
the interdiction been given, then Mr. Howland might have had some
power over the strong will and stronger inclinations of the child.
But into the mind of Andrew, young as he was, came a sense of
injustice and wrong on the part of his father, and there was no
willingness, from filial duty, to yield obedience in a case where
every feeling of his heart was at variance with the command.

The struggle so early commenced between the father and his child,
was an unceasing one. The will of Andrew, which by other treatment
might have been bent to obedience, gained a vigor like the young oak
amid storms, in the strife and reaction of his daily life. Instead
of drawing his child to him, there was ever about Mr. Howland a
sphere of repulsion. Andrew was always doing something to offend his
father; and his father was in consequence always offended. A kind
word from paternal lips rarely touched the ears of the boy, and, but
for the love of his gentle mother, home would have been almost
intolerable. Steadily, against all opposition, chidings, and
punishment, Andrew would seek the company of his little friend Emily
on every convenient occasion. To avoid the consequences he would
practice deception, and utter direct falsehood without compunction
or hesitation. At last, after a struggle of two years, even the
father became wearied and discouraged at the perseverance of his
child; and there came a suggestion to his mind, that probably, to
continue as he had been going on for so long a time, would do more
harm than good. It requires no little self-denial for a man like
Andrew Howland to yield in such a contention, and let the will of
his child remain unbroken. But, after a long debate with himself,
his better conviction triumphed over prejudice and the tenacity of a
mind fixed in its own opinions. He ceased to command obedience in
the case of Emily Winters, and therefore ceased to punish Andrew on
her account. Nevertheless, he rarely saw him in her company that the
displeasure he felt was not manifested by a frown, or some word that
smote painfully upon the ear of his child.

Possessing an active, independent mind, Andrew failed not to excite
the displeasure of his father in many ways. In fact he was always in
disgrace from some cause or other a