wful
catastrophe.

A few hours later and a group of boys collected in the playground. Their
conversation was in whispers; horror sat upon every face; all were pale
and awe stricken. Charles Mansfield approached.

"How is poor Will now, have you heard?"

"Oh, Charlie!" several exclaimed at once as they gathered around him.

"Oh! don't you know? haven't you heard? Why, he opened his eyes and
spoke, but they think his back is broken."

Charles clasped his hands, lifted them high in the air, uttered not a
word, but burst into tears. For a few minutes he wept in silence, and
then, still pale and grief stricken, but with a manly voice, he said to
his companions:--

"Boys, shall we ever forget the lesson of this day?"

And poor Will--words would be too feeble to portray his agony of body
and mind as he lay for long months upon his bed of suffering; but when
he arose therefrom, with a feeble and distorted body, and a scar upon
his forehead, he was changed in heart also, crushed in spirit, humble,
and contrite.

Repentance had had its perfect work, and when he became convalescent,
and his schoolmates came to congratulate him on his recovery, he threw
his arms around the necks of each, and burst into tears, but could not
speak, except to whisper, "Forgive, forgive."

At his request the poor woman became the tenant, rent free, of a cottage
belonging to his father, and his mother constantly ministered to her
wants. As soon as he could do so, he wrote to her, humbly pleading her
forgiveness, and in return she gave him her blessing.

From this time one half of his ample quarterly allowance was given her;
he visited her in her loneliness, and at last made his peace with God,
and declared his punishment just--henceforth to be a cripple and a
hunchback.

Youthful readers, let the history of Will Winslow impress your hearts.
Revere the aged, whether they be in poverty or affluence; and feel it a
privilege to minister to them in their infirmities, as they have done to
you in the weakness and helplessness of infancy. It is the only
recompense which youth can make to age, and God will bless the youthful
heart which bows in reverence before the hoary head.

[Illustration]

ONLY THIS ONCE

"I'll be in again very soon, mother; I am only going 'round the corner
to see the new billiard rooms;" and, cap in hand, Harry was closing the
parlor door when his mother called him back.

"I cannot consent to your going there, m