in
harsh words.

Perhaps the boy of whose history I have given you a single incident
never read Peter's instruction to the early Christians, in his epistle
to them, and did not know that the apostle considered politeness of
sufficient importance to be worthy of the attention of those to whom
he wrote. "Be courteous," is his direction to them, and I cannot give
you better advice on the same subject.

[Illustration]

THE LITTLE BEGGAR.

As I was walking up street, a few days since, I met two little girls
who looked very much alike, and were nearly of the same age. They wore
gingham sun-bonnets, which came far over their good-natured faces.
Their calico dresses were neatly made. Their blue woollen stockings
looked warm and comfortable, but their shoes were old and much worn.

As I passed, the elder held out her hand in a way which I could not
mistake, but I thought I would ask her what she wanted. She replied,
"A penny to get mother some sugar for her tea." I talked with the
children a few minutes about their mother, and inquired if she sent
them out to beg. They said she was obliged to do it, for their father
was dead, and she was not able to work.

[Illustration: The elder held out her hand.]

The children had such good, honest faces, and gave such evidence, in
their general appearance, of more care than most of this class of
children usually receive, that I thought I would go home with them,
that I might better judge of the correctness of their story, and of
the necessities of their mother. So I said to them--

"Where does your mother live?"

They named the street.

"Will you take me there?"

"Yes, ma'am. We must go this way;" and they turned off in the
direction of their home.

"What is your name?" I inquired of the elder child.

"Mary Ann ----."

"And what is your's?"

"Ellen ----," answered the younger.

"Have you any brothers and sisters?"

"We have one sister and one brother. Her name is Joanna, and his is
Michael. A man took Michael away the fifth of July--the day after the
Fourth--and we haven't seen him since. Mother thinks we shall never
see him again."

They told me that their father was a stone-picker, and while he lived,
they did very well, and went to school; but since he died, their
mother had been ill, and had bled at the lungs, and was not strong
enough to work.

I was pleased to see the children take each other by the hand, and
walk along quite lovingly by my side. Th