ame time he took the sixty dollars
from his pocket and handed it to her. "There is the money, and you
will be forever quit of Mr. Hardhand to-morrow."

"What, Bobby! Why, where did you get all this money?" asked
Mrs. Bright, utterly astonished.

In a few words the ambitious boy told his story, and then informed his
mother that he was going to Boston the next Monday morning, to
commence business for himself.

"Why, what can you do, Bobby?"

"Do? I can do a great many things;" and he unfolded his scheme of
becoming a little book merchant.

"You are a courageous fellow! Who would have thought of such a thing?"

"I should, and did."

"But you are not old enough."

"O, yes, I am."

"You had better wait a while."

"Now or never, mother! You see I have given my note, and my paper will
be dishonored, if I am not up and doing."

"Your paper!" said Mrs. Bright, with a smile.

"That is what Mr. Wing, the boot manufacturer, calls it."

"You needn't go away to earn this money; I can pay it myself."

"This 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 bug-bears 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; b