of the poor boy be described?
Motherless and fatherless! what a deep and painful impression did the
words of that truly pious mother make upon him! He had dearly loved
his father, but the exertion he had at once made to help to support
his mother had prevented his viewing that great loss in all its
magnitude; but now, to lose her on whom, since his father's death, he
had hung his whole heart, was an idea so terrible that he could
scarcely comprehend it.

"Mother," he exclaimed, as he threw his arms around her and sobbed
wildly, "you will not die! surely you will not! I cannot live without
you; I shall have no home,--nobody to love when you are gone."

Poor Margaret, controlling her own emotion, tried to comfort her
weeping child, and at last succeeded; for strength from above was
given to her heart, and words to her tongue. She spoke so convincingly
of God's wisdom, and goodness, and righteous dealing in all things,
that the boy's grief abated, his eye once more lighted up, and peace
returned to his heart. The assurance that God, the Father of all, who
never forsakes the creature he has made, _would_ be to him more than
parents _could_, came plainly upon his soul, and filled it with trust.

"You will not be _alone_, my poor child," said Margaret; "God will be
with you. He has work yet for you to perform. See that you do all
_that he has commanded, and_ in a _proper spirit_, and you cannot fail
to be blessed--not, perhaps, with earthly prosperity, but with that
better portion, peace of mind, a good conscience, and the hope which
maketh not ashamed, whose end is eternal life. Never neglect your
Bible or the duty of prayer; avoid all bad company; keep your heart
pure; and God will be with you, to bless and protect you."

As if endued with strength to utter a last solemn admonition, she told
him of the evil nature and power of sin, how it separated man from his
Maker; of the temptations to be met with in the world, from the
deceitfulness and weakness of the human heart, and the example of the
ungodly, with whom she begged him to have no communion. She spoke of
the necessity there was for constant watchfulness and prayer; told him
to avoid all exhibition of self-will or disobedience; but above all to
shun falsehood, that most ruinous of all vices, since it is the first
step on the way which leads to eternal death. She bade him remember
how the Scriptures teach, "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out
of it are the i