s the lie of the
preceding day. He could not forget it. He was afraid to go into the
room where his parents were, lest they should discover, by his
appearance, that he had been doing something wrong. And though, as
weeks passed away, the acuteness of his feelings in some degree
abated, he was all the time disquieted and unhappy. He was
continually fearing that something would occur which should lead to
his detection.

Thus things went on for several weeks, till, one day, the gentleman at
whose house he stopped called at his father's on business. So soon
as this boy saw him come into the house, his heart beat violently,
and he turned pale with the fear that something would be said that
would bring the whole truth to light. The gentleman, after conversing
a few moments with his father, turned to the little boy, and said,
"Well, how did you get home the other day? My boys had a very
pleasant visit from you." Can you imagine how the boy felt? You could
almost have heard his heart beat. The blood rushed into his face, and
he could not speak; and he dared not raise his eyes from the floor.
The gentleman then turned to his parents, and said, "You must let
your son come up again and see my boys. They were quite disappointed
when he was there a few weeks ago, for he only staid about two hours,
and they hoped he had come to spend the whole day with them." There,
the whole truth was out. And how do you suppose that boy felt? He had
disobeyed his parents; told a lie to conceal it; had for weeks
suffered the pangs of a guilty conscience; and now the whole truth
was discovered. He stood before his parents overwhelmed with shame,
convicted of disobedience, and mean, degraded falsehood.

This boy was all the time suffering the consequences of his sin. For
many days he was enduring the reproaches of conscience, when the
knowledge of his crime was confined to his own bosom. How bitterly
did he suffer for the few moments of forbidden pleasure he had
enjoyed! The way of the transgressor is always hard. Every child who
does wrong must, to a greater or less degree, feel the same sorrows.
This guilty child, overwhelmed with confusion and disgrace, burst
into tears, and implored his parents' forgiveness. But he was told by
his parents that he had sinned, not only against them, but against
God. The humble child went to God in penitence and in prayer. He made
a full confession of all to his parents, and obtained their
forgiveness; and it was