n of
learning and science), was the son of a poor sailor. His parents were so
poor that he was obliged to wear his summer clothes to school, during
the whole winter. His schoolmates would sometimes laugh at him, because
he wore such thin clothes. But they could never make him angry, or
disturb his equanimity. All the notice he took of their jeers was, to
laugh at them for thinking that he was unable to bear the cold. If you
follow his example, you will never suffer much from being teazed.

CHAPTER IV.

BAD COMPANY AND BAD HABITS.

Do you remember what Solomon says about bad company? "Enter not into the
path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. For they sleep
not except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away,
unless they cause some to fall."

Mr. Green, the Reformed Gambler, relates that, at the age of sixteen, he
was laboring industriously, in the city of Cincinnati, and saving his
wages. But he became acquainted with a bad set of boys, who visited a
ten-pin alley. In his leisure hours, instead of spending his time in
reading and treasuring up useful knowledge, he would frequent this den
of iniquity; and Sabbath days, instead of going to meeting, he would go
with the same set of boys to a place of amusement and sin, a little way
out of the city. In a short time, this evil company had erased every
tender affection from his bosom. On one of these misspent Sabbaths, he
fell in with a rough set of lawless boys, and got into a fight with
them, and was seen thus engaged by the city marshal.

The next morning, a stranger, whom he met at his boarding house,
inquired of him respecting the different places of amusement in the
city, and he took him to the ten-pin alley, where he was in the habit of
going. While they were there, engaged in bowling, a man came staggering
in, to all appearance, half drunk. He pulled out three thimbles, and
tried to find some one to play with him for drink. This is a swindler's
game, through which he picks the pockets of fools, by persuading them to
bet that they can tell under which of three thimbles he places a ball.
It is all a cheat. The landlord played and won, and the man appeared
very angry; but this was only a bait, to blind the eyes of the young
men, and induce them to bet. They were caught; and they lost what money
they had, Mr. Green two dollars, and the stranger, twenty-five. They
tried in vain to get back their money. At length, the man who was wi