y he had not got down to "Constantinople," he could tell her exactly
what his father had said. So, merry was Hugh's play this evening. He
stood so perfectly upright on his father's shoulders, that he could
reach the top of his grandmamma's picture, and show by his finger-ends
how thick the dust lay upon the frame: and neither he nor his father
minded being told that he was far too old for such play.

In the midst of the fun, Hugh had a misgiving, more than once, of his
mother having something severe to say to him when she should come up to
his room, to hear him say his prayer, and to look back a little with him
upon the events of the day. Besides his consciousness that he had done
nothing well this day, there were grave looks from his mother which made
him think that she was not pleased with him. When he was undressing,
therefore, he listened with some anxiety for her footsteps, and, when
she appeared, he was ready with his confession of idleness. She stopped
him in the beginning, saying that she had rather not hear any more such
confessions. She had listened to too many, and had allowed him to spend
in confessions some of the strength which should have been applied to
mending his faults. For the present, while she was preparing a way to
help him to conquer his inattention, she advised him to say nothing to
her, or to any one else, on the subject; but this need not prevent him
from praying to God to give him strength to overcome his great fault.

"Oh, mother! mother!" cried Hugh, in an agony, "you give me up! What
shall I do if you will not help me any more?"

His mother smiled, and told him he need not fear any such thing. It
would be very cruel to leave off providing him with food and clothes,
because it gave trouble to do so; and it would be far more cruel to
abandon him to his faults, for such a reason. She would never cease to
help him till they were cured: but, as all means yet tried had failed,
she must plan some others; and meantime she did not wish him to become
hardened to his faults, by talking about them every night, when there
was no amendment during the day.

Though she spoke very kindly, and kissed him before she went away, Hugh
felt that he was punished. He felt more unhappy than if his mother had
told him all she thought of his idleness. Though his mother had told him
to go to sleep, and blessed him, he could not help crying a little, and
wishing that he was a Crofton boy. He supposed the Crofton boys