From the happy change in his conduct he derived the advantage, not only of enriching himself with a plentiful crop of fruit, but alfo of getting rid of bad and pernicious habits. His father was fo perfectly fatisfied with his reformation, that the following feafon he gave him and his brother the produce of a fmall orchard, which they shared equally between them.

'Tis the voice of a fluggard-I heard him complain

"You have wak'd me too soon, I must slumber again."

As the door on its hinges. fo he on his bed

Turns his fides and his fhoulders and his heavy head.

"A little more fleep and a little more flumber;" Thus he wastes half his days and his hours without. number.

And when he gets up he fits folding his hands,
Or walks about faunt'ring, or trifling he stands.

I pafs'd by his garden and faw the wild briar, The thorn and the thiftle grow broader and higher; The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags; And his money ftill waftes till he starves or he begs.

I made him a vifit, ftill hoping to find

He had took better care for improving his mind ;

He told me his dreams, talk'd of eating and drink

ing,

But he fcarce reads his bible, and never loves thinking.

Said I then to my heart, "Here's a leffon for me; That man's but a picture of what I might be ; But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding,

Who taught me betimes to love working and reading.

MISCHIEF ITS OWN PUNISHMENT, EXEMPLIFIED IN

THE HISTORY OE WILLIAM AND HARRY.

MR. Stevenfon, and his little fon Richard, as

they were one fine day walking in the fields together, paffed by the fide of a garden, in which they faw a beautiful pear-tree loaded with fruit. Richard caft a longing eye at it, and complained to his papa that he was very dry. On Mr. Stevenson's faying, that he was dry alfo, but they must bear it with patience till they got home, Richard pointed to the pear-tree, and begged his papa would

let him go and get one; for, as the hedge was not very thick, he faid he could eafily get through, without being feen by any one.

Richard's father reminded him, that the garden and fruit were private property, and to take any thing from thence without permiffion was nothing lefs than being guilty of a robbery. He allowed, that there might be a poffibility of getting into the garden without being feen by the owner of it; but fuch a wicked action could not be concealed from him, who fees every action of our lives, and who penetrates even into the very fecrets of our hearts; and that is God.

His fon fhook his head, and faid, he was fenfible of his error, and would no more think of committing what might be called a robbery. He recollected that parfon Jackson had told him the fame thing before, but he had then forgotten it.

At this inftant a man started up from behind the hedge, which had before concealed him from their fight. This was an old man, the owner of the garden, who had heard every thing that had paffed between Mr. Stevenfon and his fon. "Be thankful to God, my child, faid the old man, that your father prevented your getting into my garden with the view to deprive me of that which does not belong to you. You little thought, that

at the foot of each tree is placed a trap to catch thieves, which you could not have efcaped, and which might have lamed you for the rest of your life. I am however happy to find, that you fo readily liftened to the first admonition of your father, and fhewed fuch a fear of offending God. As you have behaved in fo just and fenfible a manner, you fhall now, without any danger or trouble, partake of the fruit of my garden." He then went to the finest pear-tree, gave it a fhake, and brought down near a hatful of fruit, which he immediately gave to Richard.

This civil old man could not be prevailed on to accept of any thing in return, though Mr. Stevenfon pulled out his purse for that purpose. "I am fufficiently fatisfied, Sir, faid he, in thus obliging your fon, and were I to accept of any thing, that fatisfaction would be loft." Mr. Stevenfon thanked him kindly, and having fhaken hands over the hedge, they parted, Richard at the fame time taking leave of the old man in a polite manner.

Little Richard, having finished feveral of the pears, began to find himfelf at leifure to talk to his papa.. "This is a very good old man, said he, but would God have punifhed me, had I taken thefe pears without his leave?" "He certainly would, replied Mr. Stevenfon, for he never fails to