have offended. You have not fhewn compaffion to poor Joe, but by your unmerited infults, have added to his misfortunes. Can you think that God will be pleased with fuch conduct?" James now plainly perceived whom he had offended, and therefore promised that night to afk pardon of God in his prayers. He kept his word, and not only forbore troubling Joe for feveral weeks afterwards, but endeavoured to diffuade all his companions from doing the like. The refolutions of young people, however, are not always to be depended on. So it happened with little James, who forgetting the promises he had made, one day happened to mix with the rabble of boys, who were following and hooting, and playing many naughty tricks with poor unfortunate Joe. The more he mixed among them, the more he forgot himself, and at last became as bad as the worst of them. Joe's patience, however, being at length tired out by the rude behaviour of the wicked boys that purfued him, he fuddenly turned about, and picking up a large ftone, threw it at little James with fuch violence, that it grazed his check and almoft cut off part of his ear. Poor James, on feeling the fmart occafioned by the blow, and finding the blood trickling down his cheek at a great rate, ran home roaring most terribly. Mr. Denton, however, fhewed him no pity, telling him it was the juft judgment of God for his wickedness. James attempted to justify himself by faying, that he was not the only one who was guilty, and therefore ought not to be the only one that was punished. His father replied, that, as he knew better than the other boys, his crime was the greater. It is indeed but justice, that a child who knows the commands of God and his parents, fhould be doubly punifhed, whenever he fo far forgets his duty as to run headlong into wicked nefs. Remember this, my young readers; and, inftead of adding to the afflictions of others, do whatever you can to alleviate them, and God will then undoubtedly have compaffion on you, whenever your wants and diftreffes fhall require his af fiftance." A me! how little knows the human heart, And tears fweet fympathy can teach to flow. If e'er I've mourned my humble, lowly ftate; The fervent pray'r, humanity, was thine. Be mine the blufh of modeft worth to fpare, 'Till joy shall sparkle from the tear-fill'd eye. THE HE fun was just peeping above the eaftern edge of the horizon, to enliven with his golden rays one of the most beautiful mornings of the fpring, when Bella went down into the garden to taste with more pleafure, as fhe rambled through thofe enchanting walks the delicacies of a rich cake, of which the intended to make her first meal. Her heart fwelled with delight, on furveying the beauties of the rifing fun, in liftening to the enlivening notes of the lark, and on breathing the pleafing fragrance, which the furrounding fhrubs afforded. Bella was fo charmed with this complication of delights, that her fweet eyes were bedewed with a moisture, which refted on her eye-lids without dropping in tears. Her heart felt a gentle fenfation, and her mind was poffeffed with emotions of benevolence and tenderness. The found of steps in the walk, however, all on a fudden, interrupted these happy feelings, and a little girl came tripping towards the fame walk, eating a piece of coarfe brown bread with the keeneft appetite. As fhe was alfo rambling about the garden for amufement, her eyes wandered here and there unfixed; fo that the came up close to Bella unexpectedly. As soon as the little girl faw it was Mifs Bella, fhe stopped fhort, feemed confufed, and turning about, ran away as faft as fhe could; but Bella called to her and asked her why fhe ran away. This made the little girl run the fafter, and Bella endeavoured to purfue her; but not being fo much used to exercife, fhe was foon left behind. Luckily, as it happened, the little ftranger had turned up a path leading into that in which Bella was. Here they fuddenly met, and Bella caught |