I will go and fee him, and wifh him joy." She endeavoured to perfuade him from it; but when fhe found that all her endeavours were in vain, fhe confented, and then burst into a flood of tears. The little youth was alarmed, and almoft afraid to afk any questions. At laft "I fear faid he, my

dear papa is either ill or dead.

Tell me my dear

aunt, for I must and will know I will fleep no more till I fee my dear father, who fo tenderly loves me.

Mrs. Clarkson was unable to speak; but when Adolphus faw his aunt take out his mourning clothes, he was too well fatisfied of what had happened. "My dear papa is dead! cried he. O my papa, my mama! both dead! What will become of poor Adolphus!" and then fainted, when Mrs. Clark fon found it difficult to bring him to his fenfes.

As foon as he was a little come to himself, "Do not afflict yourself, my dear child, faid his aunt, your parents are both living in heaven, and will intercede with God to take care of you while on earth. While he yesterday was dying, his last prayer was for you, and his prayer will be heard."

"What, did my dear father die yesterday, while I was thinking of the pleafure I fhould this day have on seeing him? Ch? let me go and fee him,

fince I cannot now disturb him, or make him unhappy on my account. Pray, my dear aunt, let me go."

Mrs. Clarkfon could not refift his importunities, and engaged to go along with him, provided he would promife to keep himself compofed. "You fee my forrow, faid fhe, and how much I am. grieved for the lofs of a brother, who was good, charitable, and humane, and from whofe bounty I received the greater part of the means of my livelihood. Though I am now left poor and help-lefs, yet I trust in providence, and you fhall fee me cry no more.

Let me intreat you, my dear child to do the fame." Poor Adolphus promised he would do as the would with him, when Mrs. Clarkson took him by the hand, and led him to the melancholy fcene.

As foon as they were come to the house, Adolphus flipped from his aunt, and rushing into the room where his father lay in his coffin, furrounded by his weeping neighbours, he threw himfelf on the breathlefs body of his dear papa. After lying fome little time in that state, without being able to fpeak, he at last raised his little head, and cried out," See how your poor Adolphus cries for having loft you! When mama died, you comforted me, though you wept yourfelf; but now to whom am I to look for comfort? O my dear papɔ, my good papa !"

By this time his aunt got into the room, and, with the affiftance of the neighbours, forced him from the coffin, and carried him to a friend's house, in order to keep him there till his father should be buried; for his aunt dreaded the thoughts of letting him attend the funeral.

The folemn fcene was now preparing, and the bell began to toll, which Adolphus heard, and every stroke of it pierced his little innocent heart. The woman to whofe care he had been left, having stepped into another room, he took that opportunity to regain his liberty, he got out of doors and ran towards the church-yard. On his arrival there, he found the funeral fervice finished and the grave filling up, when, on a fudden, a cry was heard. "Let me be buried with my dear papa." He then jumped into the grave.

Such a fcene muft naturally affect every one who faw it. They pulled him out of the grave, and carried him home, pale and fpeechlefs. For feveral days he refufed almost every kind of sustenance, being, at intervals fubject to fainting fits. After fome time, however, the confolation and advice of his good aunt appeared to have fome weight' with him, and the tempeft in his little heart began to abate.

This affectionate conduct of Adolphus was the converfation for miles round their habitation, and at laft reached the ears of a wealthy merchant, who had formerly been a little acquainted with the deceafed Mr. Clarkfon. He accordingly went to the good Adolphus, and feeling for his diftreffes, took him home with him, and treated him as his fon.

Adolphus foon gained the highest opinion of the merchant, and, as he grew up, grew more and more in his favour. At the age of twenty, he conducted himself with fo much ability and integrity, that the merchant took him into partnerfhip, and married him to his only daughter.

Adolphus had always too great a foul to be ungenerous; for even during his younger days, he denied himself every kind of extravagance, in order to fupport his aunt; and when he came into poffeffion of a wife and fortune, he placed her in a comfortable station for the remainder of her life. As for himself, he every year, on his father's birth day, paffed it in a retired room alone, fometimes indulging a tear, and fometimes lifting up his heart to heaven, from whence he had received fo much.

My little readers, if you have the happiness still to have parents living, be thankful to God, and be fenfible of the bleffing you enjoy. Be cautious how

you do any thing to offend them; and fhould you offend them undefignedly, reft neither night nor day till yoou have obtained their forgivenefs. Reflect on, and enjoy the happiness that you are not, like poor little Adolphus bereft of your fathers and mothers, and left in the hands, though of a good, yet poor aunt.

But lo! to give the unhappy mourners ease, From pale affliction's eye to wipe the tear; To bid the plaintive voice of forrow ceafe, Behold religion's heavenly form appear. "Attend, fhe cries, poor mortal! grieve no more, "No more lament thy dear departed friends, "Their fouls are wafted to a happier fhore, "Where every forrow, every trouble ends. "Follow my steps, and foon you'll meet again, "Will meet in yonder blifsful realms above; "Forever there to join the feraph's ftrains,

"And fing the wonders of redeeming love."