of the young tree, and be careful that your heart is not wounded by sin? Do so, and you will take another step to honor; for there is no surer way of securing honor in this world, and happiness in the world to come, than by being strictly honest. "Honesty Evermore will prosper at the last, And gain a new, great honor." "The Lord will bless the righteous; with favor will he compass him, as with a shield:" and "blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." If you "do justly," and always inquire, "Is it right?" when in doubt about anything that you are tempted to do, you will "walk surely;" but if you disregard little things while you are young, and permit yourself to be led away into "little sins," be sure that these will grow upon you, and you will become more and more hard ened; you will find it easier to do wrong, and more difficult to resist temptation, until at last, like many wicked men around you, you will be lost to all goodness! May God keep you all from ever becoming dishonest, for "An honest man's the noblest work of God." Fourth Step-Kindness. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. S AID a boy, "He'll be sorry for it, I know he will. I shan't take such things for nothing, I know!" And his eyes flashed, and his chin quivered, and his little fists were clinched, and he trembled for very passion. "Come here, my son, and tell me what has so troubled you this morning. You must have been sorely tried to be put in such a passion. I am very sorry to see my little son exhibiting such a spirit." "Well, it's enough to make anybody mad! I don't believe, mother, that you could bear such things patiently." "Perhaps I should not, as patiently as I ought; but what has troubled you?" "Why, don't you think that Sam Waters has torn my dam all to pieces, and broken my waterwheel too. And that wasn't enough, but he must throw my beautiful new kite up into an old scraggy apple-tree, and I tore it almost all to pieces in getting it down."/ "Well, really, James, you have something to be grieved at. But how do you know that Samuel did this mischief? did you see him do it?" "No, mother, I did not see him do it; but as I was coming from school, and had got up pretty near to the brook, I saw Sam running behind the 'Great Rock.' He looked as though he had been doing something wrong; and when I went to see if my wheel was still going, I found it all broken and my dam torn up. I know Sam did it, for when I looked up, there he was, just peeping round the rock; and I heard him laugh too. Sam is an ugly, wicked boy, isn't he, mother?" "Yes, James, if he has done what you say he has, he is certainly a very naughty boy; and I am afraid he will grow up to be a very wicked man." "Well, he has done it, and I don't wonder that all the boys hate him, and call him 'little ragamuffin.' He is always dirty and ragged, and real hateful too!" Perhaps he is "But is it right for the boys to call him names, because he is wicked? not to blame for being ragged. has no better clothes to wear." I presume he "Well, he needn't be so ugly! and if his rab |