LEAVES FOR THE LITTLE ONES.

THE GROWTH AND FRUITS OF A

FALSEHOOD.

(A Tale for Boys.)

BY ELIZABETH O'HARA. George," said Mrs. Baldwin to her son, one day, "Mrs. Norton tells me she thinks she saw you go into Smith's shop last Friday. Now, my love, I hope you do not spend your allowance in cakes: you know it is intended for your dinner, since you cannot come home. I cannot afford to buy you pastry, and you must have animal food, or your health will suffer. Tell me, have been at Smith's lately?" "How should I, mother? I havn't a rap, as you know."

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"It is very odd, though. Mrs. Norton is positive she saw you. Where did you dine on Friday?"

do

"At the old place, to be sure. I what

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think

say,

"What did you have for dinner, George?" "I am sure I don't know: let's see-Friday. Oh, it must have been roast mutton; but there has been such a row at the office! Marchmont, our youngest fellow, forgot to post the letters; and Percival, the head clerk, you know, was in a precious rage; and the governor says I am to have the letters in future: won't that be prime? But I shall have to be up ever so early in the morning! The governor always tips the fellow who takes the letters, at Christmas; and if I get five pounds-five pounds, mother-shan't we be able to manage famously? You will buy yourself a new gown, and one for Evy, and we go to the theatre, just for once, you know,

will

mother."

Thus George rattled on : he was really in very good spirits, but he wished to divert his mother's attention from the question she had asked; for, I am sorry to say, his answers were entirely false-not that he meant to have told such a tissue of falsehoods; but when once we stray from truth, we are often led on : lie causes another.

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Mrs. Baldwin was in very narrow circumstances, and was obliged to use great economy to enable her son to make a respectable appearance in the office where he was apprenticed. George was aware of this, and being truly fond of his mother and sister, was generally careful in his expenses; but, like many other lads, he had a sweet tooth, and was occasionally tempted by dainties. His mother was very indulgent, and willing to make allowances; and, had he owned the truth now, she might have reproved him, but he would have been saved much, and bitter, irretrievable misery. Though he knew not all in store for him through his own misconduct, her answer showed him how sillily he

had acted. "Well, George," she said, "I am very glad Mrs. Norton was mistaken. I have a few shillings to spare, and meant to have given them to you in case you had been so foolish as to incur a debt at Smith's; for you have no money to spend there: but since you have been wiser, I will buy you that book you were wishing for, instead, my dear. And this is such good news from your office, too! May you always go on as you have begun, my dear boy; and you will be a blessing and comfort to your poor mother."

The book was bought, but George had little pleasure in its gay binding and beautiful engravings, for he owed more than its price at the confectioner's, and dared not ask his mother for more money. He tried to save from his dinner allowance and pocket-money; but the head-clerk dined at the same eating-house, and almost always made a point of accompanying him there besides, he had also many other unavoidable claims on his purse, which prevented his laying by much. No one can be happy when in debt, however small the sum: it destroys the comfort of an honest person.

George often thought of applying to his mother, but she had lately been making some purchases, and he knew she was out of cash. He was now trusted by his employers with a sum for postages, making up his accounts every month: and as the house had an extensive foreign correspondence, the amount was comparatively large. In an evil hour he was tempted to appropriate some of this money. It happened thus:-He was hurrying along one morning, when he met Marchmont, who dragged him into Smith's. George at first strenuously refused to go till his friend laughingly cried, "If you do not come along, old fellow, I shall think Smith meant what he said."

"What was that?" had had some things on "Why, that you tick, and had never been there since." "The rascal! I'll pay him directly. Lend me five shillings, will you-till to-morrow?"

"To be sure; but I must have them then; for they are not mine. My mother asked me to pay a workwoman with it, and I have not had time to take it to her."

George accepted the loan, and paid Smith, intending to speak to his mother that evening; but on his return home he found her in great distress about a fresh loss of property, and he dared not apply to her. Unfortunately he had much postage-money in hand, and trusting to the chances of a Christmas-box, he repaid Marchmont from his employer's funds. Once having transgressed, it seemed so easy to borrow more from the same source; that he again renewed his visits at Smith's, in order to shew that he could afford it as well as his companions.

The months slipped rapidly away, and Christmas came; but instead of its bringing the hoped-for present, George found that the firm had dropped the custom; but one of the partners, Mrs. Baldwin's landlord, remitted part of her rent as a reward to her son. Poor mother! how proud she was of this-of feeling that her boy was doing his duty, and earning an honest livelihood. But he was thunderstruck to find that he had used more than a pound of the office-money, which he now saw no chance of replacing.

The firm had lately been sending out circulars both abroad and in England, and a large number were ready for posting. George knew that many of these would never be answered, and in his extremity destroyed them, and charged the postage in his accounts. This theft also remained undiscovered, and as he daily grew more in the habit of yielding to temptation, he constantly recurred to the money in his power: circulars, and letters of great importance, particularly foreign ones, were destroyed, while he used their postage-money. Such conduct could not last long undetected, though it was not immediately found out-not until two or three posts had elapsed.

tense, while Eveleen wept bitterly by her side, vainly trying to comfort her.

"Hark, mamma, how it rains! depend on it George has been to the Marchmonts, and they will not let him leave in such weather. Do not cry-I am sure he will be back soon-I am sure he is safe."

Long before the office was open, the trembling woman was waiting by the door, little expecting the dreadful grief before her, little thinking that death was not the worst she could hear.

A very few words raised their suspicions; they sent to the Bank, and to the other places, George had never been near them; while on searching his desk they discovered a few unpaid bills for boyish trifles-small in themselves, but very large to one in his circumstances-and one or two torn letters which should have been posted long ago. The whole was now revealed.

Oh! could I describe his mother's suffering to you, you would shrink from temptation, and earnestly pray to be supported in an upright path, lest you should inflict the same misery on your own parents. Each of those contemptible bills recalled some plausible lie with which he had accounted for the possession of different articles; and where were his guilty spoils? Alas

these things on credit, exhibited them for awhile, and then pawned or sold them for a trifle. Yes, the path of vice is gradual, but downward, and few, very few, can retrace their steps. The affair of the destroyed letters was so serious, in a commercial light, that it aggravated the last theft which had certainly arisen from it.

At first the house was surprised at not receiv-here were fresh proofs of sin: he had procured ing any answers to its letters; then the agents abroad began to complain of not hearing from them in due course. The head-clerk made inquiries: their letters had undoubtedly been written, as their copies were in their letter-book. They applied at the different post-offices, and the authorities took the matter up. While this was pending, George, as may be supposed, was in great distress of mind, although he was not yet suspected; but he knew that the truth must inevitably be revealed. It so happened that, on a very busy day, they wished to send some one to the Bank to pay in a hundred and seventyfive pounds, and as Baldwin would pass that way in going some other errands, he was desired to take it.

"It will be late before you have done, George," some one said; so you had better go straight home: we shall have closed before can be back."

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"He was no sooner in the street, with all this money in his possession, than the thought arose, which he could not repress, that now he might escape from all his troubles, from the disgrace, perhaps the prison, that awaited him! He would not be missed till morning: what a start he might have of any pursuers! The warning-bell from a neighbouring terminus sounded, and before he had formed any settled plan, he was seated, darting away, leaving his home and his poor mother-so soon to be degraded by his crime.

Mrs. Baldwin watched long and wearily. It was the first time George had remained out without telling her where he was going; for, with all his faults, he had never been wanting in affection and attention to her. As the hours passed on, her alarm became more and more in

"I am very sorry, deeply grieved, madam,” said the head partner; "but so many interests are involved in this matter, that, even should you replace the money your son has embezzled, we can show no leniency. We must make an example of him. This conduct might ruin us and our correspondents. I must go myself in pursuit, and send the police after him."

Every kindness was shown the poor widow her son had so lost himself, and she daily exby the firm; but what could comfort her, when pected to see him in a prison?

They did not succeed in apprehending him, they even prosecuted the search in France. though a large sum was spent in the chase, and More than a year elapsed, and still no tidings of George, till his broken-hearted mother one day received a letter from him; he was now in America and suffering great hardships. What a tale his was! It seems he went straight to France, first buying a gun and a watch, two things he had long wished to have. He had forgotten to provide himself with a passport, which increased his difficulties, but he managed to reach Paris; his master was already there, and actually in the same hotel. George was so alarmed at this, on hearing his voice in an adjoining room, that he bribed the waiter with a large sum and his dearly-bought gun, to allow him to leave that night. He now fell into the hands of a set of bad men, who took almost all he had as a reward for concealing him, and at last he was

MATERIALS:-Messrs. W. Evans and Co.'s Boar's Head Crochet Cottons, Nos. 70, 50, and 91, Mecklenburgh 120 and 80; French White Cotton Braid, No. 7.