Watch-Work-Wait / Or, The Orphan's Victory

sed with the boy's ingenuous honesty shown a day or two before, and was now in a more sunny humour than usual. The old watchman, too, had come in for a

was turned so that he could not see him, made signs to our hero to conceal the truth. "I am su

e to conquer the boy's virtue, and at last triumphed. The anger of Mr. Walters was now fully aroused. He seized his young apprentice by the shoulder, and in a voice of thunder rep

hom he had been taught to love and honour, shield him in his perilous situation? Ah yes; for is there not One who, loving the wretched and suffering children of the earth-One who, touched with the feeling of man's infirmities, took on himself the likeness of sinful flesh, and dwelt among them, administering mercy to

ve passed away. This trial of his power to resist temptation was permitted, in order to show him that a better strength than his own was necessary, and that i

astisement on this occasion exceeded any that had gone before. Severe indeed were the blows rained down on his back and shoulders; less, indeed, intended as a p

endured? Conscience, that sure monitor, proclaimed with its still small voice, "Thou hast sinned aga

moment after the signal was given to cease work. Perhaps more poison would have been instilled into the soul which had been found vulnerable; perhaps such a line of proceeding prompted as would

"go to Burton's for milk." He obeyed, and wiping his streaming eyes, with an attempt to look cheerful, he

boy's heart, once more unlocked the fountain of his tears; "the old wom

ust go home and come back rather than wa

ay, or going to church. Have you never been accustomed to hear the word of God preached on the Sabbath, or attended a Sunday school? It is no wonder that falsehood d

ow gladly would I go to church and Sabbath school, as I did when my parents were living; but I fear I am growing wick

ment for the same cause. But here is the old woman, and although I would like to talk to you a little, I must not suffer y

ad; but I have a great deal to do on Sunday, and I

not be refused," said Thomas; "but here

amiable to her respectable neighbour, not only took no notice of William's ra

burden of his sin. He felt how blunt are all the arrows of adversity in comparison with those of guilt; and how insignifi

which served him for a bed, and wept bitterly as he thought of his parents, who had taken so much pains to teach him to abhor a lie, and recalled the words of his mother, who constantly admonished him how much better it was to suffer

om Him who for Christ's sake will always hear the penitent when they pray, and help them in their time of trial. "My heavenly Father," was th

appiness of his earlier years, his eyes rested upon the portfolio of his father's drawings, which lay on the bottom, and on which he had not lately looked. As he opened it a folded paper fell from between the leaves. He took it up and opened it-it was the little drawing which he had made in the church-yard; and as he gaze

id not pray as I ought; but I will

ner, but would rather that the wicked turn from the evil of his way and live: it tells of a love which does not willingly afflict, but when, in mysterious but unquestionable mercy, it lays the cross upon our shoulder, it also gives the support of its divine strength, "making the rough places plain to our feet, and the darkness to be light about our path." He who bore a cross, "the heaviest cross," can also lighten the burden of all our trials; and although he may not see good to remove them, he can remove their oppressive weight by the bestowment of the spirit of patience, which teaches imp

and in the stillness of heavenly communion he found the peace promised to all who trust in the Lord. Pale and serious, but with a happiness to which he had long been a stranger, the influence of the Holy Spirit was operating upon his heart. He felt that he had been in danger of straying from the fold of the Good Shepherd, and that he had in mercy been saved by the tr

an epidemic fever, the Burtons, when no one else would go near the house, waited on them day and night. He was a little mortified that the good watchman had been witness of his violent behaviour on the day before,-he feared so

acher told. The beautiful words of the text, which the Saviour spoke to his disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me;" and its following words, in which the Comforter is promised,-came like

dmonished the desolate child with all the tenderness of a father. When our hero told him how he had been tempted to run away on the day the shoes fell into the gutter, and how harshly he had been treated, not only on that occasion, but always; and how hard it

made the way narrow to you; hedged your path with thorns, and caused you to weep bitter tears every day. We know, too, that no affliction for the present is joyous, but grievous: and as our light afflictions, which, in comparison with eternity, endure but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; so God has filled your way with trials, difficulties, and thorns, that, taught so early in life to deny self and fight against sin, you, as you progress, will find the narrow path g

late. The good watchman must be at his post; and even while speaking he was putting on

ether; but not before Mrs. Burton had wrapped up half a dozen nice rolls, which she ga

that conscience tells you is your duty, and then you will hav