and will come home." "But I left the bars down,” he replied; "the hogs will do mischief, and perhaps more will get into the pasture; I must go and put up the bars if they have come

out."

8. "My child, some one shall go with you and call the hogs if they are still in the pasture. "I never thought of calling them," said George. "I will try once more, but you will not catch me in the brook and mud again. Those dirty roguish hogs! do look at my clothes."

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9. "Don't mind it, my boy; I am glad it is no worse." 'Well, I must run, or it will soon be so dark that I shall not be able to see whether the hogs have come out of the pasture, and I will remember to call them."

10. He hastened, and as he came in sight of the bars, he saw the hogs just coming into the road, it being about the time they were commonly fed. So he put up the bars, and in returning home, he looked at his hands and clothes all dirty, and exclaimed, "How came all this?"

11. "Why, I let down the bars before I had driven the cows to them, and it has all come from that. Those hogs are always ready to run into mischief.

12. "I now remember that father always puts up the bars when he goes into the lot a little while, or sets me to watch them, and keep the hogs out.

13. "Strange I did not think of it. I have heard father say they are very apt to find any

place where they can get into mischief. When I leave the bars down again, they may get in if they can.

14. "I have a mind to request my mother not to let them have any supper. But what good would that do? It would only make them uneasy and noisy; and perhaps they would get into mischief."

LESSON VII.

THE ONLY TRUE PLEASURES.

1. HARRY," ," said Edward Pemberton to his twin brother, "did you hear what mamma observed to papà just now?"

2. "No; what was it?"

3. "She said, "yes, my dear, every day convinces me more and more that the only true pleasures are those which please on recollection.""

4. "Well, what did she mean by that, Edward?"

5. "That is what I want to know !"

6. "So do I—I wonder whether we ever felt these true pleasures. What do we do that it is a pleasure to recollect, Edward ?"

7. "It is a pleasure to recollect that we have done our lessons well, and pleased papa and mamma; so that, I suppose, is a true pleasure."

8. "Yes, but then you know, Edward, that it is not a pleasure to learn one's Latin and Greek; it is only a duty."

9. "But I think mamma meant something that it is a pleasure to do, as well as to recollect." 10. " Well, then, what could she mean Suppose we ask her."

11. "So we will! and the sooner the better.' 12. Accordingly, Henry put this difficult question, as they thought it, to their mamma, the next time they saw her.

13. Mrs. Pemberton smiled, and was about to answer it, when she was interrupted, and had no opportunity of renewing the conversation that day

14. The next day, a fair was held in the town adjoining Mr. Pemberton's seat, to which Henry and Edward's uncle, when on a visit there, had prevailed on their parents to give them leave to go FOR ONCE; but it was so much against their inclinations and principles, (as they wished to discourage fairs by all means in their power, considering them to be, in ever, sense, bad and dangerous places,) that Mrs. Pemberton was very sorry to be reminded of the promise when the day came, especially as she could not accompany them, because their father was in bed with the gout, and the babe was alarmingly ill; but she trusted that her servants were to be depended upon; and that Edward and Henry were old enough to take care of themselves.

15. To their mamma's question "whether they had any money in their pockets," they replied "no; but that they hoped she would allow them to have the two half-crowns to spend which their uncle had sent them."

16. "Without doubt," she answered, "but as bad money is often put off at fairs, I will give you yours in shillings and sixpences, that you may not have to take change."

17. Soon after this conversation, Edward and Henry, accompanied by the two nursery-maids and the younger children, set off full of joyful expectation; but their wise and pious mother felt rather anxious concerning the result of this visit to the fair, blaming herself for having trusted them into its busy, tempting scenes, unaided by her careful eye, and unadmonished by her prudence.

18. However, thought she, by the use which they will make of their money I shall, perhaps, be enabled to discover their besetting sin, and the bent of their dispositions, and I shall learn whether I have overrated Edward and underrated Henry; and as for any thing else, why should I doubt the mercy of an overruling Providence?

19. In a succession of painful duties, Mrs. Pemberton passed the hours of her children's absence; nor could she see them immediately on their return; but just before their bedtime she came down to wish them good night, and ask them whether they had enjoyed themselves.

20. "Oh! very much!" was the reply of both the boys; but it was uttered by Henry with a flushed cheek; by Edward with a cheek paler than usual, and a tone, as she thought, of saddened feeling.

21. "And what does Alice say of your behaviour?" said Mrs. Pemberton, turning to the nurse-maid; "were Henry and Edward all you wished them to be?"

22. "Oh! dear Madam," she replied with some hesitation, "you know that Master Edward and Master Henry are always well behaved."

23. Mrs. Pemberton was not quite satisfied with this answer; she thought it evasive, and she saw Edward look down, as if uncomfortable; but she had no time to ask any questions then, and, kissing the boys, she returned to her suffering husband.

24. But when he was fallen asleep, and all the house was at rest but herself, the tender mother could not be easy without going to the bedside of Edward and Henry; as she felt an anxiety concerning them which she was unable to conquer.

25. She found the cheeks of Henry red even to feverish brilliancy, and his slumbers seemed restless. Edward's colour was but gently heightened by sleep, but a tear glistened on his cheek, and his eyelashes were moist with tears.

26. "Is it possible," said Mrs. Pemberton mentally, "that I have been mistaken in this dear boy? Can he have done any thing wrong, and