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"In the northern part of the State of Maine, in the small town of -, I lived many years with my husband. We had no family, and hard work enough it was, upon a poor farm which scarcely paid for tilling, to get an honest livelihood.

"My husband was always poor, and almost always unfortunate. I would not be ungrateful, but Providence did not smile upon him, so we almost thought, as upon those who needed his smiles much less. Yet I can now look back and see it was all for the best. I was not a Christian then, though my husband was. His health was

very poor, and with an aching heart I have often watched him from the window of our home, raking the scanty hay, or hoeing the sandy loam. I've seen him lean upon some tree to wipe the sweat from his pale forehead, and his wearied arms would fall heavily beside his trembling body. And sometimes, as he came in, he would say, "If it were not for you, Nelly, and the baby which Heaven has given us, how glad I should be to go to my rest or if it might please him to call us all together!'

"But such was not His will. Ere our baby had passed its first year, my husband did go to his rest. He left me peaceful in God, yet 'sorrowing' as he said, for the lonely walk which might be mine,' -and oh, how lonely it, has been! - before we should sit down together in our Father's kingdom.'

"Six years I struggled on with my little boy, desiring nothing for myself, but much for him; and a brighter lad than John you never But my health failed at last, and unable longer to maintain us both, I concluded to put him out to work as well as he could, (and he was quite handy,) to some farmer.

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'For some time I heard of no one who would take so young a boy. At length Mr. 'Lijah Baker, a miller, happened in the place on business, who lived about fifteen miles from there; hearing of me, he called where I was, and agreed to take Johnny home with him. As he had never been to school any, Mr. Baker promised to send him three months of the year, till he was ten years old, on condition that till then I would furnish him with a new hat and pair of shoes once a year.

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I could have but little information of the man's character, yet, as it was the only way before me, I consented to let him go.

"Bitter was the hour of our parting. He had always been a good boy, and was all the world to me-my daily companion, my only, affectionate little son. Now in his clean clothes, his light glossy hair parted and brushed one side-though his round blue eyes filled with tears, yet he never looked so well, or seemed so dear to me before. He clasped his little arms tight around my neck; really, I was more a child than he, for I sobbed and wept-I could hear his little heart beat quickly as he tried to comfort me. Mother, don't cry so,' said he; I will be good. I shall soon be old enough to earn some money, and you shall have it all. I will buy you some glasses, and then you can sew in the evening. And I will get you a pound of tea. Eben Wood loved me; he will hold the thread for you to wind, and pick up chips for you now, sometimes, I guess.'

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"But the moment came for him to leave. I looked upon them as the wagon rolled out of the yard and jolted slowly up the hill, and watched them, till the top of his little blue cap disappeared, as they descended the other side of the hill; and then I entered the house and wept anew.

"I could not afford to ride; so, when the year came round, I walked to Mr. Baker's to see my boy, with the shoes and hat. My spirits were never lighter, or my steps more nimble, than while on my way; they were less so coming home, perhaps, but I could have gone any distance to meet him my heart was very tender for him. I found him well, and a good boy still.

"The second year I went, and he was much improved. His kind feelings made him a little gentleman to everybody and everything. He would not give a moment's pain to bird or chicken, bug or fly; and everybody loved John.

"The third year I went.

He was ten years old, that day -it was the nineteenth of June. It was dark when I came to the house. No person or creature was in the yard no light gleamed from the windows. I knocked, then opened the door all was dark and empty; there was no sound, but the crickets chirping in the hearth, and the wind rustling in an apple-tree behind the house. Turning away, I came and stood by the stream; the water still poured over the dam, but the wheels of the mill were motionless. Sitting down upon a log, I wept.

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"It was a mile to any neighbor's house. Overcome with fatigue, I could scarcely rise, yet the thought that he might be there encouraged me, and I walked on.

"The people seemed kind, pitied my sorrow, but knew nothing of my son. They said Mr. Baker had failed, and left the town suddenly no one knew where he was gone. I went from place to place, and wore out three pair of new shoes in search of him. Once I traced him to Newport, and learned that a man had there put such a boy on board a vessel to go to France; but could ascertain nothing more, and returned home broken-hearted.

"Two years passed away. Unable to support myself-without money and without friends—but one thing remained for me. I went to B― and cast myself upon the provision of the State, and became an honest, industrious inmate of the alms-house.

"Year after year came and went, without bringing me any tidings of my son. I learned to live without him, and only thought of him as a spirit in heaven.

"I became tired of my companions in the poor-house, and hired of Mr. Ford, our overseer, a little room over his corn-house. As it was of no use to him, he let me have it for sixpence a week. The State allowed me but little more than this for my support; however, I managed to get along. I could knit stockings for my neighbors, and used to gather herbs for the sick. Besides, I did not need much, — tea, sugar, coffee, butter, and such like, I gave up long ago. Two meals a day was all I allowed myself.

"Cold weather was rather hard upon me, sometimes, it is true, when the sleet covered my window, and the loud winds shook the building around me. At such times, when I was most lonely, the image of my little John was ever present with me, till it almost seemed as if he were really there, sitting upon his low stool close by my side, rubbing his thin hands (softly, that I might not hear him) to keep them warm, and instructing me into the plans he had formed for taking care of me when I should be old. But these thoughts would soon vanish, and give place to happiness more abiding. The widow's Friend forgot me not. His smile kindled gladness in my room, till even the rough, knotted boards of my apartment seemed to join in praise with my heart.

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"But though I could talk, without ceasing, of his mercies to me for such words are 'honey to my taste' — yet I will not detain you. I will tell you of them in 'the general assembly and church of the first born in heaven.'

"Seventeen years had passed away. It was just a week to-night, two gentlemen came to Mr. Ford's about eleven o'clock at night; they were well dressed, fine-looking men as you will see with a handsome horse and chaise. They asked if Mrs. Leonard was there. Mr. Ford pointed them to where I was, said I was probably asleep, and invited them to stay till morning with him; but one of them replied, he must see me then that he was my son.

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They knocked at my door; I Wishing to see if I would rec

Mr. Ford came over with them. awoke, wondering, and let them in. ognize a son in a stranger, they merely bowed as they passed me, requesting permission to look at the room talked as if they purposed buying it, occasionally glancing towards me, as I was sitting wrapped in my old cloak, shivering, upon the side of the bed. I thought they had taken a strange time to purchase a building, almost midnight! I had heard of speculators, and of their being about crazy with business, and concluded these were some of them.

"One came toward me, and asked me if I lived there all alone; and if I were not very lonesome. I replied, I had been so at first, but was now accustomed to it. He then asked me if I had no family. I replied,' None.' Have ?' he asked. This was you never had any always a hard question for me. I paused a moment to control myself, and could only say, 'The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken them away.' No one spoke. I looked up-suddenly the bargain had been forgotten -tears were in the eyes of each. One of them turned away and leaned over the fire-place, while the other, (who had not before spoken to me,) throwing his arms around my neck, said, 'Mother-mother- I am your little Johnny!'" The old lady wept, and said to me ty sinky."

"I tell you what, I felt pret

The son, since he was ten years old, had been almost constantly at sea; what little time was allowed him in any New England port he had employed searching for his mother, but knew not where to find her till now. He had then given up the chances of a life upon the deep, and established himself in business at S

"And now," said the old lady, "I am going, and expect to spend my days with John. I think I am not unthankful for this great blessing, nor have forgotten God, whose love and providence protected my boy in a world full of danger, and has made my heart sing for joy,' because 'my son was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found.

"If ever you should go to S- , you may see where he lives. His name is John Newton Leonard on his sign it is John N. Leonard, but his name is John Newton Leonard."

H. M. T.

Little Edmund.

BY MRS. SIGOURNEY.

"BE good, little Edmund," your mother will say,—
She will whisper it soft in your ear,

And ofttimes repeat it, by night and by day,

That you need not forget it, my dear.

And the ant at its work, and the flower-loving bee,
And the sweet little bird in the wood,

As it warbles a song from its nest on the tree,
Seem to say, "Little Eddy, be good."

"Be good," says the Bible— that volume of love-
And the wisest are bound to obey-

For the truths that it teaches will lead us above,
When death calls the spirit away.

For as sure as the brook to the river doth run,
And the river to ocean's broad wave,

This rule, if well learned from your cradle, my son,
Will prove your best wealth at the grave.

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