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my amiable girl, you may depend on the promise of your king.' On his return to Stockholm, Gustavus settled a pension for life on the mother, with the reversion to her daughter at her death. (1) THE CLERK'S DYING REGRET. A young man, who was clerk to Mr. Cuthbert, a merchant in the East Indies, being taken very ill, became unusually thoughtful and melancholy. Mr. Cuthbert inquired the cause of his uneasiness. The young man replied, that he was not afraid to die; but he had a mother and two sisters in England, to whom he had been accustomed to send £100 every year; and his only regret at dying was, that they would be left destitute. Mr. Cuthbert begged him to make his mind perfectly easy on that account, as he would take care of his mother and sisters. He was as good as his word, for he instantly went to his attorney and executed a deed, granting an annuity of £100 a year, in favour of the mother and her two daughters, during their joint lives; and with the benefit of survivorship. He then sent the bond to his clerk, who, clasping it in his hands, exclaimed, "Now I can die in peace; my mother and sisters are saved;" and almost instantly he expired. (m) THE INSOLVENT NEGRO. -A negro of one of the kingdoms on the African coast, who had become insolvent, surrendered himself to his creditor, who, according to the established custom of the country, sold him to the Danes. This affected his son so much that he came and reproached his father for not selling his children to pay his debts; and after much entreaty, he prevailed on the captain to accept him, and liberate his father. The son was put in chains, and on the point of sailing to the West Indies; when the circumstance coming to the knowledge of the governor, through the means of Mr. Isert, he sent for the owner of the slaves, paid the money that he had given for the old man, and restored the son to his father.

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His daughters feared that those who had only motives entirely mercenary would not pay him that attention which he might expect from those who, from duty and affection united, would feel the greatest pleasure in ministering to his ease and comfort; they, therefore, resolved to accompany him. They proved that it was not a spirit of dissipation and gaiety that led them to Spa, for they were not to be seen in any of the gay and fashionable circles; they were never out of their father's company, and never stirred from home except to attend him, either to take the air or drink the waters; in a word, they lived a most recluse life in the midst of a town then the resort of the most illustrious and fashionable personages of Europe.

This exemplary attention to their father procured these three amiable sisters the admiration of all the English at Spa, and was the cause of their elevation to that rank in life to which their merits gave them so just a title. They all were married to noblemen: one to the Earl of Beverly; another to the Duke of Hamilton, and afterwards to the Marquis of Exeter; and a third to the Duke of Northumberland. And it is justice to them to say, that they reflected honour on their rank rather than derived any from it.

(0) THE POOR SERVANT AND HER AFFLICTED PARENTS.A female servant, who was past the prime of life, in an inferior station, but much respected for her piety and integrity, had saved a little money from her wages, which, as her health was evidently on the decline, would probably soon be required for her own relief. Hearing that her aged parents were by unavoidable calamity, reduced to extreme indigence, and having reason to fear they were strangers to the comforts of religion, she obtained leave to visit them; shared with them the little she had; and used her utmost endeavours to make them acquainted with the consolations and supports of the gospel, apparently not without success. Being reminded by an acquaintance that, in all probability, she would soon stand in need of what she had saved, she replied,

that she could not think it her duty to see her aged parents pining in want,

while she had more than was needful for her present use, and that she trusted God would find her some friend, if he saw good to disable her for service." Having continued to assist her parents till their death, she was soon afterwards deprived of health, so as to become incapable of labour. God, in a wonderful manner, however, raised her up friends where she least expected them. For years she was comfortably supported, and circumstances were at length so ordered, that her maintenance to the end of life was almost as much insured as anything can be in this uncertain world.

(p) WASHINGTON'S REGARD FOR HIS MOTHER.-General George Washington, when quite young, was about to go to sea as a midshipman; everything was arranged, the vessel lay opposite his father's house, the little boat had come on shore to take him off, and his whole heart was bent on going. After his trunk had been carried down to the boat, he went to bid his mother farewell, and saw the tears bursting from her eyes. However, he said nothing to her; but he saw that his mother would be distressed if he went, and perhaps never be happy again. He just turned round to the servant and said, "Go and tell them to fetch my trunk back: I will not go away to break my mother's heart." His mother was struck with his decision, and she said to him, "George, God has promised to bless the children that honour their parents, and I believe he will bless you."

10. AFFECTION, FRATERNAL. (a) TIMOLEON AND HIS WOUNDED BROTHER.-Timoleon, the Corinthian, was a noble pattern of fraternal love. Being in battle with the Argives, and seeing his brother fall by the wounds he had received, he instantly leaped over his dead body, and with his shield protected it from insult and plunder; and though severely wounded in the generous enterprise, he would not on any account retreat to a place of safety, till he had seen the corpse carried off the field by his friends.

(6) THE WATER-BEARER AND HIS BROTHER. As one of the water-bearers at the fountain of the

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Fauxbourg St. Germain, in Paris, was at his usual labours in August, 1766, he was taken away by a gentleman in a splendid coach, who proved to be his own brother, and who, at the age of three years, had been carried to India, where he made a considerable fortune. On his return to France, he made inquiry respecting his family; and hearing that he had only one brother alive, and that he was in the humble condition of a water-bearer, he sought him out, embraced him with great affection, and brought him to his house, where he gave him bills for upwards of a thousand crowns per annum.

(c) THE BROTHERS AND THE SNOW-STORM.-In the year 1804, some young men of the Morayshire and Inverness-shire militia, being quartered at Edinburgh, obtained a short furlough. They were seven in number, two of them being brothers, named Forsythe. They had to walk, in the very depth of winter, one hundred and thirty miles. As they proceeded, they were overtaken by one of those sudden snowstorms which are usual in the mountains. And now the night began to close in around them, while the snow 1 and the wind still grew thicker and stronger. At last, being bewildered by the shade of the evening, which was rendered yet more dismal by the incessant snow-drift, they strayed, as might be expected, from the right path, and exhausted their strength. They could just see one another; but the storm was so violent, they could not converse. Thus struggling onward, and scarcely knowing whither they went, one of them sunk into a hollow in the rock, and was buried. The others passed on, unconscious of his loss. Soon afterwards the younger Forsythe also dropped down, being quite spent. His body lay in the pathway of the rest, but being much weakened themselves, they, without helping him, stepped on; all did so but one. This one was the elder Forsythe, who, knowing that he had a brother amongst the party, stooped when he came up to him, and felt his features. Having in this manner assured himself that it was his own brother, he, without hesitation, took him up, and placed him on his back. And now the number

rapidly diminished; one after another perished, being frozen to death. Forsythe yet went on, bearing his burden, which neither his fatigue, nor the difficulties of the way, could induce him to cast off. As long as he had any strength, he persevered, holding his brother on his back, until at length, his powers giving way before his affection, he sank beneath the weight, and immediately expired. Before, however, he thus died, it appeared that he had succeeded in saving his brother, though he lost himself: for the younger Forsythe had been gradually reanimated by the warmth of his brother's body; and, when he dropped, was so thoroughly aroused, that he was enabled to reach his home, having escaped death by his brother's generous sacrifice of himself, and had the melancholy duty imposed upon him of attending his kind brother's funeral.

11. AFFECTION, MATERNAL. (a) A MOTHER'S SACRIFICE.Joanna Martin, the wife of a day-labourer of Huntspill, in the northern part of Somersetshire, England, was left a widow with six young childen, and not a shilling in the world to feed them with. The parish officers had no objection to receive the children into the poorhouse; but the good mother would not part with them, determining to depend, under providence, on her activity for their support.

"For many a long month," said she, "have I risen daily at two o'clock in the morning, done what was needful for the children, gone eight or ten miles on foot, to a market, with a large load of pottery-ware on my head, sold it, and returned with the profits before noon."

By this hard labour, in the course of a year, she saved a guinea and a half; when, being under the necessity of leaving her cottage, she determined to erect one for herself. She did much of the labour with her own hands; and told some gentlemen, some years after wards, "Well, with the assistance of a gracious God, I was able to finish my cottage; which, though I say it myself, is a very tight little place."

She afterwards bought a cart and pony, travelled still to market, brought up her family, and, without either beg

ging, or seeking relief from the parish, obtained a living.

To what labour and privation will parental affection animate the heart! How much may be done by a person under the influence of industry, temperance, and piety!

(b) THE FISHERMAN'S WIFE.— One of the small islands in Boston Bay was inhabited by a single poor family. The father was taken suddenly ill. There was no physician. The wife, on whom every labour for the household devolved, was sleepless in care and tenderness by the bedside of her suffering husband. Every remedy in her power to procure was administered, but the disease was acute, and he died. Seven young children mourned around the lifeless corpse. They were the sole beings upon that desolate spot. Did the mother indulge the grief of her spirit, and sit down in despair? No: she entered upon the arduous and sacred duties of her station, she felt that there was no hand to assist her in burying her dead. Providing, as far as possible, for the comfort of her little ones, she put her babe into the arms of the oldest, and charged the two next in age to watch the corpse of their father. She unmoored her husband's fishing-boat, which, but two days before, he had guided over the seas, to obtain food for his family. She dared not yield to those tender recollections, which might have unnerved her arm. nearest island was at the distance of three miles. Strong winds lashed the waters to foam. Over the loud billows, that wearied and sorrowful woman rowed, and was preserved. She reached the next island, and obtained necessary aid. With such energy did her duty to her desolate babes inspire her, that the voyage, which depended on her individual effort, was performed in a shorter time than the returning one, when the oars were managed by two men, who went to assist in the last offices to the dead.

The

(c) "THESE ARE MY JEWELS.”— A Campanian lady, who was very rich, and fond of pomp and show, being on a visit to Cornelia, the illustrious mother of the Gracchi, displayed the diamonds and jewels she possessed, with some ostentation, and then requested Cornelia

to permit her to see her jewels. This
eminent woman dexterously contrived
to turn the conversation to another sub-
ject, till her sons returned from one of
the public schools; when she introduced
them, saying, "These are my jewels."
(d) THE SLAVE MOTHER

civilization far behind, in the wilds of South America, he found, near the confluence of the Atabapo and Rio Ternie rivers, a high rock-called the "MoTHER'S Rock." The circumstances which gave this remarkable name to the rock, were these:

In 1799, a Roman Catholic Missionary led his half-civilized Indians out on one of those hostile excursions, which they often made to kidnap slaves for the Christians. They found a Guahiba woman in a solitary hut, with three children-two of whom were infants. The father, with the older children, had gone out to fish, and the mother in vain tried to fly with her babes. She was seized by these man-hunters, hurried into a boat, and carried away to a missionary station at San Fernando.

She was now far from her home; but she had left children there who had gone with their father. She repeatedly took her three babes and tried to escape, but was as often seized, brought back, and most unmercifully beaten with whips. At length the missionary determined to separate the mother from her three children; and for this purpose, sent her in a boat up the Atabapo River, to the missions of the Rio Negro, at a station called Javita. Seated in the bow of the boat the mother knew not where she was

CROSSING THE OHIO.-We remember (says a writer in the True American) the story of a cruel master, who, without cause, had determined to sever a slave mother, and her only child. She had been faithful under the very worst usage, and she determined to remain so, until he told her, that on the morrow, her child must be borne to New Orleans to be sold there in the slave mart. It was mid-winter. The earth was frosted with a hard crust, yet at midnight she started for the Ohio, determined, if she could, to live and die with her child. She reached its banks as the pursuers rose on the hill beyond -no boat was near-masses of broken ice were sluggishly drifting along—what was she to do? Trusting to heaven, she put her feet on the treacherous element, and with it bending and breaking beneath her, (spectators on either side expecting to see her and her child sink at every moment,) she boldly pushed on from cake to cake, until she landed safely on the Ohio shore. Five minutes sooner and she must have perished-going, or what fate awaited her. She two minutes later and she would have met with a watery grave, for before she had proceeded twenty steps the ice behind her, close on the Kentucky side, had broken, and was scattered ere she reached the mid river. "Thank God you and your child are safe," exclaimed the hard-hearted master, as he saw her land, rejoiced that he had escaped the responsibility of their death. "Brave woman," said a Kentuckian who had witnessed her escape and met her at the landing," you have won your freedom and shall have it." The mother and the child were kept together, and liberty and love is now their lot in their humble but happy home. Was there not true heroism here, and is not the scene worthy the sweetest song of poetry or the holiest praise of man?

(e) "THE MOTHER'S ROCK."Humboldt, in his celebrated travels, tells us, that after he had left the abodes of

was bound solitary and alone in the bow of the long-boat; but she judged from the direction of the sun, that she was going away from her children. By a sudden effort she broke her bonds, plunged into the river, swam to the left bank of the Atabapo, and landed upon a Rock.

She was pursued, and at evening retaken, and brought back to the rock, where she was scourged till her blood reddened the rock,-calling for her children! and the rock has ever since been called, "THE MOTHER'S ROCK!" Her hands were then tied upon her back, still bleeding from the manatee thongs of leather. She was then dragged to the mission at Javita, and thrown into a kind of stable. The night was profoundly dark, and it was in the midst of the rainy season. She was now full seventy-five miles from her three children in a straight line. Between her

and them lay forests never penetrated by | human footsteps; swamps, and morasses, and rivers, never crossed by man. But her children are at San Fernando,and what can quench a mother's love? Though her arms were wounded, she succeeded in biting her bonds with her teeth, and in the morning she was not to be found! At the fourth rising sun she had passed through the forests, swam the rivers, and all bleeding and worn out, was seen hovering round the little cottage in which her babes were sleeping!

She was seized once more; and before her wounds were healed, she was torn again from her children, and sent away to the missions on the upper Oroonoko River, where she drooped, and shortly died, refusing all kinds of nourishment -died of a broken heart at being torn from her children! Such is the history of the "MOTHER'S ROCK!"

This fact might be employed to show the pernicious tendency of slavery, even when engaged in by those who profess Christianity; but it is cited here to show the strength of maternal affection. Wherever you find woman, whether exalted to her place by the Gospel, reduced to a mere animal by Mohammedanism, or sunk still lower by Paganism, you find this same unquenchable love for her children!

12. AFFECTION, PATERNAL. (a) THE WARRIOR PLAYING WITH HIS CHILDREN.-The warlike Agesilaus was, within the walls of his own house, one of the most tender and playful of men. He used to join with his children in all their innocent gambols, and was once discovered by a friend showing them how to ride upon a hobby-horse. When his friend expressed some surprise at beholding the great Agesilaus so employed, "Wait," said the hero, "till you are yourself a father, and if you then blame me, I'give you liberty to proclaim this act of mine to all the world."

(b) SOCRATES' REPLY TO ALCIBIADES.-Socrates was once surprised by Alcibiades, playing with his children. The gay patrician rather scoffed at him for joining in such sports, to which the philosopher replied,

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have not such reason as you imagine to laugh so at a father playing with his child. You know nothing of that affection which parents have to their children; restrain your mirth till you have children of your own, when you will, perhaps, be found as ridiculous as I now seem to you to be."

(c) THE FATHER'S DILEMMA. History informs us, that a father went to the agents of a tyrant to endeavour to redeem his two sons, military men, who, with some other captives of war, were appointed to die. He offered as a ransom to surrender his own life and a large sum of money. The soldiers who had it in charge to put them to death, informed him that this equivalent would be accepted for one of his sons, and for one only, because they should be accountable for the execution of two persons: he might therefore choose which he would redeem. Anxious to save even one of them, thus, at the expense of his own life, he yet was utterly unable to decide which should die, and remained in the agony of his dilemma so long, that his sons were both slain.

(d) "FATHER, WHIP ME, BUT DON'T CRY."—A pious father had devoted very great attention to the moral and religious education of his son, who had maintained an umblemished reputation for veracity until the age of fourteen, when he was detected in a deliberate falsehood. The father's grief was great, and he determined to punish the offender severely. He made the subject one of prayer; for it was too important, in his esteem, to be passed over as a common occurrence of the day. He then called his son, and prepared to inflict the punishment; but the fountain of the father's heart was broken up; he wept aloud. For a moment the lad seemed confused. He saw the struggle between love and justice in his parent's bosom, and broke out with all his usual ingenuousness, "Father, father, whip me as much as you please; but don't cry." The point was gained. The father saw that the lad's character was sensibly affected by this incident. The son grew up, and became one of the most distinguished Christians of America.

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