it would just be honest to tell them that they are in danger of it, and to tell them what is law, and what is society, and not to let them hear of it for the first time when they are tried.

"I am going, they say, among the savages; and I never desire to come back; the savages would have taken care of my education, have taught me to hunt, and shoot, and fish, and would have told me how to be a great and good man among them; but I have never had that chance here; and if it was not that I am sorry for my companions that are left behind, and hope the gentleman in the large wig may see this letter, I would not give myself the trouble of asking my fellow-prisoner to write it. "JACK WILD."

HISTORY OF THOMAS BROWN.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR,

If you should consider the following story worthy of a place in your work, you will greatly oblige, L. E. C.

Thomas Brown is a labouring man, with three children. His cottage formerly was the neatest and most comfortable in the village; and you seldom see a more industrious woman than his wife. Every thing indeed went on well and happily, until about two years ago; when, unhappily for Thomas, a man of the name of Smith hired the cottage next to Brown. This man often used to invite Brown to come and spend the evenings with kim, and some men of suspicious character, and at length persuaded him to go with him and these men, to a neighbouring ale-house. Brown, at first, felt unwilling, but his wicked companions ridiculed him and called him "a mean spirited fellow."

This was Brown's weak side, he never could bear to be laughed at, so he soon got quite a habit of going, and seldom came home sober. Often did his poor wife, in the gentlest manner try to draw him from this ruinous practice; but it was all in vain.

The money that he earned weekly, had, until now, been sufficient to support him, and his wife and children comfortably: but, now, things went on in a very different way: instead of having meat for dinner twice a week, they seldom had it once a fortnight, his wife did all she could, but she was a sickly woman; and the distress she suffered at her husband's evil courses, increased her illness to such a degree that the most she did was little. Brown's former employers found that, now, he came late to his work and went away early: and what he took in hand was often unfinished, and always done in a slovenly manner. And, as it did not answer to them to pay Brown for work he did not do properly, they discharged him. His poor wife's weak frame could no longer bear up under the load of misfortunes; and with her dying breath she besought her husband to leave of his bad practices, and he thought, at the time, he should, but he had no true religious principles, and he soon returned to his wicked courses. A very short time after his wife's funeral, he joined a set of poachers in plundering a neighbouring preserve; and, on being discovered, having dangerously wounded one of the gamekeepers, was imprisoned for some months and then transported.

All Brown's misfortunes arose from not having resisted the first temptation. He was ruined because he listened to the intreaties of his false friends and feared their ridicule.

As Christians we are taught by our blessed Saviour to pray-"Lead us not into temptation." Let us take care that we do not throw ourselves into temptation.

HISTORY OF SALLY D.

It was a bleak morning in the month of November, when Mrs. Anderson was informed that a young woman, who appeared in distress, requested to speak to her. As her ears were always open to tales of real woe, she ordered her to be shewn in, determining, as was her usual practice, to find out, if possible, whether her story were true or false, before she extended to her that relief, which, if bestowed without consideration, often proves only an encouragement to the idle and undeserving. On entering the apartment, the dejected and sickly countenance of the young woman plainly shewed that her sufferings, whatever might have produced them, were, at all events, unfeigned. Mrs. Anderson thought she had some faint recollection of her features, but could not call to mind when or where she had seen her, until the girl, with some hesitation, begged pardon for the liberty she was taking in applying for assistance to a lady in whose service she had lived but a few months. This explained who she was; and Mrs. A. then remembered that she was the once lively and fresh-coloured girl, whose refractory and self-willed spirit had obliged her to part with her five or six years before.” I am sorry to find that you stand in need of assistance, Sally," said Mrs. A. " and sincerely feel for your distresses, but I hope they are not aggravated by the consciousness that you have brought them upon yourself by your own misconduct. I remember you stood in need of much admonition when you lived with me.”

Sally." I wish I had taken more pains to profit by the advice you gave me, Madam ; but I was young and inexperienced, and did not know what was best for me, and I believe it was my fate to be unfortunate, like many others."

Mrs. A.-" That is, you began with being proud and self-willed, like many others, and so your misfortunes were of your own seeking.'

Sally." That I was proud and self-willed, Madam, I cannot deny. I was an only child, and a spoiled one."

Mrs. A.-"Your greatest misfortune then was that you were badly brought up. Such dispositions are too often suffered to grow up unchecked; and little do people consider the lasting injury they do their children by their own conduct towards them, whilst they are at home. Your parents were both dead, I think, before I knew you?"

Sally" Yes, Madam; whilst they lived, I was not obliged to work for my own maintenance."

Mrs. A.-"How so? they must have been people in humble life, I suppose?"

Sally." My father worked at a paper mill, where he had good wages; and my mother earned something more, as a washerwoman; so there was plenty for us all, and a trifle laid by at the end of every week besides."

Mrs. A.-" And so you ate the bread of idleness, while they worked for your support?"

Sally." Why, Madam, my mother sometimes thought of placing me out with a dress-maker, but as to my getting my bread in service, I have heard her often declare, she would rather work herself to a skeleton than that her darling should be put upon, as she called it, by other people."

Mrs. A.-"This, I think, was a notion very likely to make you unhappy under any circumstances in after life. But what has reduced you to the state of wretchedness you are in at the present? and where have you lived since you quitted me? In the course of several years you must surely have made some friends who would be willing, and perhaps able to assist you."

Sally."I have lived in many places, and have

made bold to apply for relief to some of the ladies I have served. One or two did kindly send me a few shillings, but the others dismissed me from their doors, saying that I could have no claim upon ladies in whose service I had remained but a short time." Mrs. A.-" That shews the ill effects of wandering about from one place to another. I never yet knew any good come of it; what was the reason of your doing so?"

Sally. "I could not please some of my mistresses, Madam, so they gave me warning. I might have staid longer with others, to be sure, if I had liked it, but I thought I could suit myself better."

Mrs. A.-"If you expected to find every thing you wished for, in any one situation, it is no wonder you were disappointed; but what were the particular objections you had to complain of?"

Sally." Why, Madam, in one place the work was too hard; in another I could never stir out without first asking leave; in a third, the regulations about dress were too strict; in a fourth, I was subject to the control of the other servants, and required to submit to their instructions."

Mrs. A.-"Pride and vanity then were at the bottom of the discomfort you felt in each. A little humility would, I doubt not, have enabled you to live happily and contentedly in either of those situations; and, had you done so, you might have found, in your mistress, a steady friend to assist and advise you in the hour of sickness and adversity. Have you saved no money?"

Sally." No, Madam, I saw no necessity for saving my wages. My mother left me £80 which were deposited in the Savings' Bank, by the advice of the clergyman of the parish at the time of her death. I was to have the money when I attained the age of twenty-four,-and every farthing of it is now lust."

Mrs. A.-" What can be the reason of that?"

5