sat e scad mother; and The wine end a ak sotherm se si zer son ? "I wore he may, and the cooler father, *vy a war mier v tep in its re

"But then, you know, bastand, how hard y'n have had to work, and how slow have Ben you gaine, and the business - not na genteel, we was about to say, but discretica (not always within ca.., came to ter aid-Bot as peasant as that of a merchant"

"I wat depends on a person's taste at first, and habits afterwaris. He would not be onged to go through the severe labor of my early years. It would be a great cral better to keep him with me, if you only thought so."

Mrs. Barton replied only by a shake of the head, and again there was silence.

The subject of the conversations and fancies above described, was a singularly prepossessing young man of seventeen. He had hitherto passed the larger portion of his time at school. It was now time for him to enter upon some employment. He was not averse to that of his

ecce.

Everypony sui site was a good woman; me was a ice igity sometimes. Alt was net by the expressico, “ a little fry cannot be stated with entre exactness. La genera. I was anderstood to have some conlection with the development of the idea of the genee. She cares y astracted her chudren in religious truth, and endeavored to lead them to the Land of God. She has acquired a strong infance over them, though it was somewhat weakened by occasional inconsistencies, the result of the infance of increasing wealth.

Luring the day in which the events above acticed occurred, Wan was absent from the city on business for his father. When he returned, his mother met him, not only with her usual smile, but with a manner that betokened the possession of an important secret, which was not to be communicated without due solicitation. This was not very unusual with her, and was, in truth, a little unpleasant to her son, who had the plain straight-forwardness of his father, and disliked all mystery. On such occasions, he had found, from experience, that silence led to the speedier explanation. Accord

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ingly, having given her an affectionate salute, he seated himself, took up the newspaper, and awaited the result with gravity, not to say indif-` ference. Mrs. Barton was a little vexed, or rather grieved (for her amiable nature seldoin allowed the rise of feeling amounting to vexation), at his want of curiosity; and could we then have looked into her heart, we might perhaps have seen a slight regret connected with the thought that he was a little too much like his father a little too calm in view of the brilliant career that lay marked out for him in her imagination.

But this soon passed away. With a smile such as the fond mother bestows on the son of her hopes, she turned towards him and said, "My son, I wish to speak with you." William laid down the newspaper and replied, Well, mother."

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"Your father expects to get you a place in Mr. Millson's store."

"I shall be satisfied with that, mother, if I can do what is required of me; and there is nothing like trying."

"Satisfied! you ought to be very-," proud of it, she was about to say, but recollected herself and said, "thankful.”

"Well, I am then," smiling at her embarrassment, which he perfectly understood, "and hope Mr. Millson will be satisfied with

me."

"I have no doubt of that, he is such a pleasant man."

"Have you ever seen him in his warehouse in a busy time; or when the news of a few thousand dollars of bad debts reached him? Men are commonly pleasant in the presence of ladies. I hope I shall find many things pleasant there, but I shall go prepared to find many things that are not so."

"Oh, no, you will not; there will be nothing to do but to show the goods and sell them-and such superior goods as they must keep. You will make yourself so agreeable to the customers, especially to the ladies, that they will prize you highly."

"Who will the ladies?"

"Nonsense; you know who I mean-Mr. Millson and his partners."

"You forget, my dear mother, that in a wholesale establishment ladies are not seen, unless it be a cousin or a particular friend, who buys at cost, and makes the clerks as much trouble as a customer who makes a bill of a thousand dollars. And then the youngest clerk has not much to do with selling goods. But, at any

rate, it will not be as hard as my father's beginning."

This allusion to the trowel marred a little the fair picture of her imaginings, but it was nearly repaired by the expression," That was a long time ago, William." It was plain that it had almost faded from her memory.

"I think I should enjoy myself better with my father, but if you think it best for me to go into a store, I will do my best."

"I know you will; I have no doubt you will be very happy, and-," she was about to say, become very rich, but conscience checked her, and she ended the sentence with a very unnecessary repetition of the words, "very happy."

The next evening, when Mr. Barton came in, the eager looks of his wife asked the question to which he replied, "Mr. Millson has conIcluded to take William."

"Has he?" said she, in a manner strongly contrasting with that of her husband. "When is he to go?"

"Next Monday."

"He was going with me to Newark, then, but if they want him on that day, we can go some other time."

"You must expect to do without his company in future; his time will be at the control of his employers."

Yes, but they will let him have some recreation; they are not always busy in the store. Mr. Millson often leaves the city for months, and so does Mr. Grant-at least, he was at the Springs last summer."

"Mr. Millson, the head of the firm, is a different person from the youngest clerk, and so is Mr. Grant, the head clerk. It will not be proper for William to ask leave of absence for an hour, unless in case of the most pressing necessity."

"Well, he will not be the lowest clerk long;" and she consoled herself by the indulgence of a little incredulity as to the inferior condition of the lowest clerk, and was certain that an exception would be made in favor of her son

"William," said Mr. B., "will you step to the book-store and get the last number of the Polytechnic Review?"

"With pleasure, sir." You could have inferred a great deal of William's character from the manner in which he uttered then these words, and proceeded to execute the order. There was an affectionate deference, as great as if the father had handled silks or law books, in his early days, instead of brick. There was the evident presence of the idea, that to obey is

not a sacrifice-is not inconsistent with due independence. It is wonderful how much of character a single expression or act may indicate, in circumstances favorable to unstudied expression.

When William had left the room, Mr. Barton remarked, "I hope, my dear, this business will turn out well, but I have not acted according to my best judgment.”

Mrs. B. was alarmed for a moment at the serious manner in which he spoke. "I hope you have not let me influence you to do what is not for the best-what you really think is not for the best." This was sincerely said, for with all her flightiness, she generally obeyed the Bible rule, to reverence her husband. "I'm sorry I said so much. He had better not go."

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I have agreed with Mr. Millson that he shall come on Monday." Seeing the pain of his wife, he added, "I hope and trust all will be well. It is right that your wishes should be consulted, you have had the chief training of him, and have done it well." And he looked upon her with a tenderness that would have become a " born gentleman." She was melted to tears, and threw herself into his arms, declaring that he was "the kindest husband that ever lived" a proposition which contained less of exaggeration than most which are uttered under the influence of passion.

When William returned, no further allusion was made to the subject. Mr. Barton was occupied with the pages of the Review, William with a volume of Manly, and Mrs. Barton with her own thoughts. She soon repaired the damages done to the fancy road she had constructed for her son, and employed herself in watching his rapid progress.

On the next day Mrs. Barton received a call from her pastor-a descendant of the old puritan stock-an able and faithful minister of the New Testament. He often visited his people, not for relaxation or amusement, or to increase his popularity, or to promote his interests, but to learn their spiritual wants, and to speak a word in season to those who are weary. The young of his charge received especial attention. When you heard his affectionate inquiries unmingled with compliment, his kind suggestions for their benefit so unobtrusively offered, you saw the difference between the attentions which are prompted by a heart devoted to duty, and those which are the result of policy and professional routine.

He inquired for the son, and she eagerly hastened to tell him of the arrangements which

were made for him, expecting the warm sympathy of the good man in her joy. She saw from his countenance that she was mistaken; this checked her ardor, and her voice was distinctly tremulous when she asked, "Do you not approve the arrangement?"

He did not like the form of the question, for it implied an authority on his part, which he never assumed: he did not give a direct answer, but hesitated for a moment, and said, "Do you know the character and habits of Mr. Millson, and of the young men with whom he is to associate ?"

"I only know that he is a very pleasant man, and one of the most eminent and honorable merchants in the city."

"That I am not disposed to dispute, but you need not be told, my sister, that a man may be pleasant in his manners, and what the world calls an honorable man, and yet be without God-nay, may not even be a believer in Christianity. And the young men with whom he is to spend the larger portion of his time, whom he is to look up to-it is very important that their influence be of the right kind. They must have an influence for good or for evil over your son."

"Do you know anything of Mr. Millson's character?" asked Mrs. B., with painful solicitude, for her unchristian conduct and its probable consequences began to flash upon her mind.

The pastor, thinking it possible that the arrangement had not been completed, proceeded to state that Mr. Millson was regarded as a man of unblemished commercial integrity-that he occasionally attended church in the morning of the Sabbath-that he gave dinner parties on that day-that he was opposed to evangelical Christianity and exerted a positive influence against it among those in his employment. The young men in his establishment were all remarkable for ability and attention to business, but none of them were professors of religion, or attendants on a searching ministry.

Mrs. Barton's heart sunk as she heard these statements. The pastor saw it, and thinking it best to leave her with her own thoughts, and with God, took an affectionate leave.

She retired to her chamber and wept in the bitterness of her soul. The whole guilt and bearing of her conduct were now clearly perceived. Her mind had been filled with one idea, the temporal advantage of her son, the desire to see him possess that which her Saviour had pronounced to be an almost insuperable obsta cle to the salvation of the soul. She had for

gotten the soul of her son. She had taken a step that was to influence his destiny for time and for eternity, not indeed without imploring the Divine blessing, but without consulting the Divine will. No inquiries had been made by her as to the moral influences to which she was exposing her son. Had this been done, she had never advised the arrangement, nay, would have opposed it with all her power.

She saw, that the first question she should have asked in regard to any proposed arrangement for him was, how will it affect the interests of his soul? She had acted as though she thought it of more importance that her son should be rich in this world, than to be rich towards God. She thought of the influence of her conduct on the cause of Christ: of the occasion for reproach given by so gross an inconsistency between professions and practice-and when she, who had so often urged mothers to

seek first of all the salvation of their children, sought first for her own, wealth and standing in the world.

She thought of the consequences on her son -the neglect of prayer, disregard of the Sabbath, contempt for religion which might be his -she saw that this was possible, nay, was probable in the circumstances in which he was placed. She thought of him as a lost spirit, and the feelings of her soul amounted to agony.

What should she do! Go to her husband and implore him to request William's release? She could humble herself to this-could confess her folly and guilt; but she knew that Mr. Barton's word once passed in a business matter, would never be withdrawn. There was no hope but in God. And in this matter she had not committed her way unto Him, and she could claim no promise that He would direct her steps.