you do this, it may ever be your happy privilege to feel that He who is with you is stronger than those who would lead you in the pathway of sin and death.'

The admonitions of this kind friend were not lost upon the gentle and teachable girl. Anna constantly endeavored to be patient and forbearing towards her misguided parents, and strove as much as possible to conceal their faults. To her mother she was indeed a most dutiful daughter. As soon as she was old enough she learned a trade, at which she steadily worked, and was thus enabled to support herself, besides assisting her mistaken friends.

It was a severe trial to the poor girl, to be obliged to witness the degradation of her who gave her birth. The most stoical heart could not fail of being affected while gazing upon the tall interesting figure of Anna, as she often stood bending over the bloated and loathsome person of her mother, while lying in a state of intoxication. On such occasions, her pale countenance would sometimes glow with honest indignation; yet oftener it expressed a feeling of deep and heartfelt sorrow.

Once, after Mrs. Wilcot had refrained from the indulgence of her woful habit for some weeks, her daughter felt quite encouraged to hope that she might reform and become a comfort to her family. The thought that she should ever enjoy so great a blessing as this, was a cordial to her heart. Soon, alas! the fondly cherished hopes of this poor girl were disappointed, for, upon rising one morning, she discovered, to her great dismay, that her mother had left the house during the night, and had taken with her all her clothes.

Anna could not conjecture whither she had gone, and her feelings amounted almost to agony. She made every possible search for the unhappy woman, yet she was no where to be found. More than a fortnight elapsed before Anna heard anything respecting her, when tidings came, indirectly, that she, who had once been a magnet of attraction in refined and fashionable society, was lying degraded and lost to virtue and morality, and to every finer feeling of the soul, in a house of infamy. Thither Anna went, accompanied by the pious friend to whom alone she unbosomed her grief, and found her wretched mother in a most deplorable condition.

Her weeping daughter vainly urged her to return to their home. To her entreaties she only replied by uttering the most horrid imprecations upon her mother, her husband, her children, and herself. She said she could not live without stimulating drinks, and that the presence of her virtuous friends tortured her to such a degree that she had determined to leave them forever. She firmly kept this resolution, and no arguments could prevail upon her to return again to her home, or see her friends.

Anna went to the house of her friend, who kindly offered her a home, which she accepted with thankfulness, and remained with her more than a year. She was then married to a gentleman of excellent character, and was settled in life with the pleasing prospect of living to be a happy and useful member of society.

Her poor brother followed in the footsteps of his parents, and early filled a drunkard's grave.

Her deluded father died in a fit, while sitting in a billiard saloon.

The lost and degraded wife and mother, after being the means of hurrying her only parent with sorrow to the grave, left the region where she was known, and was never heard of more.

6

CHAPTER VII.

Divorcement and Marriage Benjamin

Affliction.

Lucy Mr. Otis

BENJAMIN, the second son of Mrs. Johnson, was a youth of peculiar promise, the very reverse of his brother in disposition; for he was mild and amiable, and, instead of being desirous of distinguishing himself by warlike deeds, like Loraine, he choose the retirement of home, as it afforded him opportunities of cultivating his intellect, which was the object of his highest ambition.

His mother doted upon him, and fondly expected to be blest with the society of this dear son, often expressing the satisfaction afforded her by the reflection that his taste was of that kind which would cause him to be contented in the pursuit of such avocations as would enable him to remain near home. In this, however, she was painfully disappointed; and her heart pierced even more deeply by the neglect of this favorite child, than it had been by the perverseness of Loraine.

Mrs. Johnson, we have told our readers, was not a Christian. She waited not on a covenant-keeping God, by prayer, and the faithful study of His word, to learn what her duty was, ere she ventured to act; but was governed almost entirely by the impulse of inclination. The influ

ence she exerted over her children was calculated to lead them to pursue a similar course. She had always had her wishes gratified, as far as possible, even at the sacrifice of others' comfort, and found it impossible to subdue the will of her children, while they were constantly surrounded by such adverse influences.

After Mr. Johnson had been absent from his family long enough to enable his wife to avail herself of his absence in procuring a bill of divorce, she determined to do so, at all hazards. Her friends expostulated with her upon the rashness of such a step, although it was evident to all that she had little if any regard for him.

A lady with whom she was very intimate, and towards whom she had never felt any reserve, ventured, on this occasion, to paint, in glowing colors, the misery she might cause her husband, in separating her destiny from his. Being somewhat acquainted with the disposition of the individual, she felt encouraged to hope that gentleness and forbearance, on the part of Mrs. Johnson, would result in his reformation. She kindly told Mrs. Johnson so; and implored her, by all the motives that might be expected to influence a wife and mother, to reflect long upon this subject, ere she should perform an act which might be the ruin of another.

Mrs. Johnson replied to her friend's counsel, by saying, 'I have thought long upon the subject, and it does no good to reflect continually that the person I was once united to in marriage is a drunkard; I always did abominate such a character, and it is of no avail to try to reform such an one.'

'But my dear Mrs. Johnson,' continued her friend,