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"You own,' said her friend, Caroline, that you do not get any good by spending your time in the perusal of fictitious works; are you certain that your mind is uninjured by them? Is not your taste, in a small degree, at least, vitiated by this mental dissipation? for it deserves no milder appellation.'

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'I believe it has not injured me at all to read novels,' answered Salina, though the practice of reading them may have an injurious effect upon the minds of some; I only read such books for amusement, you know.'

'There is where the mischief lies,' replied Caroline; 'if you look through the pages of a romance, merely to learn the character of the book, it would be otherwise. You confess you are fascinated by such reading, and while that is true, you cannot read without being injured. Allow me to say, with the most tender regard to your feelings and happiness, that it is your immediate duty to throw aside such books for ever.'

Salina was not a self-willed girl; her temper was naturally amiable, and she repudiated the idea of proving ungrateful to friends who sought her happiness.

'I wish,' said she to Caroline, that I had courage to resolve never again to open a novel. I know if I should abstain from this practice, that it would be exceedingly gratifying to my mother; yet I know not how to do so, I love to read so very much.'

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It requires an effort, Salina,' said Caroline, to conquer our sinful inclinations; but the delight afforded us by so doing, more than repays for the sacrifice we may make. It has always been so in my experience, and I doubt not it would be so in yours.'

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'You have more resolution to enable you to subdue what is wrong in your feelings, than I have,' said Salina. 'If I was like you, I would say at once,' pointing to the book lying upon the table before them, that is the last work of fiction I will ever read; for I should know that it was not in vain thus to resolve. But I have not firmness enough for this; I fear I should not keep the resolution if I should make it.'

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'Now,' said Caroline, do not, my dear girl, offer so flimsy an excuse for neglecting a known duty. Why, what would you think of a man that had indulged in intemperance, who, upon being requested to sign the temperance pledge, should make the same excuse? would he be excusable upon such grounds?'

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'Not exactly,' said Salina, smiling; but the case under consideration is different. Intemperate drinking is a great

sin

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Stop, my friend,' interrupted Caroline, and tell me if you mean that it is easier for one to overcome glaring faults, because they are such, than to cease the commission of those less conspicuous? Or is an individual under greater obligations to overcome great sins, than those that are less aggravated?'

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No, I do not mean any such thing as that, only it seems strange to me that any one should ever be tempted to drink ardent spirits to excess, and it does not appear so unnatural to love novel-reading?'

It is true,' answered her friend, that one does not degrade, physically, like the other; still, both practices are baneful in their effects; but, believe me, it must require more strength of purpose to abstain from indulging

appetite that has been long sinfully indulged, than to cease from gratifying a taste for hurtful reading. I think you and I, if possible, owe a greater debt of gratitude to our Heavenly Father than the poor inebriate, because He has kept us back from presumptuous sins. Surely we are under greater obligations to subdue whatever is evil in our habits, without attempting to excuse ourselves from the duty.'

You are right, Caroline,' said Salina, 'I believe all you have said is true. I do think it is in the power of a person to form his or her own character aright, if the task be but begun before evil habits are too firmly fixed.' Here Salina paused.

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'Stop not there, my dear girl,' said Caroline, but feel that wrong habits, even when long indulged, have been, and always may be overcome by looking upward for strength and that wisdom which is profitable to direct.'

Well,' said Salina, thoughtfully, I must begin in earnest to make myself such a woman as my beloved aunt often says she wishes me to become; that is, one who will be useful in this world, and happy in the next.'

'It rejoices me to hear you thus express yourself,' rejoined her friend; but I want you to promise that you will not be disheartened, should your first attempt be less successful than you may anticipate. First, try, courageously; if you fail, try again, and even again; if you would conquer, yield not to any discouragements; then you will be sure, at length, to come off victorious.'

'I dare not promise so much now,' said Salina, ‘but I think if ever I become as good a woman even as my

mother, I shall do pretty well. I mean to commence the work of self-discipline at once.'

Caroline smiled at these last remarks of her young friend; it was a smile of approbation.

Salina was not unmindful of the kind interest her friend manifested in her welfare; and resolved, if possible, to break the chain of every wrong habit she had been wont to indulge.

The practice of novel-reading she abandoned, and found it not so hard to do as she supposed it would be.

She then resolved to pray for help, each morning, to enable her to do something, during the day, for the good of others. In this way she was soon enabled to overcome a habit of indolence, to which she had ever been strongly prone; and her happiness was so much enhanced by each victory gained over self, that she ever felt grateful that she had early been led to feel the importance of self-discipline.

The example of her dear friend, Lucy, stimulated her in striving to conquer selfishness, while the society of this gentle girl, tended greatly to elevate and refine the feelings of Salina. Caroline, who was the senior in years of both these young friends, was the means of great good to Salina; and Mrs. Nelson could not but feel thankful for the favorable influence by which her dear child was surrounded, and considered herself blessed in being permitted to behold the improvement which was strikingly apparent in the character of Salina.

This daughter was the companion of her mother. Her hopes of future earthly happiness rested upon her habitual and cheerful obedience; and as she constantly endeav

ored to divert the thoughts of this dear parent from past afflictions, she appeared like an angel of mercy, sent to soften and gild her pathway to the tomb. Mrs. Nelson often spoke of her son Benjamin, and as often Salina would strive in some way to turn her thoughts to present objects, and thus beguile her of an hour of sadness and useless self-reflection. Frequently, when she surprised her bathed in tears of bitter sorrow, she would kiss away her tears and encourage her to trust always, and look upon the side that was brightened by the rays of hope.

One day, as Mrs. Nelson and her affectionate daughter sat conversing together upon the subject of Benjamin's voluntary absence, and of Simon's singular fortune, a young man entered and handed Mrs. Nelson a letter. She took it, and hastily broke the seal. The hand-writing was familiar, and, glancing at the bottom, she discovered the signature to be Benjamin's. Quite overjoyed, she looked over the letter again and again, for her tears well-nigh prevented her from really discovering the welcome lines, as she hurried over them.

At length she handed it to Salina, who being less affected by the joyful surprise occasioned by the reception of this welcome communication, read it aloud. Benjamin commenced his epistle with a respectful apology for his long silence. He stated that soon after leaving home, which event occurred, as the reader will recollect, during the war, he took passage in a vessel bound to a distant part of the continent. They had not been many days at sea, before she was overtaken by an English man-of-war, to which the American captain was compelled to surrender, in consequence of the superior force of the enemy.