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profit by children as well as by parents. We recommend that it be read aloud by a mother, one of these long winter evenings, when the whole family are gathered sociably around the cheerful fireside.

The style is simple, and the characters are true to nature. Little Susan May's happy disposition and love for everybody, presents a beautiful model for every little girl to imitate, and we hope that all our youthful readers will begin this new year, and see if they cannot be as good and happy as was Susan May.

And when, in mature years, these amiable qualities shall have ripened into active benevolence, as in the wife of Henry Akin, they will present a lovely example of female excellence, worthy the imitation of every mistress of a family, of mothers especially, who, like her, are found in the common walks of life.

The book abounds with wholesome moral sentiments, of which the following is an example. "If you want to love people, or almost love them, just do them a kindness, think how you can set about to make them happier, and the love, or something that will answer the purpose, will be pretty sure to come."

In the November number of the Magazine for 1836, will be found an article, entitled, "Missionary Labor at Home." The plan there suggested for doing good, is so delightfully carried out in practice in the family of Harry Akin, (the poor rich man,) that we are induced to give a few of the details, found in chapter ix., under the head, "A Peep into the Rich Poor Man's House."

"While the vest was passing round," referring to another scene of equal interest, "to be examined and praised by Aunt Lottie, Uncle Phil., and all, for their joys were in common in this little family, Akin entered, and had his share in the general pleasure, but his brow soon clouded. Children are quick readers of faces they love.

"What is the matter, father?" asked Willie. pain in your breast come again?"

"Is that ugly

"No, something worse, Willie; a pain in my heart."

"What is the matter?" asked Susan, anxiously. Every eye now turned to Akin.

"It's poor M'Elroy's trouble again. He called me in as I

was passing. There lay his wife on the floor dead drunk. Returning from the grocer's, she slipped down the cellar stairs, and is so black and bruised, and her head so swollen, you would hardly know her. The children were crying, and he wringing his hands, and saying, I can bear it no longer.' He, every week of his life, earns more than I do, and this bad woman wastes it. This comes of marrying an ignorant, ill brought-up girl, who had nothing but a pretty face to recommend her. M'Elroy says, his children are going to destruction. She makes them play truant, sends them out begging, puts lies into their mouths, and, last and worse than all, gives them rum to drink." "Dear me ! dear me !" exclaimed Susan, "what can be done for them ?"

"He says but one thing he must turn her adrift; he has forgiven and forgiven, till he is tired of it."

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Ah, there is but one Being that is never tired of forgiving !"

"The poor fellow has been very patient, though; but he says, for his children's sake, he must break up; they are going to ruin. He has engaged places for them all, but little Sam; no one is willing to take him, for the price that M'Elroy can pay." "Not willing to take Sam, father?" interrupted Mary; "I should think they would be willingest of all to take Sam." "Why, Mary ?"

"Because he wants taking care of most."

"Ah, Mary, that's a rule few go by. It's no joke," continued Akin, to his wife, "for the poor fellow to board out himself and four children, for there's not one of them yet old enough to earn his own living."

"Sam's a bright boy," said Uncle Phil.

"And a poor sickly little fellow, that's been cruelly neglect ed," said Aunt Lottie.

"It would be a comfort to see if care and management would not cure him," said Susan Akin.

"M'Elroy can pay half a dollar a week, which I think will pay for all the little fellow can consume in his present state,"

said Akin.

"It is an opportunity," said Susan, seeming to think aloud.

"What did you say, Susan ?" asked her husband.

"Nothing; I was only thinking it was an opportunity." Her husband smiled.

"Well," she added, "I am superstitious about that; the opportunities are given, and it is our business to improve them, and it always makes me feel bad when I have let one slip by; the same never offers twice."

"Speak out plain, wife; what do you mean?"

It was now Susan's turn to smile. "You know what I mean, Harry. It would not be right for us to run into any expense for a neighbor's child, but care and kindness we can give -they cost us nothing. Lottie is the best of doctors, and I think, among us, we could cure up little Sam, and that would be a comfort."

"But," asked her husband, "are you not afraid to bring a child that has been in the hands of that bad woman among our children ?"

"No, our children all pull one way; and if they see any thing wrong we shall know, for they are true and open as the day. Poor little Sam has not been sent into the streets like the other children; and if he has caught some of their bad habits, sure they may be cured in one so young. We have no money to give away, husband; but of such as we have we can give, and hope for the Lord's blessing upon the gift."

The whole family, old and young, were of Susan's mind. The little boy was brought into the shelter of their fold, and soon, under the kind and judicious management of Lottie and Susan, his unstrung, weak, dropsical figure, was braced to health and activity; his eye brightened, and his sallow cheek changed to the natural hue of childhood. Good principles and good habits were implanted, and good feelings cherished; and he who must have perished in a miserable childhood, or have dragged on a mischievous or, at best, a worthless existence, held up his head in after life among his fellows, a prosperous, useful, and respected citizen.

Truly did Susan Akin say, "God gives the opportunity;" and well did she improve it.

For the Mother's Magazine.

YOUNG CHILDREN INFLUENCED BY FAMILY PRAYER.

THE old and familiar adage, "example is better than precept," was forcibly brought to my mind, a few weeks since, by a seemingly trifling incident, which I witnessed in my nursery. As I was about to enter, to look after my little ones, I observed the youngest, a boy three years of age, over a book which he had taken from a shelf, resembling a family Bible used before morning and evening prayer.

Struck with the unusual solemnity of his manner, I watched, unobserved, his movements.

With great precision, and apparent devotion, he went through the exercise of reading, singing, and then kneeling for prayer, in imitation of his father's daily example. And never was manner, voice, or gesture, more perfectly copied. Trifling as was this circumstance, so deep and solemn was the impression made upon, my mind, that to this time I find myself mentally exclaiming, "What manner of persons ought parents to be, in all holy conversation and godliness!" Never, till this occurrence, had my mind dwelt upon the momentous fact, though so oft repeated, that the future characters and the eternal destinies of children, are usually, at a very early period, stamped by parental example; and I now felt what an amazing influence must be exerted upon young children by the manner of performing family prayer.

If this be true, what filial confidence, what holy obedience to the commands of God, should mark the conduct of parents in all family transactions! that there may be a holy consistency between their conduct and conversation, and their morning and evening devotions. A parent who feels and humbly acknowledges his dependence for daily bread, his own need of divine teaching and divine forgiveness, may hope to see his children, one after another, become "trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord." Some of our children may need much pruning, much correction; yet God will never disannul his

covenant promise to faithful, praying parents-"I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee." A. B. D. Wheeling, Virginia.

For the Mother's Magazine.

THE DYING MOTHER'S REQUEST.

ON returning home from a wedding, on a Thursday evening, not long since, I presented to my wife, as I have ever been accustomed to do, the marriage fee, which she usually devoted to some charitable object. One dollar of what she then received, she requested might be sent to you, with directions that the "Mother's Magazine" be forwarded to Mrs. of Massa

chusetts.

At this time, my wife was in so declining a state of health, that it was considered probable that this was the last present of the kind I should ever make her, and so it proved. On the following Sabbath morning, "early, while it was yet dark," her happy spirit, set free from the frail body, we doubt not, took its seat among the ransomed of the Lord around the eternal throne. She had longed to be with Christ, and it is a pleasant reflection, that God granted her desire to depart, at twilight, on the same blessed morning in which her Savior rose from the cold prison. of the tomb.

My beloved wife took the Mother's Magazine from its commencement, and ever read it with delight. She felt that she could not do without it. I have much pleasure, therefore, I assure you, in furnishing you the means, according to her dying request, of sending it to the individual above named, who, by her recent marriage, is placed in circumstances to derive special benefit from its pages.

While I am writing this brief notice, I feel that it would be a privilege to ask the prayers of those mothers who are spared to their precious children, for my two motherless ones, now looking solely to a father for that instruction which is suited to their tender age; and it may excite their sympathy still more deeply,

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