58

Shall we keep Liquor at home ?

give it up. We have two boys. They are growing to be men. They are noble, generous, and tender-hearted. They love their home and honour their parents. They are here to form those characters, to receive those impressions, which shall be the basis upon which their future weal or woe must rest. Look at them-O, think of them! Think of them doing battle in the great strugge of life. Shall they carry from their home one evil influence? Shall they, in the time to come, fall by the wayside, cut down by the Demon of Drink, and, in their dying hour, curse the example whence they derived the appetite? O, for our children--for those two boys-for the men we hope to see them for the sweet memories we would have them cherish of their home-let us cast this thing out now, and for ever."

HARRY. "Well, Emma, I have not time to wait any longer this morning; a poor fellow in the hospital wants to see me. I will, however, think about what you have said."

SCENE II.-A room in a hospital. A young man, evidently in a poor state of health, seated in a chair. HARRY SEABURN and the HOSPITAL ATTENDANT in conversation.

ATTENDANT. "I am glad you have come, sir, he seems very anxious to see you."

HARRY. "Did he tell you his name?"

ATTENDANT. "He said he wanted to see whether you would recognize him. Poor fellow, he is very low, but I think he has known better days."

[The ATTENDANT retires, and HARRY goes towards the invalid, who extends his hand. HARRY takes it, and gazes earnestly at him for some moments without speaking.]

ALEC (sadly). "Have you forgotten your old playmate in boyhood, Harry; and your chum at college?"

HARRY (starting back in astonishment). “What! this is not Alec Lomberg?"

ALEC (smiling faintly). "All that is left of him, Hal."
HARRY. "Alec Lomberg!"

Shall we keep Liquor at home?

59

ALEC."You wouldn't have known me, Hal?"

HARRY. "Indeed-no!"

ALEC. "I know I am altered."

HARRY. "But, Alec, how is this? Why are you here?" ALEC. "Rum, my Hal-RUM! I'm about done for. But I wanted to see you. They told me you lived not far away, and I would look upon one friend before I died."

HARRY. "But I heard that you were practising in your profession, Alec, and doing well."

ALEC. "So I did do well when I practised, Hal. I have made some pleas, but I have given up all that."

HARRY. "And your father-where is he?"

ALEC (bitterly). “Don't mention him, Hal. We've broken. I don't know him; he taught me to drink! Ay, he taught me ! and then turned the cold shoulder upon me when I drank too much! But I am going soon, Hal; going, going."

HARRY. "Can I do anything for you, Alec ?"

ALEC (struggling to raise himself). "Yes, pray for me, Hal. Pray that I may go where my mother is ! She won't disown her boy. She could not have done it had she lived. O! she was a good mother, Hal. Thank God she didn't live to see this! Pray for me-pray, pray!"

HARRY (with emotion). “I will, Alec, I will; but, my dear boy, you're getting too much excited. I will call again. Try to compose yourself, Alec. Good evening."

ALEC. "Good night, Hal, dear.

Come soon."

SCENE III.-HARRY SEABURN's house. Present: HARRY, EMMA, and their two Boys.

EMMA. "Harry, I think that dreadful sight should convince all of us that it is wrong-fearfully wrong to bring that serpent-Strong Drink-into our home."

HARRY. "Yes, Emma, it was a lesson for me. I remember when poor Alec was the son of wealthy parents; the idol of a fond mother; the favourite at school, at play, and in the parlour; bright of intellect; and a noble, generous friend.

60

David's Dying Charge.

His father first gave him the wine-cup in his own house. I have emptied the first and last liquor that I ever brought into my home, and I have made a solemn vow that my children shall find no such influence here. They shall never have that reason to curse their father. God helping me, I will touch the wine-cup no more for ever. What say you my boys, will you join me in the pledge?"

Boys. "Gladly, father."

EMMA. "May the influence of this hour never be forgotten. I pray that it may rest as an angel of mercy upon our boys, and be as a light to their feet in the time of temptation."

B

DAVID'S DYING CHARGE.

OWED

REV. F. WAGSTAFF.

down by years, good David calls his son, Once more t' embrace him ere his race is run,

And as young Solomon before him stands
Upon his head he places trembling hands;
While busy thoughts fly backward o'er the years
His God has spared him in the vale of tears;
And as he meditates on all his ways
He feels that grace and goodness crown his days.
Cheered by the thought, the old man's heart revives,
As to his son this last advice he gives :-

"Know, O my son, the God thy father knew,
And with a perfect heart obey Him too;
With willing mind His sacred precepts learn,
And never from the paths of virtue turn.
The heart He searcheth with His watchful eye,
And all thy thoughts before Him open lie.
If with thy heart thou seek to know His love,
He will reveal Himself and faithful prove;
But if His gracious Spirit hence thou grieve
He will forsake thee and for ever leave."

Such the advice the good old man bestowed,
As he commended Solomon to God.
The same advice let us ourselves attend,

And learn instruction from the good man's end;

True to Nature!

His dying words with rev'rence let us hear,
And seek the Lord he taught his son to fear.
May we like him walk in religion's ways,
That like him grace may crown our closing days.

61

TRUE TO NATURE!

SIR JOHN HARINGTON.

A TAILOR, a man of an upright dealing,

True but for lying, honest but for stealing,
Did fall one day extremely sick by chance,
And on the sudden was in wondrous trance.
The Fiends of hell, mustering in fearful manner,
Of sundry-coloured silks displayed a banner,
Which he had stol'n; and wished, as they did tell,
That one day he might find it all in hell.

The man, affrighted at this apparition,
Upon recovery grew a great precisian,
He bought a Bible of the new translation,
And in his life he showed great reformation.
He walked mannerly, and talked meekly;

He heard three lectures and two sermons weekly;
He vowed to shun all companies unruly,
And in his speech he used no oath but "truly:"

And, zealously to keep the Sabbath's rest,
His meat for that day on the even was dressed.
And, lest the custom that he had to steal
Might cause him sometime to forget his zeal,
He gives his journeyman a special charge
That, if the stuff allowed fell out too large,
And that to filch his fingers were inclined,
He then should put the Banner in his mind.

This done I scarce the rest can tell for laughter—
A captain of a ship came three days after,

And bought three yards of velvet and three quarters,
To make Venetians down below the garters.

He, that precisely knew what was enough,
Soon slipped away three quarters of the stuff,
His man, espying it, said in derision,
"Remember, master, how you saw the vision!"

"Peace, knave," quoth he, "I did not see one rag Of such-a-coloured silk in all the flag."

62

The Child's First Prayer.

THE CHILD'S FIRST PRAYER.

S

A. L. WESTCOMBE.

AFE within

a kindly Refuge,

One amid an orphan band,
Stood the rescued little wanderer,
Heathen child in Christian land,
Gazing on himself in wonder,
Hands, and face, and garments clean;
Hardly had his mother known him,
Could she then her boy have seen.

His had been the bitter portion
Meted to the drunkard's child;
Rags, and dirt, and blows, and hunger,
Angry words, and curses wild.
Never taught to shun the evil,

Or the ways of virtue shown;
Even Religion's simplest teachings
Were to him a thing unknown.

All unknown his great Creator,
All unknown the Saviour's love,
Till his teacher gently told him

Of the God who reigns above.
"It was He who made you, Johnnie,
Great, and good, and wise, is He;
He has made the world we live in,
Every beast, and bird, and tree.

"Though our eyes can never see Him,
We are always in His sight,
Darkness cannot hide us from Him,
Forto Him 'tis always light.
He is near us, and around us,
Knows of all we say or do,
Hears our very lowest whisper,
Knows what we are thinking, too.

"He who made the stars above us,
And the great and glorious sun,
Feeds and cares for all His creatures,
Thinks of you, a little one.
Won't you try to love Him, Johnnie,
And to please Him every day?
For He loves good little children,
He will listen when they pray."