oblige me with telling me all that relates to you? I have some experience, and advice is often useful."

"Ah, Sir! I have hitherto turned a deaf ear to the voice of advice and affection. -I cannot however deny you, though I fear you will despise me when you hear what a wicked wretch I have been; but God has punished, and I hope will pardon me."

"A repentant contrite heart was never yet rejected," replied Mr. Richardson : "as the ground is dry, you had better be seated." Then addressing his children, he said, "in this young man's account should you hear any thing blameable, remember that all are prone to error; and endeavour to avoid those faults which he appears to consider as only deservedly punished by his misfortunes."

Charles and Mary seated themselves by their father on the grass: the sailors followed their example, at a respectful distance; when the lame boy, with some hesitation, began as follows.

CHAP. VII.

STORY OF THE WANDERER RETURNED.

"WILLIAM and myself, Sir, are somewhat turned of seventeen; our mothers are sisters, and became widows when we were very young.-William's father had been all his life at sea, and at his death had nothing to leave his family. My fa ther was a cutler; and my mother made shift to keep on the business, through the kindness of my father's old master, who still followed his profession at Tottenham. Thus she had more in her power than my aunt, and I was lazy many an hour when William laboured; for, as long as I can remember, he was always industrious; and whatever he could earn, or was given him, he took to his mother, whose only means of life was working at her needle and knitting. I was regularly kept to school, and so indeed was Wil

liam, but his mother could not afford to pay he therefore worked out the expense, in whatever the schoolmaster thought fit to employ him; and made, in a short time, such improvement, that there was not a boy in the whole school wrote so good a hand; beside, if any body at Edmonton wanted a trusty lad to do an errand, or any thing particular, they were sure to say, "Send for William Parker; you may trust him with your life."

"Indeed, George," interrupted his cousin, blushing, " your story is so tedious, that it makes one ashamed, and will weary the gentleman."

"I am sorry for it," returned George: but I only spoke truth, as many can testify. Nothing material happened until we reached our fourteenth year, when both our parents wished us to learn some business whereby we might gain a livelihood: mine, indeed, was fixed, for my mother was anxious for me to learn my father's, as his customers would also have

continued mine.-William was willing to learn whatever was most convenient; but unfortunately his mother could pay no premium, so that he was not immediately placed. In the mean time I was appren ticed to my father's old master, now much in years, and who, I must honestly confess, now I have experienced the dif ference, treated me like his own child. I was however regardless of his kindness, and thought it very hard to work a few hours in the day; for I had been accus tomed to play and amuse myself, until I began to feel as if I was made for no other purpose; and frequently said to my companions, though I could make no reasonable objection, that I hated the business, and would never learn it: then, if I was sent on the most trivial message, I was sure to stay three times as long as was necessary; so that by the time I had served a quarter of a year, I sincerely be lieve my master was heartily tired, though, for my parent's sake, he bore with me. In the mean time, my aunt was greatly dis

tressed to place William, when hearing that her late husband's Captain was in town, returned from a foreign station, where he had been long fixed, she determined to take her son and consult him; for he had been a good friend to her husband. - Captain Wells received her with great kindness, expressed his sorrow for her loss, and shook William heartily by the hand, saying, "What think you, my lad, of your father's profession? Boys and men we sailed together fiveand-thirty years; drubbed our foes in many an engagement, yet came off with all our limbs, and he died at last in his bed by neither powder nor ball.” — I have heard my aunt tell this; and she said she could not forbear replying, "God send, Sir, when your time comes, you may do the same; for your's is a perilous life."-"The will of Heaven be done," answered the Captain: "I fear God, and have no other fear; and in whatever shape I am to meet death, I hope it will be with the fortitude and re