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 FEANK HARPER; 
 
 THE COUNTEY-BOY IN TOWN 
 
 / 
 
 J {AWT e s Wdd n £ i i /t lex a n 
 
 WKITTBN FOK THB AMERICAN SUNDAT-fCHOOL UNI05, A«! 
 BKVISKD BY THE COMMITHK OF PUBUCATIOfll 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 
 
 1122 Chestnut Street. 
 
Entered according to act qf CongresK, tn the year 1S47, fry Thb 
 Amkhican Sunday-sch 001 D moN, in the ^nerWs Office of the Distnei 
 Court of the Eastern District qf Pennsylvania. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I. — Coming to Town • 7 
 
 II. — Temptation and Trouble ... .14 
 
 III. — Youthful Anxieties 21 
 
 IV. — Resolutions and Reformation ... 29 
 
 V. — Solitude in a Crowd . . . .37 
 
 VI.— The Visit 45 
 
 VII. — Thanksgiving-day 52 
 
 VIII.— The House of God 61 
 
 IX.— The Sunday-school .... .69 
 
 X.— Early Trials 78 
 
 XI. — Courage 86 
 
 XII. — Conviction 94 
 
 XIII. — Correspondence 101 
 
 XIV.— The Pastor Ill 
 
 XV — A Remarkable Change 124 
 
 XVI.— Youthful Activity . 131 
 
 XVII. — Disappointment . . . ... 141 
 
 XVIIL— Conclusion 153 
 
FRANK HARPER; 
 
 THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 COMING TO TOWN. 
 
 It was Frank's first visit to a great city, 
 Eind he looked at every thing with wonder. 
 The noise of the streets seemed to deafen him, 
 and he scarcely escaped being run over by the 
 tarts and drays. 
 
 " This," thought he, "is New York ! I really 
 did not think it was so large !" And yet what 
 Frank had seen as yet was less than the hun- 
 dredth part of New York. But the rows of tall 
 houses were so long, and the shop-windows 
 were so fine, and the sights in the streets were 
 
 7 
 
8 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 SO new and wonderful, that he was in a scAt 
 of rapture. 
 
 After Frank had spent most of the day m 
 rambling about, he found his feet very sore 
 and his whole body wearied. After taking 
 tea, he was shown to his lodgings, away up in 
 the attic of a three-story house. Now it was, 
 that ne began to feel that he was in a strange 
 place. Two larger boys occupied the same 
 little chamber ; they were, like himself, em- 
 ployed in stores, in John street. They had 
 already gone to bed. Frank sat down a few 
 moments, and began to think over the events 
 of the busy day, which seemed to him like a 
 dream. At length, he opened his little red 
 trunk, and the first thing he saw was the 
 pocket-bible, which his mother had given 
 him. You may be sure some tears fell upon 
 it, as he opened it. He found the marker, 
 which his sister had embroidered for him, and 
 read on it the words, " how i love thy 
 LAW !" He kneeled down, and prayed to God, 
 with many tears, that he might be kept and 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 9 
 
 blessed, now that he was separated from his 
 parenl:s. 
 
 Frank's bed was not so good as the one 
 which he had left at Coventry ; and he was 
 surprised, for he thought every thing would 
 be very grand in the great city. But he soon 
 forgot himself, "and slept, (as all healthy boys 
 sleep,) soundly and well, until the day dawned. 
 
 It was a bright winter morning, and Ned 
 and Joe were already dressed. They did not 
 wait for Bible or prayer, but hurried away to 
 their stores. Frank had time only to read a 
 few verses, and to offer a short prayer. Boys 
 in the city must rise early, or they will lose 
 their devotions. And unless they form the 
 habit at first, they are apt to have prayerless 
 days. I am afraid there are hundreds who 
 never pray at all. 
 
 The next thing was a quick walk, or rather 
 run, to the place of business. Here Frank 
 Dad to kindle a coal-fire, which he found no 
 easj job, and then to open the store, and sweep 
 and aust it out. Mr, Boggs ^ame in aooul 
 
10 FRANK HAlPilR; OR, 
 
 nine o'clock, and then Frank hurried to his 
 breakfast. It was the first breakfast he ever 
 took, without family-prayer, and he thought 
 of his father, mother and sisters. He ate 
 fast ; and, to tell the truth, there was not 
 much to eat. His mind wandered away to 
 the full table in the country. A good many 
 persons sat at the table, but no one took any 
 notice of the little country-boy. 
 
 It would take long to tell of the day's work. 
 Frank was kept very busy, as is usual with the 
 youngest. He was sent on many errands, to 
 strange places, and several times lost his way : 
 for which he was rebuked by his employers, 
 and laughed at by the clerks and porter. Once 
 or twice he was brought into trouble by bad 
 boys; and once he had his fist doubled, to 
 strike a fellow who had seized him ; but he 
 thought better of it. And he afterwards found, 
 that the wisest plan in the streets is to go about 
 one's business as quietly as possible. He was 
 shocked at the bad language, which he heara 
 from the boys even younger than himself; es- 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. J.i 
 
 ;pecmlly from those who carried newspapers, 
 and from ill-looking chaps, who seemed to 
 have no work to do. In a great city, it is im- 
 possiole to avoid hearing such things ; and the 
 only way for a good boy is to take no notice 
 of them, except to set the mind firmly against 
 such evil words, asking God's help to be kept 
 clear of the like sin. 
 
 During the few moments of the day which 
 he had to himself, and was waiting for his 
 parcels or letters, Frank's mind strayed off 
 to his country home ; and he sighed to think 
 that he was so far away. But he comforted 
 himself by remembering what his father had 
 told him, at partmg: "My son, you are going 
 to a strange place ; but if you are faithful, you 
 will be able to support your mother and me, 
 in our old age." And then he said to him- 
 self: "I will do any thing, and bear an} 
 thing, to help my beloved parents." 
 
 When the day was over, and the work oC 
 ;!he store was done, he w^ent slowly to his 
 toarding-l ouse, weary and sad. He took his 
 
12 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 hasty meal by himself, and then went to hb 
 room. Ned and Joe were in high glee, 
 about a nine-pin-alley, which they had been 
 visiting; but Frank could not enter into 
 their pleasure. They laughed at him, when 
 he sat down to his Bible ; and, for a moment, 
 he thought he would shut it up. But then he 
 remembered, how often his mother had told 
 him " never to be shamed out of what was 
 good," and so he read on. He was after- 
 wards glad of this ; for, in a little time, they 
 grew weary of their jesting. He even sum- 
 moned up resolution, to kneel down by his 
 bed, and pray; though Joe sang "Old Dan 
 Tucker," on purpose to disturb him, and Ned 
 threw a bit of old rag over his head, while he 
 was on his knees. I cannot say that poor 
 Frank's thoughts did not wander a little ; but 
 ne thus gained a great victory over himself. 
 The boys fixed on him the name of the Par- 
 son; and gave notice at the table that he 
 would preach tlie next Sunday Frank co- 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOVTf. 13 
 
 loured a little, but was wise enoi gh to say 
 nothing. 
 
 Let the reader observe, that a boy who is 
 afraid of being laughed at, will never become 
 a man of independence ; and a boy who is 
 laughed out of his prayers will be very likely 
 to be laughed out of many other good habiu 
 and prmciples. 
 
 
14 FRANK HABPER; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 TEIIPTATION AND TROUBLE. 
 
 A FEW weeks passed away, and Frank hao 
 become quite familiar with his business. His 
 home-sickness was much relieved. He had re- 
 ceived two pleasant letters from home, which 
 he carefully folded up, after he had read them 
 about twenty times. He had sent a knitting- 
 basket to his mother, and a pair of gloves to 
 each of his sisters. It was becoming easy for 
 him to find his way. He was quite at home 
 at the post-office, the wharves, and the banks. 
 Messrs. Boggs and Buncombe, his employers, 
 began to find that he was always in his place ; 
 the clerks saw that he was good-natured ; and 
 Wickes, the book-keeper, had even gone so 
 far as to give him a second-hand pinchbeck 
 watch, which kept tolerable time if carefully 
 set every morning. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN l5 
 
 But trouble was near. And let me tell m^ 
 young reader, no youth in town can escape 
 trouble. One very cold night, when he came 
 home from the store, he found Briggs and 
 Denton waiting for him at the door. 
 
 "Come, my lad," said Denton, "we are 
 going to the Bowery Theatre, and we mean 
 to take you along." 
 
 " I thank you," said Frank, " but I do not 
 wish to go." 
 
 " Not wish to go !" cried he ; " and why 
 not ? It shall cost you nothing ; we are going 
 to treat. You shall go, Mr. Parson." 
 
 To make an unpleasant story short, they 
 persuaded Frank, against his convictions. He 
 went. Their seat was in the gallery, and he 
 found, to his sorrow, that he was among bad 
 men and bad women. He saw and heard things 
 that night which made him sure that it was a 
 wicked place. For a. few moments, the no- 
 velty of the thing pleased him. He listened 
 to charming musio. He saw fine players, 
 decked and painted ; and he was astonisl ed 
 
16 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 at iie scenery and the dancing. But he also 
 saw and heard things which he knew were 
 neither modest nor virtuous; and his heart 
 was full of the conviction that he was in the 
 wrong place. When they came out, in a great 
 3rowd, about eleven o'clock at night, he 
 turned to the boys and said: "Now mind 
 what I say — this is the first time I ever was 
 in a theatre — and it shall be the last." 
 
 This raised a loud laugh. "Aha!" said 
 Ned, " do you say so ? Very well, so we said, 
 three years ago ; but we have got well over 
 that ; haven't we, Joe ?" 
 
 " Yes," answered Joe, " I go to the theatre 
 every week ; and some day I will tell you 
 where we get the money. And there are other 
 plac es, too, where we mean to take you ; mind 
 that, Mr. Parson." 
 
 These words opened Frank's eyes ; he began 
 to see his danger, and was more firmly re- 
 solved to resist these temptations. He thought 
 ever several texts of Scripture, and wished he 
 had remembered them a little sooner. How 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TCWN. a7 
 
 solemnly his aged father had said to him, << My 
 son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.' 
 
 When they reached their boarding-house 
 in Dey Street, the boys found that they were 
 locked out; for it was near midnight. The 
 noise of wheels had almost ceased in Broad 
 way, and the only sound they heard was the 
 sharp cHck of the watchman's staff upon the 
 flag-stones. 
 
 Presently the heavy sound of the City-Hall 
 bell began to give the signal of a fire. Almost 
 immediately the engines were out, and a 
 crowd began to gather. Ned and Joe were 
 soon among the throng, and Frank saw no- 
 thing to do but to join them. Before they 
 reached the place of the fire, Joe Denton 
 stumbled over a rope, and in recovenng him- 
 self thrust his elbow into the eye of a fireman, 
 who struck him a smart blow. Joe and Ned 
 were soon engaged in a brawl with the fire- 
 men ; and Frank was trying to pull them 
 away, when all on a sudden, he felt his arm 
 
 TOughly seized, and looking round perceived 
 
 2* 
 
18 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 tnat /le was in the hands of a sturdy man, 
 whose gilt star showed that he was one of the 
 pohce. << Come, my young blade," said the 
 officer, " I must give you a lodging ; you 
 begin early. I guess your mother does not 
 know you're out ?" 
 
 The very word "mother" went to poor 
 Frank's heart. " Indeed, indeed, sir," said he, 
 " I am not doing any harm — I did'nt want to 
 be here — I was only trying to get those big 
 boys home." 
 
 " yes, the old story — I've heard the like 
 Defore. Nobody is never doing no hi^rm. But 
 I'll take care of you. Wliat is your name ?" 
 
 "Frank Harper." 
 
 « Where do you live ?" 
 
 <<I am in Boggs and Buncombe's storCj 
 John Street." 
 
 " Where do you live ?" 
 
 « I board at Mrs. Maggs's, Dey Street, near 
 Washington." 
 
 "Well — come on:" so he hurried him 
 ii!ong, and soon arrived at the watchhouse. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TO^.VN 19 
 
 Here he was filled with horror, to find him- 
 self in a close room, heated by a stove, almost 
 red hot, and occupied by three drunken va- 
 grants, and a woman of tawdry dress, and very 
 ^ed countenance. It was a night of wretch- 
 edness. In the morning, the chief clerk of 
 Messrs. Boggs and Buncombe, having heard 
 of the boy, appeared for him, and had him re- 
 leased. Poor Frank could scarcely bear the 
 looks of his employers ; but he told them the 
 whole truth. The clerks had their sport about 
 it; but, what was most hard to bear, the 
 larger boys, who had betrayed him into the 
 snare and then escaped, made fun of his dis- 
 tress, almost every day, for weeks after. 
 
 This is not an uncommon occurrence in a 
 great city. There are lads who, in trying to 
 brave the rif^icule which comes on them, after 
 such things, only become more hardened. I 
 nm glad to say it was not so with Frank. 
 He was confirmed in his determination to 
 keep out of bad company, and especially, 
 revel- to be out at night. These hours of 
 
20 FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 hunger, fear, shame, and imprisonment, and 
 the disgrace which followed, were a lesson to 
 him as long as he lived. 
 
 Most of the evils which befall youth in a 
 great city are connected with the streets. It 
 is hardly possible for a boy to be much out at 
 night, without becoming depraved. The only 
 safe rule is, to stay within doors. Yet it is 
 wonderful to observe, that you can scarcely 
 walk the streets, at any hour before midnight, 
 without meeting p^imbers of boys, even of 
 tender years. They are to be found in gangs 
 about the doors of the Circus and Theatre, anu 
 sometimes the money which gains them en- 
 trance is procured by theft. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWT«", 21 
 
 CHAPTER m. 
 
 YOUTHFUL ANXIETIES. 
 
 It was on a bright Saturday evening in De- 
 cember, that Frank had an errand to the foot 
 of Chambers street, to receive some parcels 
 by the steamboat from Peekskill. The boat 
 was delayed, and this gave him half an hour 
 to himself, which was unusual. He spent i: 
 in walking upon the pier, looking at the dark, 
 rapid waves, crested with light foam, at the 
 numerous craft of the river, and especially at 
 the low hills of hi^ native Jersey, behind which 
 the sun had just gone down, leaving all the 
 west in a blush with the evening-red. 
 
 Frank was not less cheerful commonly thai? 
 other boys of his age, but late events had made 
 him serious. He looked across the river to the 
 hills, in the direction where he thought the little 
 
22 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 village of Coventry must lie. He bought of 
 his father: "I suppose he is now getting home 
 the cattle, and making an end of the week's 
 work. Mother is preparing every thing for 
 Sunday. Mary and Anne are looking over 
 Jie clothes ; or perhaps hearing one another 
 say the Sunday-school lesson. And here am 
 I — by myself — and in disgrace !" Here the 
 little boy took out his blue handkerchief, to 
 wipe his eyes ; but he wept the more, when he 
 saw on the corner of it the mark wrought by 
 his mother's needle. "I am sorry, I am 
 sorry !" said he, <'I have done wrong — I have 
 mdeed — but I hope I have not done as wrong 
 as people think." And he wept the more. 
 
 Be not cast down, my young friend ; these 
 are manly tears ! Let every youth, who reads 
 these hnes, know, that sorrow for sin is no- 
 thing to be ashamed of. 
 
 As Frank turned hastily, on reaching the 
 corner of the pier, he found himself met by a 
 young man of grave appearance, and kind 
 looks, who spoke to him in a civil toae, and 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 23 
 
 said, "Good evening, my boy! So I see you 
 nave business here, as well as myself." 
 
 Frank had not been accosted in a tone so 
 pleasant, for many a day. He felt as if he 
 had almost met a friend. " Yes, sir," he re- 
 plied, "lam waiting for the Mountaineer ; I 
 am to get some parcels by one of the hands 
 of the boat." 
 
 "My business is with the same boat," said 
 the stranger ; " but it is not so pleasant. I 
 am looking for news of a lad who has robbed 
 our store, and has been pursued up the river 
 by an officer." 
 
 "Ah! I hadn't heard of it. It is bad 
 enough when boys get to robbing." 
 
 " Bad enough, indeed ; but it is becoming 
 too common. This young fellow broke open 
 the safe of Mr. Brown' /3y, and took a pocket- 
 book, with four hundred dollars, and papers 
 worth five times as much. New York boys 
 are getting to be men in wickedness. Do 
 you live in town.''" 
 
24 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 <« Yes," said Frank, " I do now ; but I have 
 not oeen here long. I am a country boy." 
 
 " Then," said the other, " let me give you 
 a bit of advice, my young friend. / was a 
 country boy too, not long ago, and I know 
 something of the dangers f^ the city. Take 
 care of had companions. ^^ 
 
 This he said with so much seriousness, and 
 with a look of so much cordiality, that Frank 
 was encouraged to say : " I have found out 
 already what a bad thing it is to go with 
 wicked boys." 
 
 '« It is a good sign, to hear you say so. 
 Forewarned is forearmed. And as you seem 
 to be aware of the danger, you must let me 
 put these tracts into your hands. You must 
 read them. And if you will call at our store, 
 I will give you more. My name is Brooks ; 
 and 1 am a teacher in the Sunday-school of 
 the Locust street church." 
 
 Just then the boat came in sight. Frank 
 received his packages, and was soon on his 
 way down town. But as he walked along, hfjr 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 25 
 
 tfiought on the few words he had heard. There 
 was nothing in them, which he had not known 
 before ; and yet they had made a deep impres- 
 sion on his mind. This should encourage us 
 always to drop a good word to young persons, 
 when we have an opportunity. Some have 
 thus been instrumental in saving a soul from 
 death. 
 
 That night Frank lay awake upon his bed, 
 thinking over his conduct. He could not re- 
 proach himself, except in regard to his sinful 
 compliance about the theatre. But this hurt 
 his conscience, and made him think of other 
 faults. So it often is. Thinking on one 
 transgression is likely to make us think of 
 other sins. "How I wonder at myself," 
 thought he. "I was ashamed to say No. 
 Now I remember what our minister used to 
 say, ^Boys, if you mean to make any thing in 
 the world, learn to say no.' Now I know what 
 he meant. I was ashamed — I was cowardly 
 —I knew better !" And here his thoughts be- 
 3 
 
26 FRANK HARPtR ; OR, 
 
 gan t3 turn into prayer, and he asked God tG 
 paraon his sins. 
 
 Frank had been piously educated, by ex- 
 cellent pareuts, and he knew what was right. 
 But he also knew that he had never experi- 
 enced that great change, which the Scriptures 
 call being <born again.' A long time before 
 it was day, while Joe and Ned were fast asleep, 
 this little boy, wrapped in his cloak, was 
 Kneeling down in the corner of his cold garret- 
 room, praying to God. Though not seen by 
 men, he was seen by angels, and by God. 
 Happy is the youth w^ho sometimes steals 
 time even from slumber, for such a pur- 
 pose. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath. The poor 
 fellow had ro one to direct him to a place 
 of worship. It is a pity that so many youth 
 are cast upon a great and wicked city, just in 
 this way. Frank did what many do, and 
 what he had done on other Sabbaths. He 
 wandered about the streets looking for a church. 
 He went into one : it was crowded with 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 21 
 
 people. The house was full of the fames of 
 incense ; he saw pictures and crosses, and 
 heard prayers in a strange tongue : he did 
 not remain long. 
 
 He approached another; many coaches 
 were drawn up before it. The pews were 
 filled with rich-looking people. There was a 
 very young man in the pulpit, who was preach- 
 ing about the evils of enthusiasm. Frank 
 grew tired of standing, and came out. After 
 roaming through several streets, he came to 
 an old-fashioned building, and on entering 
 was shown to a seat in tb'cj gallery. The mi- 
 nister was just finishing hi.s iermon, and Frank 
 heard him several timef repeat these words : 
 " Who can understand his errors ? Cleanse 
 thou me from secret faults." He found that 
 they were in the nineteenth psalm. "That 
 means me .'" thought Frank. So he went home 
 musing upon it. The words rang in his ears. 
 « Cleanse thou me from secret faults." He 
 preached quite a little sermon to himself, and 
 turned the words into prayer When he got 
 
28 FRANX harper; or, 
 
 to the house he committed the whole psalm to 
 memory. I cannot say that he felt true re- 
 pentance, but he certainly saw more of his sins 
 than he had ever seen before. Where he had 
 thought there was one, he now beheld a thou- 
 sand. Thus God was causing him to « un- 
 derstand his errors." Reader, have you any 
 knowledge of this .'' 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. ^ 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 RESOLUTIONS AND REFORMATION. 
 
 Monday morning is a time when industrious 
 people feel uncommonly bright. Every thing 
 seems to take a fresh start. The body and 
 mind both have had rest, and they w^ork witl 
 a sort of spring. This is the good effect of the 
 Sabbath. Those do not feel thus, who spend 
 holy time in labour or frolic. 
 
 On that Monday, (the fourih of December,) 
 
 Frank was up bright and early. He had got 
 
 leave of Mrs. Maggs to kindle a fire in the 
 
 dining-room, in the basement ; and theie you 
 
 might have seen him, at a table, with a dipped- 
 
 candle which he had bought, and with pen and 
 
 ink, very busy over a sheet of paper. What can 
 
 our Frank be doing ? Surely he is not about 
 
 to make a book ! Perhaps it is a letter. — No 
 
 such thing. At the top of the sheet, he haa 
 3* 
 
30 FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 writteL, in fair round-hand, like a ledger, 
 chese words : 
 
 " My Resolutions. 
 
 «I. Resolved, — that I will go to church 
 every Sunday morning and afternoon. 
 
 "II. Resolved, — that I will read in my 
 Bible. 
 
 " III. Resolved, — that I will become as good 
 as ever Ican.'^^ 
 
 Poor Frank ! His face is all in a glow of 
 earnestness ! Shall we blame him for his 
 resolutions ? No, no ! The things are all 
 good — very good. But perhaps he may find 
 that it is more easy to resolve than to per- 
 form. 
 
 Our little man had set out in the week with 
 such a vehemence cf purpose, that, if you had 
 been in the secret, you might have read deter- 
 mination in his very face. He even composed 
 his countenance to unusual sobriety. He 
 feared to speak, lest he should utter some- 
 thing wror.g. He was resolved not to lose 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 31 
 
 liis temper. He did his errands in half the 
 usual time. He felt so much need of being 
 honest, that he returned a piece of twine, 
 which he had previously taken from a shelf. 
 He read several chapters in the Bible, and 
 said his prayers with more attention than ever 
 before. In a word, Frank began to feel as if 
 he was almost as good a boy as he was re- 
 quired to be. 
 
 In the evening, as they were all sitting 
 around the fire, the company were chatting, 
 laughing, cracking nuts, and singing; but 
 Frank was very grave and silent. He felt as 
 if he was better than all around him. They 
 wondered what had come over him, and 
 thought he was sulky. Indeed it had much 
 of that appearance. But he was trying to 
 make himself good. At length, as he was 
 going up stairs, with his night lamp, the 
 thought came suddenly into his head : " Why, 
 all this is very much like the Pharisees P* It 
 was too true. He said over the words, " Who 
 can understand his errors V* « Ah," said he 
 
32 FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 to himself, " I am afraid I have not got rid ol 
 the < secret faults' yet." He felt that he was 
 proud. Perhaps th s is what is called self- 
 righteousness. Such were his thoughts, and 
 so far they were undoubtedly right. 
 
 When he came to his room, the opening of 
 the door awakened his two companions, who 
 were not at all pleased with the interruption. 
 Ned turned over with some violence, and gave 
 Frank a very hard name. This did not please 
 him, especially as he was more exalted in his 
 own opinion than usual ; he therefore replied, 
 in a tone which immediately struck him as 
 not being exactly proper. Ned was now dis- 
 pleased in his turn, and they were soon en- 
 gaged in a boyish quarrel. 
 
 "You are pretty fellows," said Ned, "to 
 be out till this hour of the night, and then to 
 come stamping in, waking up those that are 
 trying to sleep." 
 
 Frank was nettled, but he commanded him- 
 self enough to reply : " Now, Ned, you know 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 33 
 
 rery well that I havn't been out of doors to- 
 night." 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! A pretty story, indeed ! How 
 do I know but you have been spending an 
 nour at the theatre, or may be at the w^atch- 
 nouse ? Eh ! Master Parson." 
 
 This was rather more than Frank could 
 bear. <' You should not say it, any how. 
 Did you not persuade me ? Did you not almost 
 force me there ? And then did you not leave 
 me in the lurch ? I can tell you one thing — 
 I am never going again ; and I can tell you 
 another thing — wherever I go, I will go with 
 my own money." 
 
 This was a home-thrust, foi Ned had, only 
 that very day, purloined a quarter of a dollar 
 from his employers, and his evil conscience 
 made him feel as if he had been found out. 
 So he flew out of the bed, knocked the lamp 
 out of Frank's hand, and seized him by the 
 collar. There is no telling what might have 
 Deen the result, as the little country boy was 
 very resolute and very angry; but Joe had 
 
t34 FRANK harpee; cr, 
 
 waked up, in the mean time, and being 
 stronger than either, pulled them apart, say- 
 ing, " Let him alone, Ned ; you know we have 
 got him into one scrape already ; and, what is 
 more, the less you have to do with him the 
 better." 
 
 It was long before Frank could compose 
 himself for sleep. He had sunk in his own 
 estimation. He had flown into a passion, 
 and had been almost engaged in a fight. Arid 
 this had happened to him, on the very di r 
 when he had made such good resolutions ? 
 Yet he did not see the whole evil. He fell 
 ashamed and sorry for these particular faults, 
 which many persons would think no faults 
 at all ; but he did not clearly perceive that the 
 root of the evil was within. If the temptation 
 had come upon him in another shape, it is 
 likely he would have fallen in a diflerent man- 
 ner. The source of all was an evil nature- 
 and an unregenerate heart, which would have 
 led him to the greatest sins, but for the pre 
 venting grace of God. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 35 
 
 The next day Frank was unhappy. He 
 felt humbled in his own eyes. His companions 
 would not speak to him ; but this did not 
 trouble him half so much as his own sense of 
 something wrong \vithin. "How strange!" 
 said he to himself, << that just at the time when 
 I was trying to be so good, I should break out 
 into such tempers, and even go to bed without 
 a thought of prayer. 
 
 In one of the upper lofts of the store, there 
 was a dark corner, where the porter, a man 
 of colour, used to keep an old Bible. Frank 
 sometimes saw him sitting there, on a box or 
 a bale of goods, with a pair of rusty specta- 
 cles, trying to spell out a few verses. Cato 
 was a poor leader; and this made Frank 
 sometimes take the book, and read aloud to 
 )iim. On the day we are speaking of, he 
 found the old man at his isual task. He was 
 puzzling over the seventh chapter of Romans. 
 Frank very kindly took the book, and soon 
 -ame to these wor is : « For the good that I 
 
36 
 
 FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 would, I do not; but the evil which I wouic 
 not, that I do." 
 
 "Do you know what that means?" said 
 Frank. 
 
 « Yes, indeed, sir," answered the old man , 
 "I understand it too well: and if you evei 
 undertake to be good, in your own strength, 
 you will know what it means, too." 
 
 These few words of the coloured porter 
 sunk into his mind. This was an exact de- 
 scription of his own case. He had been un- 
 dertaking to he good in his own strength ; and 
 he had learned his own weakness ; and found 
 out that a resolution is a very different thing 
 from a reformation. 
 
TME COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 37 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 SOLITUDE IN A CROWD. 
 
 Do you think anybody can feel lonely in 
 Buch a city as New York, where there are 
 hundreds and thousands of people ? Yes, it 
 is possible ; and our Frank felt it to be his 
 own case, as many a country boy has done 
 before him. He met hundreds after hundreds 
 in the streets ; almost always looking brisk 
 and animated, and often conversing and seem- 
 ing happy. But as for him, he was alone. 
 No one cared for him ; scarcely any one spoke 
 to him. His employers never said a word to 
 him, except to give him orders. It was the 
 same with the elder clerks. The younger 
 lads held their heads too high, to have much 
 to do with him ; and their profane Janguage 
 made him willing to avoid them. At his 
 
3§ FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 lodgings, he found no one who took the least 
 mterest m him. 
 
 It is one of the great evils of our city busi- 
 ness, that the young men who are employed 
 tn stores and shops cannot be said to have 
 •my home, except in cases where they live 
 with their parents. Where shall a poor boy 
 go, when work is over ? To the store ? It is 
 locked up. To the house of his employer? 
 He would as soon think of going to the house 
 of the Mayor. To his boarding-house par- 
 lour ? He is not expected there, and would 
 often find no welcome. To his own chamber ? 
 It is small, dark and cold. In truth, he has 
 no home ! And hence the temptation is so 
 much the greater, to spend the evenings in 
 bad places. 
 
 Frank felt all this ; and often did he think 
 how different it was at Coventry. Father, 
 mother, and sisters were all gathered around the 
 fire ; neighbours were dropping in ; good things 
 were served round; there were kind books 
 \nd gentle w^ords. Oh, let lo boy desire to 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 39 
 
 lesive his father's house, until called away bv 
 a plain duty ! 
 
 One evening Frank felt the need of a walk ; 
 go he put on his coat, and proceeded up Broad- 
 way. This crowded street was brilliant with 
 gas. The shop- windows were far more showy 
 than by day ; and the multitude of persons 
 was greater. Now and then, he would stop 
 before a brighter lamp than usual ; it was at 
 some Oyster-saloon, Refectory, Bowling-gal 
 lery, or Cafe. These are the names given to 
 various grog-shops. They are well lighted 
 and well warmed, and hold out a powerful 
 inducement to the shivering, the lonely, and 
 the sad. But those who go there to drink 
 away their sorrows are almost sure to perish, 
 soul and body. Frank passed by. 
 
 Next he came to Park-Row, and stood be- 
 fore the theatre. The row of lamps was 
 bright. He could catch the sounds of fine 
 music. Gay-looking people were going in or 
 coming out. A crowd of boys surroundec' 
 the entrance, eager to be admitted and cla- 
 
40 FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 mouring for checks. Frank remembered the 
 great posting-bills which had told of the 
 A^onders to be seen and heard ; but he passed 
 on, feeling very solitary. 
 
 As he went further and further, he found 
 the grog-shops more numerous ; the windows 
 less rich ; the houses poorer ; and the liquors 
 more pubHcly displayed. At open doors he 
 could hear the sound of merriment wdthin. 
 He saw boys of his own age coming out of 
 these shining rooms, full of gayety, and knew 
 how easy it w^ould be to go in himself. 
 parents ! who send tender youth to cities, can 
 ve wonder that they fall into these snares! 
 Frank felt very, very lonesome ; but he passed 
 on. 
 
 Weary of rambling, he a length turned to 
 go home. A poor ragged boy offered him a 
 small box saying, " Three for two cents — 
 matches — please buy — please buy — I am hun- 
 gry."— " Other people are in trouble, besides 
 me," thought Frank. He declined buying, 
 and the child gave him a volley of curses. It 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 4] 
 
 shocked the country boy to hear such words, 
 and made him even more afraid than before, 
 to make street acquaintances. 
 
 Old Cato once said to him : <» Mr. Frank, 
 what is the reason that I never see you with 
 any playmates ?" 
 
 "I have no playmates, Cato. I used to 
 have plenty of them in the country, but I am 
 a stranger here.' 
 
 " Have you got no friends ?" 
 
 «' Not any here, Cato. I have a goodfathei 
 and mother and sisters, in Coventry." 
 
 " Then you are poorer than I am. When 
 I go to my poor house at night, I find a wel- 
 come. The stove is hot, and something is 
 cooking on it. There I find my <old woman' 
 and three daughters. My boys come in during 
 the evening, and we have a dozen of friends 
 looking in. We are all glad to see one an- 
 other. I could not live without friends." 
 
 « Yes, Cato, you have a home : but I am a 
 stranger." 
 
 < I often wonder," said Cato, " why the 
 
42 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 rich gentlemen don't do something to keep 
 the young men out of mischief in the even- 
 ings. Boys are boys ; they will have com- 
 pany. Tf they are not cheerful in some good 
 place, they will go to some bad one. I wonder 
 if masters will not have to answer for this to 
 the Master of all." 
 
 To this Frank made no reply; for he 
 thought as Cato did ; and his mind w^as wan- 
 dering away to his father's house, and the 
 deHghtful winter evenings which he had spent 
 there. 
 
 As he was entering Dey Street, on his re- 
 turn to tea, he met Ned and Joe, with a gang 
 of about a dozen boys and men, very loud and 
 merry. One of the men was a stable-keeper to 
 whom he had taken errands. " Come, Frank," 
 cried he, " come. There is to be a great 
 poultry- raffle in Leonard Street." This is a 
 sort of lottery, in which the prizes are tur- 
 keys, ducks, and chickens ; but the chief at- 
 traction is the liquor, which U given verv 
 freely. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 43 
 
 Frank could not help thinking that it was 
 Detter to be lonely than to make merry in 
 such company as this. He ascended to his 
 room ; lighted his bit of candle with a match ; 
 wrapped a blanket around him, and proceeded 
 to read in Pilgrim^s Progress — the only book 
 which he possessed besides the Bible. 
 
 If the reader of these pages should ever be- 
 come the employer of young men, I hope he 
 will take pity upon those who are under his 
 care, and at least find out what means they 
 have of passing away their evening hours. 
 
 The Circus, the Theatre, the low Concert, 
 draw multitudes night after night. These 
 persons afterwards become ripe for crimes. 
 Boys in town, who have no one to look after 
 them, are early tempted to such places. But 
 if they love their own souls, they should 
 resolve to avoid them, lest they be drawn into 
 greater depths of iniquity. The nearest gro- 
 cery to my house was robbed the other night 
 by a boy in the store, who rifled the money- 
 drawer. When the police were called in, 
 
44 
 
 FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 they saiu at once, ^^ He is probably at the 
 Circus ;" and there, indeed, he was, as they 
 found in the course of half an hour. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 45 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE VISIT. 
 
 Now it is very likely (as I have said a 
 good deal about religion, and about the bad 
 ways of towns) that some of my readers 
 think I am a sour old fellow, that would keep 
 young people from every amusement. By no 
 means, my young friends. You must have 
 amusement of some kind or other ; and it is 
 because there are so many tempting and evil 
 entertainments, that I so earnestly desire that 
 an effort should be made in our cities to furnish 
 you with such as are harmless. 
 
 F^ank was growing too dull for a lad of his 
 years. He felt the need of companions, and 
 thought much of his sisters and cousins. 
 
 One morning Mr. Buncombe stopped Frank, 
 as he was on the stairs, and said to him*: "My 
 lad, how would you like to spend a day at 
 
46 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 your father's ?" Frank's heart leaped within 
 him. Forgetting the dignity of Mr. Bun- 
 combe, he seized his hand, and :jaid, — " 0, 
 sir, it would be too good ! I should thank you 
 for ever ! But can I go ? When shall I go ?" 
 " Next Thursday," replied his employer, " is 
 Thanksgiving-day ; and we have to close the 
 store. You may get ready to go the evening 
 before : but mind, you are to be here by ten 
 o'clock on Friday : not a moment later. Do 
 you see this watch ? Not a moment later. Re- 
 member : Friday at ten. — <■<• O yes, sir— yes, 
 sir, — Friday at ten" — said the poor boy, 
 scarcely knowing what he said. 
 
 It was as if a burden had been lifted off his 
 young heart. You may be sure he counted 
 the days and hours, until the happy moment. 
 He was fluttering with fear le;-t something 
 should turn up to hinder it. He counted up 
 his little hoard of money in his pocket-book. 
 Part of this he laid aside, to pay his passage : 
 the rest he appropriated to gifts for those at 
 home. The first spare evening he spent in 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 4 1 
 
 making purchases ; and how he turned them 
 over, in his lonely garret ! I irst, there was a 
 large-print New Testament, with Psalms at 
 the end, for his dear mother. Secondly^ there 
 was an ivo];(^-headed cane, for his dear father. 
 Thirdly, there w^as a box of colours for his 
 sister Mary. Fourthly, there was a gilt ink- 
 stand for his sister Ann. And fifthly, there 
 was an ornamented powder-horn for Jonathan, 
 who worked on the farm. His heart was 
 very much engaged in this, and the feehng 
 was good and praiseworthy. 
 
 When Tuesday night came, his red trunk 
 was all packed, except the change of clothing 
 which he was to wear ; and he had been twice 
 to the railroad office, to be sure of the right 
 place of starting. But he got scarcely a wink 
 of sleep ; and when he dozed a little, he was 
 Car away in Coventry. 
 
 At length the happy Wednesday dawned, 
 and his first thought was, that he should sleep 
 that night under his father's roof. He ate 
 little at the table, so that the landlady smiled, 
 
^ FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 and told him he y -as journey-proud. Several 
 times he made sad mistakes in his fcrrands ; 
 for, poor fellow ! his thoughts were in the 
 country. A full hour before the time, he 
 sallied out with his coat, umbrella,^and trunk, 
 and the cane for his father, and was at the 
 foot of Liberty Street, before the ticket office 
 was open. He looked with a sort of gratitude 
 on the whiskered man who gave him his 
 ticket ; and rushed on to the ferry-boat, as if he 
 was afraid it would be off before him. He 
 was soon in the cars ; the locomotive whizzed 
 and smoked ; and the train began to move. 
 It seemed to him to move slowly, though they 
 were going almost twenty miles an hour. 
 
 Darkness came on, and when they arrived 
 at the place where he was to get out, the moon 
 and stars were shining brightly. He alighted, 
 and looked about him. He knew that he was 
 exoected. Presently he heard a familiar sound ; 
 it was the snort of old Roan, the family horse • 
 and then he knew the creak of the wheels, as 
 the little wagon drove rapidly round the tavern. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 49 
 
 His heart went pit-a-pat. With a husky Vv ice, 
 tie said, << Who is it ?" and in a moment he 
 was in his fatJier's arras. << Come, my sen," 
 said the old man — "let me look at you once 
 more !" and he held his ruddy face in the 
 light of the window. " Come in with your 
 trunk — we have four miles to drive, you know 
 — and your mother and the girls are waiting 
 for you." 
 
 Frank seated himself, and gently took the 
 reins out of his father's hand. It was his old 
 place, and it had been long since he had 
 handled the "lines." He knew every foot of 
 the road, by day or night ; and old Roan 
 pricked up his ears at the well-known voice, 
 and trotted off like a colt. 
 
 " There," said Frank, "there is Mr. Frost's 
 house — I see the light in their sitting-room." 
 "Yes," said his father, "his boys have come 
 home to Thanksgiving." 
 
 " And there is the old mill — and yonder is 
 the school-house." And see! the nc^on is 
 shining on the steeple of our church . And 
 
50 FRANK hakper; or, 
 
 oh, there is our own lane — and the cherry-treed 
 . — and Towzer — I hear his bark !" 
 
 True enough, there was the lane, and there 
 was Towzer, who almost stifled the boy, as 
 he jumped down to open the gate. As soon 
 as the sound of the wheels was heard, the 
 door flew open, and out bounded two rosy- 
 cheeked girls, who threw their arms around 
 his neck. "Brother, brother!" was all they 
 could say ; but it w^as enough. In the door 
 stood his gentle mothe*, trembling with more 
 than her lips could express. For an instant 
 she held him off*, gazing into his face, and 
 then folded him to her bosom, whispering, 
 « Thanks be to God !" 
 
 If there is a happy sight on earth, it is that 
 of a loving family, united after separation. 
 The large fire-place was piled with logs, 
 which filled the room with their blaze. The 
 circle was formed, and a thousand questions 
 w^ere asked Towzer lay upon the hearth, 
 and looked in his young master's i 'ce. Im- 
 patieat to open his stores, the red trunk was 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 61 
 
 unlocked, and Frank distributed his gifts. 
 They were received with admiratioi and 
 thanks. Jonathan came in, and shook him 
 some seconds by the hand. Then, restless 
 with joy, Frank must needs go into every 
 room in the house, and afterwards out of 
 doors, to see whether the barn, the smoke- 
 house, and the dairy stood in their old 
 places. 
 
 The supper-table was spread. The' good 
 lather asked God's blessing. Frank praised 
 the home-made bread, the milk, the preserves, 
 and declared he had never sat at such a table 
 in New York. Once again they all kneeled 
 in family prayer ; and when the grateful boy 
 went to his well-remembered bed, he thought 
 it was the happiest day of all his life. 
 
62 FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER YTI. 
 
 THANKSGIVING-DAY. 
 
 It is the custom, in some parts of tAe coun- 
 try, for all the members of a family to come 
 together on Thanksgiving-day ; and a very 
 good custom it is. It serves to draw the 
 bonds more closely between parents and chil- 
 dren, brothers and sisters. This makes it a 
 delightful day for many a youth, who is ab- 
 sent from his father's house all the rest of the 
 year. So it was with Frank. After a night 
 of sound sleep, he arose in the morning, re- 
 freshed and cheerful. By daylight, he could 
 now look around on the familiar objects which 
 had escaped him in the darkness. All gave 
 him pleasure. He looked with satisfaction 
 at the horses, the cattle, the flock of sheep, 
 and the very fowls in the yard, which he used 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 53 
 
 to feed. There was not a thing inside or out 
 side of the house, which did not bring up 
 t)leasant recollections. But most of all was ne 
 happy in the presence of his dear parents and 
 sisters ; and he saw his own joy reflected in 
 their countenances. When all were summoned 
 to morning prayers, he almost wept at the 
 sight of the old family Bible and psalm-book ; 
 and when they kneeled in prayer, and he heaid 
 his aged father give thanks for the return of 
 the only son, Frank could no longer contain 
 himself. 
 
 We need not inquire minutely into the 
 country breakfast, to which they sat down. 
 Suffice it to say, it was bountiful, and Frank 
 could not have been more happy, if he had 
 been a king. Of course they all went to the 
 village church, to hear a sermon from Mr. 
 Miller. It was a plain building of stone, 
 about a hundred years old : but it was deal 
 to Frank, for there he had been used to go, 
 ever since his infancy, and near it his grand- 
 parents were buried. There was great looir- 
 
&4 FRANK harper; OK, 
 
 ing round among the people, to see who of the 
 young folks had come home to spend thanks- 
 giving; and when the service was over, i* 
 seemed as if there would be no end to the 
 shaking of hands and asking of questions. 
 Friends of his father, and old playmates ga- 
 thered around Frank, and it was a full half 
 hour before he could mount his pony for a 
 return. 
 
 The company was now increased and the 
 house was full. Four or five carriages and 
 wagons drove into the lane at once, besides 
 several persons on foot. There was uncle 
 Joshua Harper, and the three aunts, sisters of 
 his mother. There were several cousins, w'ho 
 came because their own parents were dead, 
 and they had found a friend in farmer Har- 
 per. There was the schoolmaster, Mr. Tree, 
 who had no friends of his own. And there 
 was Mr. Miller, the clergyman ; who, being 
 unmarried, was invited home to Mr. Harper's, 
 The fires were large, crackling and blazing. 
 All were in their best clothes and best tern- 
 
THE COVNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 55 
 
 per ; ai d, as there was no constraint, the 
 company was full of innocent glee. 
 
 Frank had a great desire to talk with his 
 father about his religious anxieties. He there- 
 fore followed him to the stable, where he 
 went to see after the dumb creatures. It is 
 not unlikely that the old gentleman kept at 
 this work longer than he would otherwise 
 have done, in order to converse with his 
 boy. But Frank's mouth was sealed on the 
 great subject. Reverence for his father, joined 
 to natural bashfulness, kept him from saying 
 any of the things he had intended. Mr. 
 Harper gave his son much good advice. 
 Frank, in his turn, related the whole affair 
 of the theatre and the watch-house. His 
 father did what every good parent would do 
 in a like case ; he expressed his sorrow for the 
 act; but he commended the candour of the 
 confession And, in reply to Frank's com- 
 plaints about sf)\it ide, his father told him, 
 that the best of all society was Christian so 
 dety, and that he must try to gain the advan- 
 
56 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 tage of this. He therefore earnestly recom- 
 mended to him to attach himself to some 
 Sunday-school, without delay. 
 
 A Thanksgiving dinner in the countiy is 
 no shght affair. My readers will not expect 
 from me an account of the turkeys, the hams, 
 the pumpkin-pies, the puddings and the cus- 
 tards, under which the table groaned. One 
 thing is certain, Mrs. Harper and the girls 
 had thought more of Frank, in their prepara- 
 tions, than of all the other guests. Several 
 poor persons were waiting in the kitchen for 
 their accustomed alms, and went away fully 
 laden. 
 
 Then came the long afternoon and evening, 
 around the noble wood-fire ; when cheerful- 
 ness and friendship were mingled with reli- 
 gious communion and grateful praise. The 
 crowded assemblies of the rich and great can 
 show nothing equal to such a scene ; and 
 there are a thousand such on every general 
 Thanksgiving-day. The school-master was also 
 a singing-master, and had brought his bass- 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 57 
 
 nol; and though the girls had no piano-forte, 
 several of them had sweet voices. The minis- 
 ter and uncle Joshua carried a grand bass, and 
 Frank (though somewhat out of practice) re- 
 sumed the tenor of his earlier days. Alto- 
 gether it was a fine concert ; and the auditors, 
 who were at the same time performers, had 
 quite as much enjoyment as the fine gentle- 
 men and ladies who pay their dollar to hear a 
 foreign fiddler or a brace of painted madames. 
 Mary and Anne learned more about New 
 York and its ways, that evening, than they 
 had ever dreamed of before : their brother 
 was now a great authority in their eyes ; and 
 they listened with wonder to what he told 
 them about the shipping, the steamers, the 
 immense stores, the .hurches, the museums, 
 the fountains, the Croton-water, the fires, and 
 the processions. To tell the truth, the girls 
 were really all alive with desire to ^^ gO 
 shopping" in Broadway. But ah ! how many 
 are there, who lament, when it is too late, that 
 they ever trod the streets of a great city ! 
 
58 FRANK H iRPER ; OR, 
 
 During a pause in the conversation, Franli 
 became very pensive, and at length followed 
 his mother into the little back-room, whert 
 she had taught him so many lessons before. 
 Anticipating his wish, (as mothers do,) Mrs. 
 Harper seated herself, and Frank did the 
 same. There was something on his mind. 
 He looked into his mother's eyes, and then 
 upon the floor. 
 
 " Why, my son," said Mrs. Harper, " what 
 ails you ? See ! You have torn to pieces the 
 beautiful daily rose, which Anne just now 
 gave you." 
 
 Frank looked at the poor remains of the 
 flower, as it hung from his fingers, and said, 
 " I am very sorry; but, mother, I was thinking 
 of something else." 
 
 « Come then, my boy, and tell me what it 
 is. I am afraid they do not treat you well in 
 New York. You are more serious than you 
 used to be. Is there any thing of tL.s sort to 
 trouble you?" 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 6'3 
 
 '' No, mother ; but there is something 1 
 want to speak to you about." 
 
 '' Then, my son, speak freely ; you know 1 
 will help you in every way I can. Have you 
 got into any debt, or into any quarrel ?" 
 
 "Oh no!" said Frank, laying his head un 
 his mother's shoulder ; " I tried to tell father, 
 but I could not ; but I can tell you, mother. 
 T am in trouble about what will become of my 
 soul." 
 
 Mrs. Harper was overcome with her emo- 
 tions. She wiped away Frank's tears while 
 shedding many of her own. She advised 
 him, she prayed with him, and before he 
 went away she gave him two or three books 
 and some tracts, and also procured a letter 
 from Mr. Miller, to introduce him to a worthy 
 clergyman. It was a new cause of thanks- 
 giving for this pious mother, on that day of 
 rejoicing ; and it was an unspeakable relief to 
 the dutiful son, that he had opened his mind 
 i,o one who loved him Sff well. 
 
 The happiest day must come to an end; 
 
60 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 and so it was with this one. The company 
 separated, and though the snow had been fall- 
 ing for several hours, they went their dl^erent 
 ways with much animation. 
 
 Not to stop for the painful farewell, let me 
 say, that Frank was up long before day on 
 Friday. His good father took him to a place 
 in the road where he could enter the New 
 Brunswick railway train ; and, five minutes 
 before ten, he reported himself to Mr. Bun- 
 combe, in John Street. The absence had 
 done him good, and he felt stronger, both foi 
 labour and endurance, than before he went. 
 
THE DOUNTRY BOY IN TOWN 61 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 The bells were ringing for church on Sun- 
 day morning. The new chime of Trinity 
 Church steeple was filling the air with its 
 tune. Broadway, the great thoroughfare, was 
 crowded with well-dressed people, who seemed 
 to be going to church. Among these Frank 
 mingled, with his book under his arm, and a 
 letter in his hand, which he was to deliver tc 
 the Rev. Mr. Halsted. At length, he reached 
 Locust Street, and found himself in front of 
 the church to w^hich he had been directed. It 
 was a lofty edifice of brown stone, with a row 
 of columns in front, and a steeple of some 
 height. The congregation had not yet begun 
 to assemble, but he perceived that a large 
 building in the rear was reported to, ^^y a 
 
62 FRAiTK harper; or, 
 
 numoer of persons. Frank ascended the 
 steps, and respectfully addressed himself to a 
 grave, elderly gentleman, who was standing in 
 the doorway. " Will you be so good as to tell 
 me, sir, how I shall find Mr. Halsted, the min- 
 ister of this church r^ 
 
 "Nothing is more easy," replied the old 
 gentleman, with a gracious smile, " I am the 
 very person you are looking for." 
 
 " Indeed, sir ! Then I have a letter for you, 
 from Mr. Miller of Coventry." Mr. Halstea 
 read the letter, and then taking Frank by the 
 hand, led him into the church. He then 
 called the sexton and directed him to give 
 Frank a seat, and to see that he was always 
 provided with it. "I expect to see you here 
 always — twice a day, my young friend ; you 
 know the saying, < the rolling stone gathers no 
 moss.' I expect you to be here in time. 
 And I expect to see you at my house, next 
 Wednesday evening, at eight o'clock, when I 
 mean to become further acquainted with you." 
 
 Frank's seat was in the gallery, near the 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 63 
 
 pulpit, SO that he had a good view of the con- 
 gregation as they came in. They seemed, 
 for the most part, to be plain but respectable 
 people. When the service began, and the 
 whole assembly joined in singing the hymn, 
 Frank was delighted, and united his own 
 voice with that of the multitude. In the 
 prayers, his mind was very much engaged; 
 they appeared to be exactly suited to his case. 
 When the minister rose to preach, he took for 
 his text these words, " Walk in the Spirit, and 
 ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the fiesh.^^* It 
 was a simple but earnest discourse, on the 
 power of the Holy Spirit to subdue the evil 
 nature within us. Every word seemed to Frank 
 as if it were meant for him. He wondered 
 how Mr. Halsted could have learned so much 
 of his case. The preacher described just 
 such feelings as he had had ; just such efforts 
 at reformation; and just such mortifying de- 
 feats. It was Frank's experience to a tittle. 
 
 * Galatians v. 16. 
 
64 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 But he went on further to describe what Frank 
 had not experienced. He spoke of a new 
 nature ; of the indwelling of the Spirit of God 
 in the renewed soul ; of grace to help in time 
 of need ; and of the work of sanctification. 
 He explained what was meant by << walking 
 in the Spirit," and showed how this blessed 
 Comforter and Sanctifier is given to every one 
 of God's people, enabling them to do what 
 they could not do of themselves. "I see," 
 said Frank to himself, " that I have a great 
 deal yet to learn. This new nature is what I 
 have not received." 
 
 As he walked homeward, his anxiety ap^ 
 peared to him to be much renewed ; yet he 
 felt an unspeakable satisfaction in having a 
 place of worship, to which he could regularly 
 ^0. He repaired thither again in the afternoon, 
 and was again instructed ; so that he could 
 say of God's house, "^ day in thy courts is 
 better than a thousand.''^ In returning, he 
 chose to walk homeward along the North 
 River. How was he astonished to see the 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 65 
 
 multitudes of young men and boys who were 
 evidently profaning the day. Scores of these 
 were out riding; and, cold as was tne day, 
 numbers were crossing the ferries .o New 
 Jersey. Can such youth have any parents? 
 Or can parents be so unfeeling, or so igno- 
 rant, as to let their sons come to town, with- 
 out taking any care about their going to 
 church ? 
 
 Every young man in a city should have 
 some stated place of worship. It is not enough 
 that he go to church ; he should go regularly 
 to the same church. I do not say a word 
 about its denomination. If the gospel is 
 preached there in truth and simplicity, let it 
 be Lutheran, Moravian, Methodist, or Epis- 
 copalian; I am not concerned, only let 
 him have some place wb'.ch he may call 
 nis own, and let him have his regular seat 
 there 
 
 A very large number of all the clerks and 
 apprentices in New York are from the coun- 
 try. When thev come to town they are stran- 
 6* 
 
66 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 gers ; and one church is to them the same as 
 another. They wander about from place to 
 place, until all regular habits are lost. I have 
 known even professors of rehgion to spend 
 months without forming any church connec- 
 tion ; and some mournful cases have occurred, 
 in which such persons have abandoned all reli- 
 gious character. 
 
 One thing was very pleasing to Frank, at 
 the Locust Street church. A large part of 
 the gallery was devoted to the children of the 
 Sunday-school; all of whom sat with their 
 respective teachers. And among these teach- 
 ers he saw a young man, who, he felt almost 
 sure, was the very Mr. Brooks, who had given 
 him a tract at the foot of Ch? mbers Street. This 
 may seem a small matter, but to a poor boy 
 who wanted a friend, any thing was delight- 
 ful which offered the hope of finding one. 
 Young men in town can have no such 
 means of making valuable friends as those 
 which are offered by their religious connec- 
 tions. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 6*7 
 
 Frank determined to use all proper means 
 to discover Mr. Brooks. He ransacked his 
 closet for the tract, on which he had written 
 iiis place of business. At last he found it, 
 and with much joy read the words, 
 
 B. B. BROOKS, 
 
 NO. 220 CASTIiE STREET. 
 
 Now this, thought Frank, is what I may call 
 a kind providence. For when Mr. Miller di- 
 rected me to Locust Street, I had no rt'mem- 
 brance that Mr. Brooks was a teacher in their 
 Sunday-school. 
 
 The Lord's- day is a very sad time, when 
 spent among wicked people. So Frank found 
 it, at Mrs. Moggs^s. Two of her lodgers 
 were Germans, who seemed to be mfidels, 
 and who played on violins a good part of the 
 day ; and in the evening a whist table was 
 commonly set out. They appeared to suspect 
 
es 
 
 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 Frank of something like religion, for in his 
 presence they always talked a great deal about 
 " saints," and "hypocrisy," and questioned 
 him concerning the church he attended. AL 
 this made him only the more sensible of his 
 solitary condition^ and cauf^ed him to long the 
 more for some useful and Christian compa- 
 nion. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 69 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 
 
 It was several days before Frank found 
 leisure to pass through Castle Street. At last 
 he made his way thither, and was much gra- 
 tified to find Mr. Brooks in his store. 
 
 "Perhaps, sir," said Frank, "you do not 
 remember me : I am the boy to whom you 
 gave a tract, some time ago, at the foot of 
 Chambers Street.' 
 
 "O yes," said Mr. Brooks ; "and I thought 
 I had met with you before, when I saw you 
 last Sunday ; for I spied you in the gallery ; 
 but was so busy with my boys that I could 
 not look after you. But how did you come to 
 our church?' 
 
 Frank. I had a letter to Mr. Halsted, from 
 our minister in the countr}^ — at Coventry 
 
70 FRAHK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 Brooks. Ah, then you are one of Mr. Mil- 
 ler's boys. We know him well. He was bred 
 among us, and was once our superintend- 
 ent. Now tell me, what brought you to me ? 
 
 Frank. Sir, I liked your looks. You spoke 
 kindly to me ; and you seemed to care for 
 my soul. Nobody else has done the like for 
 me here. 
 
 A tear glistened in Mr. Brooks's eye, as 
 he took the boy by the hand and said, " What 
 friends have you in town ?" 
 
 Frank. I have no friends, 1 ut my employers; 
 and I never see them out of the store. 
 
 Brooks. Then you shall have one friend — 
 and I give you my hand upon it. You might 
 have gone to ruin ; it is a mercy that you have 
 not. Let me know your lodgings, and let me 
 see you as often as you can. Perhaps you 
 would like to be a teacher in our Sunday- 
 school. 
 
 Frank blushed and said, " Not a teacher, sir, 
 I know my place better than that ; but I should 
 like well to be a scholar." 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 71 
 
 »< Then a scholar you shall be ; and next 
 Sunday, at eight o'clock, I will call for you : 
 remember — for Sabbath time is more precious 
 than gold — eight o'clock." 
 
 The Sabbath came round, and Frank was 
 sitting in the little parlour patiently awaiting 
 his friend's call. When Mr. Brooks entered, 
 he looked quite startled, for Ned and Joe were 
 engaged in mending a pair of skates, and Mr. 
 Niedert was rendering the same service to 
 some disabled chess-men ; while one or two 
 champagne-baskets,, in the corner, bore wit- 
 ness to the habits of some of the inmates. 
 They left the house together. 
 
 " And this is your boarding-house, Frank ^^ 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " And this is the way they spend the Lord's 
 day !" 
 
 « A good deal too much of this, I must con- 
 fess." 
 
 « And who directed you to the place .^" 
 
 Frank. Why you see, sir, my father had no 
 acquaintances in town : so he went to Mr. 
 
72 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 Bubble, who keeps tavern in our village 
 and Mr. Bubble directed him to a brother-in 
 law of his, in Washington market ; and this 
 last one brought me here. 
 
 Brooks. Ah, I see how it is ! Thus it is 
 that hundreds of young men come in from the 
 country, and are ruined for want of proper 
 guardianship. But this must have an end — 
 you cannot live here any longer. 
 
 Frank. Why, sir, where can I live .■* 
 
 Brooks. You shall live with me; at a re- 
 spectable, economical boarding-house down 
 town ; so I advise you to make your arrange- 
 ments immediately. 
 
 Though Frank did not know it, this was 
 one of the most important steps which had 
 ever been proposed to him. Little as he 
 knew of his danger, however, he was over- 
 joyed at the thought of escaping from such 
 evils, and of being near such a friend. Would 
 to God, that all pious young men, in cities, 
 were awake to the importance of rescuing the 
 youth around them from evil associations^ 
 
THE COUNTRY BCY IN TOWN. 73 
 
 Arrived at the Sunday-school, Frank was 
 surprised and astonished to find three large 
 rooms filled with scholars. Good Mr. Brooks 
 modestly said that he did not think he was 
 able to teach Frank, so well as his friend Mr. 
 Rood, who had a more advanced class. So 
 Frank was placed under the care of this gen- 
 tleman, by whom he was kindly received, and 
 furnished with all the necessary books. The 
 time passed away pleasantly, and he was 
 sorry when the hour was over. He received 
 a printed card, with the rules of the school, 
 and the following additional particulars, \iz, : 
 
 " 1. Remember the Missionary collection. 
 
 «2. Remember to meet with your teacher, 
 at his room, on every Saturday evening, to go 
 over the lesson. 
 
 « 3. Remember the Prayer Meeting, 0:1 the 
 second Monday of the month. 
 
 "4. Remember to practise the hymns and 
 tunes for the Monthly JPrayer Meeting. 
 
 " Remember the Scripture passage in he 
 
74 FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 Union Questions, and commit to memory a 
 ponion of the verses, every day." 
 
 In the course of a few days, Frank took his 
 departure from Mrs. Moggs's, and went to 
 nis new lodgings. They were new indeed ! 
 For though he still had an attic room, he had 
 it all to himself. He had a washstand, a chest 
 of drawers, and a hanging-shelf. The land- 
 lady was a pious widow, and the lodgers 
 were all serious persons. The blessing of God 
 was asked at their meals, and they had family 
 prayer, morning and night. Above all, he 
 had — in Mr. Brooks, a judicious, experienced 
 ^nd affectionate friend, to whom he could look 
 up as to an elder brother. He had no sooner 
 found himself alone in his little chamber, than 
 he kneeled down, to thank God for this great 
 «nd unexpected mercy. 
 
 Let the reader pause and think how much 
 good he might do, by seeking out some friend- 
 less lad, and rescuing him from the tempta- 
 tions of a great city. Fct a youth away 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 75 
 
 from home, to find such a friend, is better than 
 to receive an inheritance of wealth. And 
 et it be remembered, it is religion which in- 
 spires such benevolence, and makes sjch 
 friends. If therefore any youth in towr 
 is led to feel his need of such a guidft 
 and protector, the best and shortest rule 
 I can give him is in these words : Hasten 
 to connect yourself with a good Sunday- 
 school. 
 
 Frank found the school a source of con- 
 stant pleasure. It gave occupation to his 
 mind. The lessons were not usually hard ; 
 and when he met with any difficulty, he 
 had Mr. Brooks in the house to aid him, 
 who went with him to the minister's, where 
 he was always cordially welcomed. He 
 became acquainted with four respectable 
 boys, who met with him, in Mr. Rrooks's 
 room, every Saturday evening. At the prayer- 
 meetmgs, he joined in delightful singing, 
 and saw himself surro mded by a company 
 of youthful Christians every one of whom 
 
76 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 was ready to take him by the hanu. And, 
 what was still better, these new associations, 
 and the lessons which he received, tended 
 to deepen those reUgious impressions which 
 he had already received. Having been made 
 to feel his own ignorance and weakness, 
 he opened his mind to instruction, with the 
 simplicity of a little child. It seemed almost 
 too good to be true, that a few d^s should 
 huve wrought so great a change in his cir- 
 cumstances and his feehngs ; and he would 
 have been perfectly happy, if he had not 
 be^n conscious of a burden on his soul, 
 wl ich was not yet removed. He sat down 
 in Mr. Brooks's room, where there was a 
 fire, and wrote a long letter to his father 
 and mother ; in which he gave them a full 
 account of all that had taken place. 
 
 The next Sabbath was indeed a day of 
 rest. He longed for the hour of school ; 
 and when there, he was calm and full of 
 satisfaction. He listened to the word of God 
 with new interest and, at Mr. Brocks'i 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN 
 
 77 
 
 suggestion, opened a little book, i*^ which 
 he might record so much as he could recol 
 lect of the sermons. How different a face 
 would be put on our cities, if all the young 
 men from the country, in shops and stores, 
 were under a like influence ! 
 
78 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 EARLY TRIALS. 
 
 It is noc the way of Providence to let 
 any one who is in the right way continue 
 long without trials. It was only a few weeks 
 after the events last related, that Frank was 
 surprised by a summons into the back-office, 
 to meet Messrs. Boggs and Buncombe. Such 
 a thing had never happened before. These 
 gentlemen looked very grave, and Mr. Boggs 
 began the conversation by saying : " What 
 is this, my lad, that we hear about your 
 boarding-house ?" 
 
 Frank. Indeed, sir, I do not know what 
 you mean. 
 
 Mr. Boggs Don't you live at No. 41' Dey 
 Street? 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 79 
 
 Frank. No sir, I did live there at first ; but 
 I changed my lodgings more than a month 
 ago. 
 
 Mr. Boggs looked at Mr. Buncombe, and 
 said, with a smile : " This is better than I 
 thought. Look at that paper; you will see 
 that two men have been arrested at that 
 house, for having entered several stores with 
 false keys. They have been committed. 
 Two bo}s also — Denton and Briggs — are 
 inder suspicion as accomphces, but have 
 beeu dismissed for want of sufficient evi- 
 dence. We were afraid they might be ac- 
 quaintances of your's." 
 
 " I know them," said Frank, << but I know 
 no good of them ; and I have not laid eyes on 
 them since I left the house." 
 
 Many thoughts came into Frank's mind, 
 m hearing this piece of news. He saw how 
 near he had been to the greatest snares. He 
 might at least have been involved in the most 
 mortify'ng suspicions , and he thanked God 
 
80 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 that he had been rescued from such a Deril 
 Now he began to undei stand the noises of 
 hammering and filing, which he used to hear^ 
 by day and night, in Mr. Niedert's room, and 
 to see how Ned and Joe managed to be al- 
 ways so flush of money. 
 
 About dusk he was returning from the 
 store, when he was accosted by two young 
 men, just in front of old Grace Church : he 
 at once recognised them as his former 
 chamber-fellows. While he was doubting 
 whether he should stop or not, Joe seized 
 him violently by the collar, and said, with 
 a malignant sneer — '< So you have been 
 peaching, you young scoundrel — have 
 you .^" 
 
 "Perhaps I may answer you better," re- 
 plied Frank, nothing daunted, "it you let me 
 loose, and if you tell me what peaching 
 means." 
 
 Joe here loosened his hold, and said- 
 it Fool ! peaching means that- and that" 
 
THE COUNTRY BOV IN TOWN. 8l 
 
 and that ;^^ at the same time striking him 
 with his fist ; while Frank defended himself 
 as well as he coald. 
 
 Frank was now in difficult circumstances ; 
 he was no coward, and he was remarkably 
 stout of his age. Against either of them, 
 singly, he knew he could make very good 
 batde ; but two against one was foul play. 
 Besides, he abhorred the thought of a street- 
 fight ; and, more than all, he saw no reason 
 why he should beat and injure them, even 
 if they had abused him. 
 
 "You are a sneaking informer!" cried 
 Ned Briggs — <'we know well enough who 
 nas put the police on the scent: but you'll 
 find it was the worst day's work you ever 
 did, when you carried tales against m5." 
 
 Here Frank began to understand that they 
 ascribed their detection to something which 
 ne had said : and he declared with great 
 truth that he had known nothing about the 
 matr,er, until within a few hours. 
 
82 FRANK HARPER, OR, 
 
 Here he was interrupted by lan^iage 
 which must not be repeated. Ned threw ofl 
 his coat, and dared him to a fight. Frank 
 felt the blood rush to his face, and was with 
 in an ace of accepting the challenge. A 
 crowd was already gathered, among whom 
 were several persons who were ready to helj 
 on the mischief. After looking his opposei 
 steadily in the eyes, Frank bit his lip, and 
 said: — "You have attacked me for nothing — 
 I have done you no harm. If you touch me, 
 I shall defend myself — but you shan't get 
 me into a fight ; so I mean to go quietly 
 home." 
 
 As he turned away, the boys cried out — • 
 "Coward — coward !" and several of the by- 
 standers joined in the cry. At the same 
 time, Ned and Joe proceeded to seize upon 
 him, with intentions of further violence. 
 The result might have been unfavourable ; 
 if a man, passing by, had not stopped to see 
 what was the matter, and recognised Frank 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 83 
 
 It was the principal clerk of a store, out a 
 few doors from Boggs and Buncombe's 
 Being athletic and well-dressed, Mr. Clark 
 was received with some respect, and suc- 
 ceeded in disengaging his young friend, and 
 conducting him towards his lodgings. 
 
 " They have hit you in the mouth," said 
 Clark, "it is bleeding." 
 
 Here the cries of « Coward ! coward !" 
 were again heard from the assailants. 
 
 a Never mind that," said Clark. <' You 
 have done well to keep clear of a fight, 
 which would probably have lodged you in 
 the watch-house. I will explain this matter 
 to Mr. Boggs, and he will take care that 
 you are protected.' 
 
 When Frank reached his boarding-house, 
 he related the circumstances to Mr. Brooks, 
 «vho was much concerned. 
 
 " I am ttiankful," said he, " that it is no 
 worse ; and I am glaii that these unruly 
 
64 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 fellows have not left their mark od youl 
 face." 
 
 And here he removed Frank's cap, and 
 smoothed down the brown, curly hair, over 
 a face which was crimson with excite- 
 ment. 
 
 Frank did not care for the blow^s ; nor, 
 indeed, was he at all intimidated ; but, to 
 tell the truth, the name of coward had stung 
 him deeply. Next day, he found that the 
 story had got to the store, and that the 
 younger clerks had formed no very high 
 opinion of his valour. This was an afflic- 
 tion to him ; but he thought within himself, 
 « I know I am not a coward — and my con- 
 science is clear — so I will try not to mind 
 what people think of me." 
 
 This was a wise determination. His em- 
 ployers, after Mr. Clark's testimony, were 
 fully satisfied, and commended him for his 
 forbearance. It was scarcely a week befoie 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 85 
 
 Ned and Joe were both convicted of a petty 
 theft, and thrown into prison ; and even the 
 boys in the store began to perceive that 
 FranK had acted bravely as well as pru- 
 dently. 
 
86 FRANK HAJm^R; OB, 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 COURAGE. 
 
 About midnight, on the first of March, 
 Frank was awakened by the heavy toll of 
 the fire-bell. Almost immediately he heard 
 the voice of Mr. Brooks at his door. 
 
 « Frank ! Frank ! — The fire is in the 
 neighbourhood of your store. I think we 
 had better go and see." 
 
 Frank hurried on his clothes, and ran up 
 tp the fire. When they reached John Street, 
 the whole row of buildings appeared to be 
 *n a blaze. After a few steps, Frank per- 
 ceived, that althc^igh their store was not on 
 fire, it was in imminent danger, as the houses 
 on one side and in the rear were burning, 
 Messrs. Boggs and Buncombe were already on 
 the spot ; their own safe and books were 
 brought out, and all hands were employed in 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 61 
 
 -emoving the valuable goods. Few scenes 
 are more exciting than a city fire. The 
 bells, the noise of the firemen, the gathering 
 of crowds, the working of the engines, anu 
 the adventures of brave fellows upon the 
 burning houses, make it almost like a bat- 
 tle. 
 
 Frank set himself to work with resolution. 
 The upper lofts were filled with costly goods, 
 and he almost exceeded his strength, in la- 
 boring to remove them. At last, the roof o'f 
 the house in the rear fell in, and a column 
 of smoke and flame ascended to the skies. 
 The cry was given that their own roof had 
 caught ; and the walls were heated like an 
 oven. Now was the time for Frank to show 
 himself a man. He was the most bold and 
 agile m the company. His country climbing 
 had given him firmness of footing, and he 
 was foremost on the roof, and far out on the 
 dge, spreading wet blankets and cloths upon 
 the walls. 
 
 t< Who is that ;ad .'" criea sev^eral men 
 
88 FRANK HA»^t.K ; OR, 
 
 below. << See ! — he is standing on the ex- 
 creme pent! What madness! — he will cer- 
 tainly fall ! Who can it be ?" 
 
 "That, ' said Mr. Clark, "is the boy who 
 was called a coward.'^'' And the young 
 clerks who haci sneered at him, now looked 
 up at his daring, and were silent. 
 
 But Mr. Boggs saw that Frank, was im- 
 prudent, and therefore directed him to other 
 services, which were equally important. They 
 had the satisfaction of seeing their store 
 saved ; and towards morning one of the 
 partners called Frank, and putting into his 
 hand a portfolio of valuable papers, said, 
 " Here Frank, I give you these papers, to 
 carry to my house in Waverley-place ; for I 
 know you are a trusty and a brave boy.'' 
 Frank's face glowed at the commendation. 
 Perhaps he had ventured more than he ought 
 to have done, because he knew his courage 
 had been suspected. But now he had been 
 placed in circumstances where none couIq 
 doubt it. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 89 
 
 Tlie few days which followed were occu 
 pied iii a great variety of unusual labours, 
 occasioned by the fire. In this Frank was 
 enabled still more to commend himself to 
 his employers, who saw that he was bof? 
 wilHng and competent, and that he realJjr 
 looked on their interest as his own. It k 
 not surprising therefore that they made hi/n 
 a very handsome present, in money; this 
 he immediately deposited in the Savings- 
 bank. 
 
 When a young man comes into favour, it 
 is wonderful how suddenly low and vulgar 
 mindd change their opinion of him. So it 
 was with Frank. The young clerks sought 
 ilia acquaintance. But this did not alter 
 his behaviour to them : he was civil now, as 
 he had been civil before. John Small, the 
 youngest of them, was so polite as to invite 
 him to join a Sunday excursion to Coney 
 Island! Frank not only declined, but ex- 
 plained to John the reasons upon which 
 he did so. Samuel Roe offered him a chance 
 
90 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 of seeing a grand boxing-match, at the Hall 
 of Novelty, in Pearl Street, which he treated 
 m like manner. 
 
 With Mr. Brooks his intercourse was of a 
 very different kind He knew that this 
 young man was a true Christian, and one 
 who had his welfare at heart. They spent 
 much time together, in walking and talk- 
 ing, and in studying the word of God. 
 
 One day, as they were at the foot of Bar- 
 clay street, they saw a number of persons 
 come off the ferry boat, surrounding a litter, 
 which was very carefully covered. On in- 
 quiry, they found it contained a young gen- 
 tleman, who had been wounded in a duel at 
 Hoboken. The villain who had challenged 
 nim, and sent a ball into his side, had fled. 
 " This," said Mr. Brooks, << is what the world 
 emails an affair of honour ; but what the law 
 of God calls murder." 
 
 Frank. Why do men fight duels ? 
 
 Brooks. Partly from savage revenge, but 
 more frequentlv from fear. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IS TOWN. 91 
 
 Frank. Fear ! Why I thought it was cou" 
 "age that made men fight. 
 
 Brooks, You ought to know, Frank, that 
 It sometimes takes more courage not to fight. 
 It certainly does in the case of duels. When 
 a man is challenged, it often happens that 
 he has no desire to fight ; and when at length 
 he does so, it is for fear of being ridiculed 
 bs a coward. This is the fear of man — it is 
 cowardice. 
 
 Frank. Then duelling is cowardly mur- 
 df-r. 
 
 Brooks. Exactly. 
 
 Frank. Do you think every duellist is a 
 murderer ? 
 
 Brooks. Certainly I do; and a murderer 
 of an aggravated sort. For common murders 
 are often committed in the heat of passion — 
 or a sudden surprise ; but with the duellist, all 
 iSv cool and dehberate. " 
 
 Frank. Why then do so many duels take 
 place, aniong great men in Washington, and 
 among officers of the army and navy .'' 
 
92' FRANK harpek; or, 
 
 Brooks. Because they fear man more than 
 God. Always remember the saying of a 
 great man, My son, fear God and you will 
 fear none else. There are very bad princi- 
 ples abroad in the world, in regajd to honour, 
 retaliation, courage and revenge. They are 
 'implanted in boys, or they would never bring 
 forth such fruit in men. 
 
 Frank. What principles do you mean, 
 sir? 
 
 Brooks. Such as these : If any one strikes 
 me, I must strike back. — If any one insults 
 me, I must strike him. — If any one injures 
 me, I must avenge my honour. — These 
 are all directly opposed to the gospel. 
 
 Frank. But true courage is a very noble 
 thing. 
 
 Brooks. So it is ; most pleasmg to God, 
 and most honourable to man. But no one 
 has it who is not a true Christian. No one 
 is fully above the fear of death, for example, 
 who does not entertain a good hope of happi- 
 nesF beyond it And one who feels that he 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 
 
 93 
 
 •s always in the presence of the heart-search- 
 ing God, cannot stand trembling at the 
 opinion o^ the threats of a fellow-man. 
 
 These words set Frank to musing, and 
 filled him with desires to know more of that 
 blessed change of heart, of which he felt his 
 need, more and more, every day. It w^as the 
 subject now which above all others was on 
 his mind ; and It led him that night to more 
 earnest prayer than he had ever offered be- 
 fore. 
 
94 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 CONVICTION. 
 
 Hew lovely a sight is youthful devotion , 
 There are those who most admire the glow of 
 boyhood, in sports or learning. But it is more 
 interesting still to behold a youth bowed in 
 solitude before God in prayer. And the 
 sight is one which gives joy in heaven. 
 
 Frank Harper would have seemed already 
 a good boy, to any who should have seen 
 him. Especially during the last few weeks, 
 he had been making earnest endeavours to 
 walk in the right way. But every step he 
 took appeared to him to reveal some new evil 
 in his nature. 
 
 It w^as an excellent custom of Mr. Brooks 
 to spend some hours of every week, ir* looking 
 up children for the Sunday-school, [n these 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. ?6 
 
 ^sits, he sometimes took Frank along with 
 him. On one occasion^ they went into a 
 dark, ill-looking court, and up a crazy stair- 
 case, into the room of an Irish family. In an 
 Inner rooi:i, (or rather closet,) a poor man was 
 'ying ill with the consumption. He looked as 
 if he could not live more than a few days 
 longer. When he was asked what hope he 
 had for the future, he made a reply, which is, 
 alas ! too common, « I think I shall go happy, 
 for I have never done any one any harm." 
 When they left the house, Frank said — "How 
 could O'Brien talk so ! It is as if he would 
 be saved without a Saviour. Ah ! that is not 
 the way I feel. If I am ever saved, it must 
 be by being pardoned." 
 
 In so saying, Frank was sincere. Others 
 thought him go 3d ; but he thought himself a 
 sinner. He was much engaged in what is 
 called self-examination; that is, in looking 
 over his past actions and life, and into his 
 charactei cmd heart. And the more he looked, 
 the more he detected the evil that was in them. 
 
96 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 He s^w thit his good actions had not been 
 done from good motives. He remembered 
 the sins of his youth. He felt that he had more 
 to answer for than others, on account of his 
 religious education. He was alarmed at the 
 demands of the law, which he had broken, 
 and perceived that nothing but perfect obedi 
 ence could satisfy it. God appeared to hire 
 as a God of infinite holiness, who could not 
 take pleasure in sin. He was much employed 
 in confessing his sins, and bewailing the weak- 
 ness of his nature. In these troubles, he 
 opened his mind very freely to Mr. Brooks. 
 
 "I am glad," said Frank, one day, "that 
 Christ spoke the parable about the Publicaa 
 and the Pharisee. No prayer in the JBible 
 suits my case so well as this, God be merciful 
 to me a sinner P'' 
 
 Brooks. Yes, the Bible is the sinner's ow^n 
 Dook. It is made for sinners ; just as medi 
 cine is made for those who are diseased. 
 "They that are whole need not a physician, 
 Dut they that are iick." Take your Bible, 
 
THE COUNTKl BOY- IN TOWN. 97 
 
 Frank, and put a mark in ea th of the fdlow- 
 ing places : you will find them good to be 
 recommended to persons in a thoughtful state 
 of mind. (The places were, Job xlii. 1 — 6 ; 
 Psalm xiii., xxxviii. ; Psalm fifty-first ; 
 Psalm Ixix. ; Isaiah i., Iv., liii. ; Luke xv , 
 1 Tim. i. 15.*) 
 
 Frank. I will carefully observe them. Some- 
 times I fear I am not enough in earnest ; 
 but one thing I am certain of, Mr. Brooks, 
 the burden of my sins grows heavier and 
 heavier. 
 
 Brooks. So did Christian's, in the Pil- 
 grim's Progress. You have read Bunyan ? 
 
 Frank. Yes; some time ago, but I must 
 read it again ; for now 1 better understand 
 what it means. It seems to me, as if I were 
 still in the Slough of Despond. 
 
 Brooks. Do not forget wl it Christian did; 
 " still he endeavoured (Bunyan says) to strug- 
 gle to that side of the slough thaf was farthest 
 
 * The reader is earnestly desired to look out these pas 
 sages, and to impress them on his memory. 
 9 
 
98 FRANK Harper; or, 
 
 from his own house, and next to the wicket- 
 gate.'" Whatever you do, do not go back. 
 
 Frank. T hope not ! But I do not seem to 
 go forward. At first, 1 saw a few sins, but 
 now they seem like the stars of heaven. That 
 voice is always in my ears, Fly from the wrath 
 to come ! 
 
 While Frank was thus exercised in mind, 
 Mr. Brooks took him to a little meeting of 
 Christians, which assembled weekly at the 
 house of a poor but excellent man, whose 
 name was Grove. Mr. Grove had been a 
 truly active servant of Christ, but was now 
 laid up with a painful lameness. It was 
 therefore an act of kindness for his friends to 
 meet at his house, and the little company 
 always felt repaid for coming. 
 
 Frank had not before seen much of that 
 intimate fellowship which exists among be- 
 lievers. He was struck with the warmth and 
 freedom of their intercourse. They came to- 
 gether as brethren ; they conversed on the 
 most cheering of all subject? ; they sung 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 99 
 
 God's praises ; and they kneeled together in 
 prayer. 
 
 i' how sad it is," thought Frank, << thai 
 all here should be able to rejoice in God, 
 except me ! I wonder why I was brought 
 here ! — I am like an Achan in the camp." 
 
 Presently the conversation turned on con- 
 viction of sin, and one or two of those pre- 
 sent gave some account of their own early 
 exercises. Frank was interested to find, 
 that the feelings which he had supposed to 
 be pecuHar to himself, had been shared by 
 all these friends. And he was much struck 
 with a remark of old Mr. Grove, which was 
 this : 
 
 " No man can derive solid joy from look- 
 ing into his own unrenewed heart. For 
 what can he see there but sin ? — and sin is 
 his greatest evil. Must he not, then, look 
 out of himself? He must. And whither can 
 ne look, but to the Lamb of God, that take-th 
 away the sin of the «vorld ?" 
 
 That night was a night to be remembered 
 
100 
 
 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 by Frank Harper ; for it was one of fear and 
 weeping. Often did he endeavour to look at 
 the word of promise, but his sins seemed to 
 rise over his head like billows, and obstrucf 
 the sight. 
 
I'HE COUNTivY BOY IN TOWN. 10! 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 To Mrs. Abigail Harper, 
 
 New York, April -— , 1G45. 
 
 Dear Mother, — I hope you will not be 
 frightened, when I tell you that I am sitting 
 up in bed to write to you : and if the writing 
 is not very good, you will please to remem- 
 ber, that I have my left arm bandaged up. 
 But first of all, be sure to take notice, that I 
 am doing very well ; and Doctor Smith says 
 that no permanent evil will result from it. 
 But I forget that you have not yet heard any 
 of the particulars. Last Friday week, I was 
 
 coming up Exchange Place, which is a very 
 9* 
 
1(*? FRANK HARPER ; OR, 
 
 narrow street, as well as quite steep, along 
 with a young man named Brooks, who boards 
 with us. All at once, I saw a small wagon 
 coming furiously in the opposite direction, 
 with a young woman in it. The horse was 
 running away, and the driver had been 
 thrown out. I never thought a moment, but 
 dashed into the street, and tried to stop the 
 horse by throwing up my hands. I then 
 seized the bridle, which broke in my hands, 
 and I was thrown under the wheel. The 
 check given to the horse made it more easy to 
 stop him, at the next corner ; so the young 
 woman escaped. But when I got up I found 
 that my arm was broken. Mr. Brooks took 
 me safely home, and a surgeon was sent for, 
 who set the bone, and put the limb in a 
 splint. I have suffered a good deal of pain, 
 but I think I have not grumbled. It is a 
 mercy that my life has been spared. 
 
 My dear mother, — I have thought much of 
 what I talked with you about, when I was at 
 njme. Nobody knows how much it has 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 103 
 
 been on my mind since I have been lying on 
 this bed. It is wonderful to me, that I should 
 have spent so many years in thoughtlessness, 
 especially when I consider all the instruc- 
 tions I have received from you and my father. 
 I have had a long conversation with Mr. Hal- 
 sted, the minister, which has only served to 
 open my eyes to my sinfulness. pray for 
 me, my dear mother, that I may become a 
 true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 I intend to write also, by the same hand, 
 to my father, so I will now subscribe mystlt 
 yo'ir affectionate son, 
 
 F. Harper. 
 
 LETTER II. 
 To Mr. Isaac Harper^ Coventry. 
 
 New York, April 15, 1845. 
 
 Dear Father, — You will learn from my 
 letter to mother what has befallen me. It is 
 rather tiresome lying ir "led, but I aow begin 
 
101 FBANK harper; OK, 
 
 to have more freedom. Mr. Boggs has been 
 to see me, and Mr. Wickes, the book-keepei, 
 comes in every day. But no one nas been 
 so kind to me as a Mr. Brooks, a very good 
 young man, v^ho was with me at the time 
 I was hurt. He gives me good advice, and 
 helps me in every way. Since I came to 
 know him, I have not been so lonesome. 
 If I had not got into the company of real 
 Christians, I might have been a poor solitary 
 fellow to this day ; or else I might have gone 
 into bad places, which would have been a 
 great deal worse. There are gentlemen who 
 go about distributing tracts, all over town, 
 and one of them has been very kind to me, 
 since I have been laid up. I wish you would 
 oresent my respects to Mr. Miller, and say 
 that his letter to Mr. Halsted has been of grea* 
 service to me. 
 
 I am, dear father, your dut^iiil and affec- 
 tionate son, 
 
 F. Harper 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 105 
 
 LETTER III. 
 To Miss Mary Harper. 
 
 New York, April 16, 1845, 
 
 My deal sister Mary, — I never wrote so 
 many letters in my life as since I have 
 had my arm crippled ; which makes me 
 'glad it is not my right one. I dare say 
 you and Anne will have a good cry about 
 it ; but you need not, for it is all over, and I 
 am getting well. Besides, these things are 
 not half so bad as they are supposed to be. 
 Did you net find this true, when Dr. Rose 
 pulled your tooth ? You will find it so all 
 your life. Mr. Brooks has been putting a 
 curtain to my window (I have but one) to 
 keep out the sun. I wish you could see the 
 sewing! He calls it bachelor-stitch. Give 
 my love to my cousins Phoebe and Jane, and 
 little Patty. Tell George he need not be so 
 eager to come to New York, for he will soon 
 get used to the sights, and then he will wish 
 
106 
 
 he was in the country again. Paitcularly 
 if he should happen to be sick. Mr. Brooks? 
 has a book of poetry which says, " God made 
 the country, and man made the town ;" and 
 I have found out that it is true. But we must 
 be contented with our lot. My dear Mary, be 
 obedient to your parents, and mind all they 
 say about religion. Now that I am away 
 from them, I feel very sorry for my negligence 
 when I was at home. Write to me, and re- 
 member your affectionate brother 
 
 F. Harper. 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 To Miss Anne Harper, 
 
 My dear little sister Anne, — How I 
 wish I had you by me ! You could conquer 
 me now, for I am deprived of one arm. 
 You have heard how it was. I thought 
 I could stop tne horse with ease, for he did 
 not look much more spirited than our Roan ; 
 and after he stopped, he looked as sober as 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 107 
 
 could be. But he was dashing down hill, and 
 t was not as strong as I fancied. 
 
 -. suppose you have many signs of spring 
 in the country. Here I do not hear any birds 
 except cage-birds. There are many of these. 
 A man in John Street, named Grieve, has the 
 most wonderful collections of birds. Some- 
 times you may see a hundred together. His 
 parrots used to converse with me every day, 
 as I went to the store. Tell Jonathan, that 
 if he would send some of his pheasants to 
 market, he would get a good price for them. 
 And if you and Mary would get him to set 
 you out a strawberry-bed of your own, it might 
 do a good deal towards supporting you. 
 
 Good-bye, dear Anne ; I am ever your 
 affectionate brother, F. Harper. 
 
108 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 To Mr. Theodore Free. 
 
 My dear Teacher, — I have been writing 
 \o all my relations at home, and now 1 
 feel a wash to fulfil my promise to you. 
 Often do I think of the good advice you 
 used to give me ; and much of it has been 
 of use to me already. Your lessons in 
 writing are likely to be very serviceable to 
 me, just as you prophesied. Mr. Buncombe 
 saw a bill which I copied, and said, ^« My 
 boy, that is a clerkly hand, and fit for a Bank- 
 ledger. That comes of the old-fashioned 
 ciphering books !" Mr. Brooks says, that a 
 first-rate hand is worth several hundred dol- 
 lars to a young man in business. 
 
 I have forgotten some of my Geography; 
 but when our find goods come in from France, 
 it is pleasant to me to know the places. A 
 gentleman was here the other day from Lyons, 
 on the Rhone. Mr. Boggs has been there twice, 
 and sends letters out there several times a year 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 109 
 
 Dc you remember, sir, what you used to 
 tell } )ur boys about Arithmetic ? <' Boys, 
 mind the Four Rules : they are the North, 
 South, East, and West, of your compass : * 
 or " Boys, mind the four rules ; the corner- 
 stones are Addition, Subtraction^ Multiplica- 
 tion, "md Divi^jn^ I am glad enough, that 
 you kept us so long in Addition, when I see 
 the enormous rows of dollars and cents which 
 our clerks have to foot up. And how quickly 
 ihey do it — like counting marbles ! And how 
 sure they are that the total is right — without 
 proving. They say that old Mr. Smith, the rich 
 man of Canandaigua, once took his son to the 
 top of a hill, which overlooked his immense 
 estate, and said to him : <' Tom, do you want 
 to know what made me the owner of all this ? 
 I will tell you in one word — Arithmetic." 
 One of Mr. Boggs's sayings is, Bad ciphering 
 makes half the bankrupts. 
 
 But you must not think that my mm a xs 
 
 taken up with money-making ; though it is 
 
 the chief thing talked about here. Mr. Hal- 
 10 
 
110 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 sted says there is a golden idol in Wall Street, 
 as truly as ever there was in the plain of Dura.* 
 I hope I shall never forget your counsel about 
 the things of another world. Sir, I should like 
 to have more of them, in a letter ; for I have 
 been thinking more of these things than I 
 used to do. And, to tell you the truth, I am 
 often very much discouraged. For all my 
 e^.'deavours to make myself better seem to 
 be in vain ; and I can only cast my poor 
 sinful soul at the feet of Infinite Mercy, say- 
 ing, Lord help ! or I perish ! 
 
 Please to accept of the half-ream of French 
 paper, which John Brewer will take with the 
 letters. It will be very pretty, for the verses 
 which you write so beautifully, for rewards 
 of merit. 
 
 I am, J)ear Sir, your respectful and obliged 
 pupil, F. Harper, 
 
 * Dan. iii. 1. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. Ill 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE PASTOR. 
 
 The door of Frank's room opened, one 
 day, and who should come in but good Mr. 
 Halsted ! He was a tall and dignified old 
 gentleman, with silver hair, and a counte- 
 nance expressive of benignity and happiness. 
 Frank was a little embarrassed, for his room 
 was not in very good order, and his dress 
 was scarcely neat enough for company. But 
 he had good sense enough to make the best 
 of it, and to offer no apologies. 
 
 Mr. Halsted made some kind inquiries 
 about Frank's accident, and commended his 
 courage. He then went on to relate some- 
 thing of the same sort, which had once 
 befallen himself, and told some anecdotes 
 about his early life in the country, whicn 
 pleased Frank so much that he soon felt quit6 
 
112 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 at his ease. The old gentleman came, by 
 slow degrees, to speak of the most important 
 of all subjects, and said to Frank, that he 
 ought to consider this dispensation of Provi- 
 dence as a new call on him to consecrate 
 himself entirely to the Lord, his Preserver. 
 To this Frank modestly replitd, that he had 
 felt his obligation so to do. The conversa- 
 tion which then followed brought Mr. Hal- 
 sted to understand the state of Frank's mind, 
 as it has been described in the foregoing 
 pages. He therefore proceeded, with great 
 care and affection, to give him such advice 
 as seemed to suit his young friend. I 
 will record some parts of their conversa- 
 tion. 
 
 Mr. H. Your case, my young friend, is bj 
 no means uncommon ; I have had many under 
 my care who were thus affected. You have 
 been anxious and dissatisfied with yourself 
 for some time. You have thought much of 
 your sins; they have seemed great to you 
 You have trembled for fear of God's judg- 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 113 
 
 ments. You see that there is no way of 
 escape, except by mere mercy, and that* you 
 might be justly condemned. My dear boy 
 this is what is called conviction of sin. 
 
 Frank. Yes, sir, you have described my 
 case, but I have heard you say in your sermons 
 that many persons are convinced who are 
 never converted. 
 
 Mr. H. That is true enough. I do not 
 wish to flatter you. I do not wish to persuade 
 you that you are converted, when you are 
 not. You are right, conviction is not conver- 
 sion. 
 
 Frank. Oh ! then, sir, what must I do to 
 be saved ? 
 
 Mr. H. I could answer that question at 
 once, and in the words of Scripture : but, at 
 present I wish to lead you to see what it is 
 you need. You probably have endeavoured 
 to reform your life ? 
 
 Frank. Yes, sir, I have endeavoured : but 
 
 it has only shown me my own sinful weak 
 
 ness. 
 
 10* 
 
114 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 Mr, H. How do you suppose a sinner is 
 to be saved ? 
 
 Frank. I suppose it to be by faith m the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Mr. H. Have yoii believed in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ ? 
 
 Frank. I fear, sir, I have not. 
 
 Mr. H. Can you expect to be safe, or to 
 enjoy the peace of the gospel, before believ- 
 ing? 
 
 Frank. Sir, I had not thought of it just in 
 that way. I know we must believe — but I 
 have always thought that we must first have 
 such and such feelings — must be greatly hum- 
 bled — greatly distressed — and greatly alarmed : 
 and I fear this work is not deep enough in 
 me. 
 
 Mr. H. Your feeling, then, is, that you are 
 not fit to come to Christ ? 
 
 Frank. Exactly so. 
 
 Mr. H. And are you trying to fit yourself? 
 
 Frank. Yes — no — indeed, sir. I scaTcly 
 know how to answer. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 116 
 
 Mr, H. But I will answer for you ; ^Jie case 
 .s a ^ery common one — so common that I 
 Happen to have a book with me, which treats 
 particularly of it. Here is a volume of Mr. 
 Wesley's Journal: let me read you an ex- 
 tract 
 
 Frank. But Wesley was a Methodist. 
 Mr. H. Yes, the founder of that society 
 Frank. And you are not a Methodist — 
 Mr. H. No, I am not. Neither am I about 
 to quote from a Methodist. Mr. Wesley is 
 here using the words of a Moravian, whose 
 sermon he records. So you shall have the 
 testimony of three religious persuasions, to 
 what I am about to teach you. The words 
 are these : 
 
 " But you will say, <Must I not grieve and 
 mourn for my sins ? Must I not humble my- 
 self before God ? Is not this just and right ? 
 And must I not first do this, before I can expect 
 God to be reconciled to me ?' I answer, it 
 is just aird right. You must be humbled be- 
 fore God. YoM must have a broken and con- 
 
116 FRANK harper; 5R, 
 
 trite heart. But then observe, this is not yoni 
 own work. Do you grieve that you are » 
 sinner ? This is the work of the Holy Ghost, 
 Are you contrite ? Are you humbled befort 
 God ? Do you indeed mourn, and is youi 
 heart broken within you ? All this worketh 
 the self-same spirit. 
 
 " Observe again, this is not the foundation. 
 It is not this by which you are justified. This 
 is not the righteousness, this is no part of the 
 righteousness, by which you are reconciled 
 unto God. You grieve for }our sins. You 
 are deeply humble. Your heart is broken. 
 Well ; but all this is nothing to your justifi- 
 cation. The remission of your sins is not 
 owing to this case, either in whole or in part. 
 Ycur humiliation and contrition have no in- 
 fluence on that. Nay, observe further, that it 
 may hinder your justification ; that is, if you 
 build any thing upon it ; if you think, < 1 
 must be so or so contrite. I must grieve more 
 before I can be justified.' To think you must 
 DC more contrite, more humble, more grieved. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 117 
 
 mo7e sensible of the weight of sin, before you 
 can be justified, is to lay your contrition, 
 your grief, your humiliation, for the founda- 
 tion of your being justified : at least, for a 
 part of the foundation."* 
 
 Frank. That is exactly what I have been 
 doing, all along ! I see ray error. But what 
 am I to do ! 
 
 Mr. H. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Frank. But oh ! I am such a sinner. 
 
 Mr. H. "This man receiveth sinners." 
 
 Frank. But may I come just as I am? 
 
 Mr. H. Certainly — unless you can first be 
 saved from your sins, and then come. 
 
 Frank. But how do I know that I shall be 
 received } 
 
 Mr. H. That is exactly what faith has to 
 believe. God's promise is all you have to 
 go upon. Can you rest on God's w^ord } 
 
 Frank. yes, sir ! 
 Mr. H. Then hear it : « Ho every one that 
 (hirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that 
 
 * Wesley's Journal, date Aug. 8, 1738. 
 
118 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 hath no money ; come ye, bi/y ana eat; yea^ 
 come buy wine and milk, vnthout money and 
 without pricey* " Though your sins be ai 
 scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though 
 they be red like crimson, they shall be as 
 t/;oo/."f tt And whosoever will let him takt 
 the water of life freely. ''''\ a This is a faith- 
 ful saying and worthy of all acceptation^ 
 that Christ Jesus came into the world to save 
 sinners ; of whom I am chief ^''^ 
 
 Frank. There, sir ! I see there is no lack 
 of promises; and I begin to see the whole 
 thing in a new light. I wonder I never saw 
 xt so before ! I have been trying to make my- 
 self better : I have been tryi ig to be my own 
 Saviour. 
 
 Mr. Halsted's experience led him to observe, 
 that the word of God was taking its proper 
 effect on the mind of his young friend. He 
 therefore brought the conversation to an end. 
 They both kneeled in prayer ; and when the 
 
 * Isaiah Iv. 1. t Is. ii. 18. 
 
 t Rev. xxii. 17. ^ 1 Tim. i. 15. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 119 
 
 pastor went away, he left a tract entitled Poor 
 Joseph. After musing a little on what had 
 been said, Frank took up the tract and read as 
 follows : 
 
 «A poor unlearned man, named Joseph, 
 whose employment was to go on errands and 
 carry parcels, passing through London streets 
 one day, heard psalm-singing in a place of 
 worship, and went into it, having a large 
 parcel of yarn hanging o\''er his shoulders. 
 It was Dr. Calamy's church, St. Mary's, Alder- 
 manbury. A very well dressed congregation 
 surrounded the doctor. He read his text from 
 1 Tim. i. 15 : — < This is a faithful saying, 
 and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus 
 Christ came into the world to save sinners, 
 of whom I am chief.' From this he preached 
 m the clearest manner, the ancient and apos- 
 tolic gospel, the contents of this faithful say- 
 ing, that there is eternal salvation for the vilest 
 sinners, only through the worthiness of Jesus 
 Christ, the God that made all things. No* 
 many rich, not many noble, are called by this 
 
120 FRANK HARPER ; DR, 
 
 doctrine, says the Apostle; ^bit Goi hath 
 chosen the weak things of this world to con- 
 found the things that are mighty.' 
 
 << While the gay and thoughtless part of the 
 congregation listlessly heard this glorious truth, 
 — and, if they were struck with any thing, it 
 was only with some fine expression or well- 
 turned sentence that the doctor uttered — Jo- 
 seph, in rags, gazing with astonishment, never 
 took his eyes frorti the preacher, but drank in 
 with eagerness all that he said ; and trudging 
 homeward, he was heard thus speaking with 
 himself: 'Joseph never heard this before; 
 Jesus Christ, the God who made all things, 
 came into the world to save sinners lil e Joseph ; 
 and this is true ; and it is a " faithful fiying." ' 
 
 " Not long after this Joseph was s( sT.ed with 
 a fever, and was dangerously ill. As vd tossed 
 upon his bed, his constant langua^ ' was, 
 t Joseph is the chief of sinners, but Jesus 
 Christ came intc the world to save siaaers, 
 and Joseph lover- him fo-r this.' His ntigJi- 
 Dours who came to see him wondered, on 
 
THF COUNTR'V BOY IN TOWN. 121 
 
 ncarmg him always dwell on this, and cnly 
 this. Some of the religious sort addressed 
 him in the following manner : < But what say 
 you of your own heart, Joseph ? Is there no 
 token of good about it? No saving change 
 there ? Have you closed with Christ, by act- 
 ing faith upon him ?' < Ah no,' says he, 
 < Joseph can act nothmg — Joseph has nothing 
 to say for himself but that he is the chief of 
 sinners ; yet, seeing that it is a ' faithful saying' 
 that Jesus, he who made all things, came into 
 the world to save sinners, why may not Joseph, 
 after all, be saved ?' 
 
 " One man finding out where he heard this 
 doctrine, on which he dwelt so continually 
 and with s'lch delight, went and asked Dr. 
 Calamy to come and visit him. He came ; 
 but Joseph was now very weak, and had not 
 spoken for some time, and though told of the 
 doctor's arrival, he took no notice of him ; but 
 when the doctor begun to speak to him, as 
 sooi. as he heard the sound of his voice, he in- 
 stantly sprang upon his elbows and seizing 
 11 
 
122 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 him by his hands, exclaimed as loud as he 
 could with his now feeble and trembling voice, 
 <0h, sir ! you are the friend of the Lord Jesus 
 whom I heard speak so well of him. Joseph 
 is the chief of sinners ; but it is a "faithful say- 
 ing," that Jesus Christ, the God who made all 
 things, came into the world to save sinners, 
 and why not Joseph ? Oh ! pray to that Jesus 
 for me, pray that he may save me : tell him 
 that Joseph thinks that he loves him, for 
 coming into the world to save such sinners as 
 Joseph.' 
 
 a The doctor prayed ; when he concluded, 
 Joseph thanked him most kindly ; he then put 
 his hands under his pillow, and took out an 
 old rag, in which were tied up five guineas, 
 and putting it into the doctor's hand, (which 
 he had kept all this while close in his,) he thus 
 addressed him : < Joseph, in his folly, had 
 laid this up to keep him in his old age ; but 
 Joseph will never see old age ; take it, and 
 divide it ammgst the poor friends of the Loid 
 Jesus ; and tell them that Joseph gave it to 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN, 123 
 
 them for His sake who came into the world to 
 save sinners, of whom I am chief.' So say- 
 ing he recHned his head. His exertions ip 
 talking had been too much for him, so that ht 
 instantly expired." 
 
 The narrative w^as new to Frank, and made 
 a deep impression on his mind. He thought 
 of little else, during the remainder of the day. 
 Poor Joseph had taught him the great lesson 
 of looking away from himself to the Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; and when he fell asleep that night, (as 
 he afterwards said,) he seemed to have for- 
 gotten that there was such a being in existence 
 as himself: so fully was he absorbed in con- 
 templating the eycellency and grace of the 
 Redeemer. 
 
124 FRANK haki'er; or, 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 A REMARKABLE CHANGE. 
 
 It was a trial of patience to Frank, to be 
 kept so long in his room, and it is probably 
 wearisome to the reader to hear so much 
 about it. We shall therefore hasten to the 
 time when he was able to return to his busi- 
 ness. 
 
 The month was May, and the seaj on was 
 delightful. How refreshing is it to the invalid, 
 after long confinement, to breathe the balmy 
 air of spring ! Frank felt this, as he walked 
 with his faithful friend upon the Battery. The 
 trees were putting forth their early leaves. A 
 gentle breeze just ruffled the surface of the 
 spacious bay, which whS ploughed in every 
 direction by vessels of every size. Number? 
 of small sail-boats shot along, skimming the 
 "haters as if the) had been alive. At intervals, 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 125 
 
 the whiz of a steamboat, as it speeded by, 
 broke in upon the stillness. The ship of the 
 line, (the North Carolina,) was lying in the 
 stream, a noble object, looking as if it were 
 almost irresistible. There was also an Italian 
 vessel at anchor, dressed with gay flags and 
 streamers, on every mast and yard, in honour 
 of the birth-day of the king of Naples. Other 
 objects added to the interest of the scene. 
 On this side stretch the masses of building of 
 the city, with wharfs and a forest of masts. 
 Yonder is Governor's Island, with its green 
 slopes and fortifications, from which the roll 
 of the drum may be heard. Further in the 
 distance are the hills of Jersey, and the bold 
 shore of Staten Island, sparkling wdth villas ; 
 and then, far away, the opening to the Atlan- 
 tic, which is known as the Narrows. A soil 
 sunshine played on the w^hole, and the multi- 
 tude of sounds, on the water and the land, 
 mingled into a pleasing murmur. 
 
 Sometimes sitting and sometimes walking, 
 
 the two friends talked of the objects around 
 11* 
 
126 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 them but gradually came round to that which 
 was most dear to them both. 
 
 . « I do not know how it is," said Frank, 
 '<but I never enjoyed these sights so much 
 before : often as I have been here. Every 
 thing has a new appearance. The air is more 
 sweet and refreshing, and I feel as if I loved 
 all that I see." 
 
 Brooks looked kindly on the placid face of 
 his young companion, but said nothing. 
 
 "Is it right to feel so happy?" continued 
 Frank: <' every thing within me seems quiet, 
 like that smooth water of the bay. It is very 
 peaceful and very delightful ; but is it right?" 
 
 " It is certainly not wrong," replied Brooks, 
 to feel peaceful and happy. There is a peace 
 of God that passes all understanding. The 
 fruit of the Spirit is peace. ^ If you have 
 peace with God, through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, all is well. Let me ask you a ques^ 
 tion — How do you feel towards God ?" 
 
 Frank hesitated a little, as if afraid to an- 
 swer so important a question hastily, and then 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 127 
 
 said, with a low voice : " I think I love God. 
 I see him in every thing. Every thing seems 
 dearer to me because he made it, and because 
 he is present with it. Formerly I did not 
 think much about God ; now he appears 
 always near ; and it is pleasant and easy to 
 pray within myself." 
 
 " How do you feel towards the Lord Jesus 
 Christ ?" inquired Brooks. 
 
 Frank's cheek reddened, and his eyes filled 
 with tears ; but a smile played upon his lips. 
 " Oh I cannot tell you ! He has died for me ' 
 I think he has saved my soul. I am filled with 
 shame and sorrow for the way in which I 
 have treated him. But if he will allow me, 
 r desire to throw myself at his feet and give 
 myself away to him, for ever and ever." 
 
 <<Then I suppose, Frank, you think your- 
 self a great deal better than you once were — " 
 
 " Do not speak of it ! I see my own weak* 
 ness and viJeness more than ever. I see my 
 need of the fountain that is opened for sin ana 
 transgression. I cannot compare myself te 
 
128 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 any thing but a poor, weak, little chi d : God 
 must hold me up with his hand ; I cannot go 
 alone." 
 
 "How then," said Brooks, <<do you ex- 
 pect ever to be saved ? If you have no strength, 
 and no righteousness of your own, how can 
 you satisfy God's holy law ?" 
 
 « Christ has satisfied the law for me. He 
 has died on the cross, and borne my sins in 
 his own body on the tree. He has brought in 
 an everlasting righteousness. He is able and 
 willing to save the chief of sinners." 
 
 « Do you beheve this, Frank ?" 
 
 " How can I help believing it ! The pro- 
 mise of the gospel is plain — very plain. It 
 shines like a bright light. If I do not beheve 
 it, I must disbeheve God." 
 
 «But, Frank, every one does not believe it; 
 you did not always believe it. What great 
 things have you done, to make you so much 
 better than others ?" 
 
 Frank looked steadily in his face, with an 
 air of surprise, and answered quickly, 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 129 
 
 « I have done no great thing — I am no better 
 than others ; but I think — I beUeve — that God 
 has shown me mercy, and has sent his Holy 
 Spirit, to make me see my sins, and to make 
 me see the willingness of Christ to save me." 
 
 « How do you feel towards sin ? You be- 
 lieve that the blood of Christ cleanses from 
 all sin. Does this make you ready to sin 
 more, because you know where pardon may 
 be found?" 
 
 " Oh no ! no ! that would be like crucify- 
 ing the Lord again. It was sin that put him 
 to death. He is our Saviour from sin. It 
 seems to me that the more I look at the cross, 
 the more hateful does sin become." 
 
 " My dear fellow," said Mr. Brooks, " I am 
 really thankful that you have been thus wrought 
 upon. Now, observe — I do not tell you that 
 you are certainly born again. I never venture 
 on this. God only can read the heart. But one 
 thing I am sure of; the blessed Spirit nus been 
 moving on your soul ; and my hope is, that 
 He is leading you along, in the w^ay to his 
 
130 FRANX harper; OR, 
 
 kingdom. Now remember, you must not ex- 
 pect to be always joyful. Look yonder, at 
 that vessel in the stream, which has weighed 
 anchor and is just getting under sail. She is 
 about to leave the harbour. All is placid and 
 gay, and the skies and sea look as if they 
 could never be clouded or disturbed. But 
 she will meet with head winds, and perhaps 
 with storms. So it is with the young Chris- 
 tian. You cannot trust in God too much, nor 
 rejoice in God too much ; but remember, you 
 must be prepared for head winds and stormy 
 weather." 
 
 My young reader, if you have a pioTis and 
 judicious adviser, bless God for it : and if you 
 have not such a one, seek him earnestly, and 
 without delay. Ask his counsel. Delight in 
 his company. With God's blessing it will 
 keep you from the evils of a great city, and 
 be of more value to you than any promotion, ot 
 than thousands of gold and s; Iver. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 13'i 
 
 CHA.PTERXVI. 
 
 YOUTHFUL ACTIVITY. 
 
 I HAVE said much about the evils of a great 
 sity, and some may be ready to think that 
 cities have nothing in them but evil. This^ 
 however, is far from the truth. As there are 
 many temptations and vices, so there are 
 many opportunities of doing and receiving 
 good. We have known no Christians more 
 useful than some who live in these very places.* 
 In great towns, and other crowded popula- 
 tions, there is a wide field for the exertions 
 of believers ; and young persons in particular 
 
 * If the reader would see a most impressive and interesl- 
 \ng illustration of this, let him read "The Useful Chris- 
 tian; or, the Life of Thomas Cranfield," published by the 
 American lunday-school Union. 
 
132 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 are very active in this work. There are thou- 
 sands engaged thus, among the poor, the ig- 
 norant and the vicious. Many of these zealous 
 labourers are busily employed every hour of 
 daylight, during the week ; but it is delight 
 ful to observe how many ways they contrive 
 to redeem time for good works, in the even- 
 ings and on the Sabbath. Let us pray for a 
 blessing on their teaching, their visits of mercy, 
 their search after neglected and vicious chil- 
 dren, their distribution of Bibles and other books, 
 and upon all their labours of love. 
 
 After the prayer-meeting on the second Mon- 
 aay of the month, the teachers used to talk over 
 their plans and operations. Frank had been 
 invited to remain, because he had been raised 
 to the post of assistant-librarian in his school. 
 There was a talk among the young men about 
 a new school, in a very wicked and destitute 
 neighbourhood. The great difficulty was the 
 want of teachers. It was generally agreed 
 that Mr. Brooks should undertake the manage 
 
THE COUNTRY EOl IN TOWN. * 133 
 
 ment of the new school ; and he expressed 
 his desire to take Frank along, as one of his 
 teachers. This was somewhat startling to 
 Frank, but his desire of usefulness had re- 
 ceived a new impulse of late, and he con- 
 sented, though with fear and trembling. We 
 must now accompany him in some of his 
 recruiting operations. 
 
 The true way of founding a new Sunday- 
 school is, not to wait for scholars to come, 
 but to go after them. If this principle were 
 more generally acted upon, we should have 
 more schools and better ones. 
 
 Mr. Brooks and Frank took one of their 
 vacant afternoons for this service. The street 
 which they first visited was dark and dismal. 
 But it was filled with houses, and these con- 
 tained a numerous population. Some dwellings 
 had a dozen famihes in each. There was nn 
 lack of ragged, dirty, noisy children, playing 
 before the doors, in the gutters, and among 
 the very horses' heels. At every few steps 
 13 
 
134 FRANK HARPEE,; OR, 
 
 there was a grocery, which was at the same 
 time a grog-shop. Bloated, drunken men 
 were seen in these. Other houses were oc- 
 cupied as shops for old clothes, and old iron, 
 or as pawnbroker's dens and exchange-offices. 
 
 Let us go . into that tall wooden house. It 
 is very old. The front window is filled with 
 Dottles, lemons, cheese, sausages, and the 
 like. The passage is obstructed by two 
 washing-tubs, at which two foreign women 
 are employed, talking very loudly. But we 
 must go up. The stairway is much worn, 
 and broken in several places. A sneaking 
 dog is gnawing a bone on the landing-place. 
 Through the open doors of the second story 
 several families may be observed. Two 
 children, tied in chairs, are crying vehemently, 
 while their mothers seem to be assorting old 
 rags ; and two girls have just come in, with 
 baskets of broken victuals under their tattered 
 shawls. 
 
 But we must ascend higher. The third 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY N TOWN. 135 
 
 story has four chambers. Mr. Brooks knocks 
 at a door, and is invited in. It is a poor 
 apartment, with only a few pieces of furniture. 
 Some wretched prints in frames are over tht 
 chimney-place. Near the window, two mid- 
 dle-aged women are sitting at their work. 
 Three boys are playing some game under one 
 of the tables. 
 
 " Good-day, Mrs. Bragg," said Mr. Brooks ; 
 *i I do not mean to take up your time. I have 
 come to see how many of your boys you will 
 send to our Sunday-school." 
 
 " Oh, sir, you are very kind, but my boys 
 won't go to any sort of school ; and on Sunday, 
 they would rather be in the streets." 
 
 "Bad, indeed," said Mr. Brooks; "but 
 have you no wish that they should learn some- 
 thing ? You know this way they are in is the 
 way to destruction." 
 
 " I know it — I know it — it is just what I am 
 Baying to Bragg every day. But what can I 
 do? The boys do not mind a word 1 
 
136 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 say; they think they are their own ma» 
 ters." 
 
 Here Tom and Bill gave a sort of chuckle, 
 and came out from under the table, and gazed 
 impudently at the visitors. 
 
 "Come here^" said Mr. Brooks, "here i^ 
 a card with a very nice picture on it." 
 
 " Is it a song?" said Tom. 
 
 « No, it is a picture of a Sunday-school. 
 Read those words, under the print." 
 
 Tom scratched his frizzled locks, and said, 
 <il don't know how to read." 
 
 " Not know how to read ! Oh, that is a pity 
 indeed. You are not half a man, if you can- 
 not read. Now, would you not like to learn i 
 Take this card — here is another — and another. 
 They have the number of the house where the 
 school is to be. Come next Sunday ; you will 
 be pleased, and will hear some fine singing." 
 
 The boys looked at the cards, as if they 
 would gladly have said something pert if they 
 i?dd known how. Mr. Brooks endeavoured to 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TJ)WN. 137 
 
 get a promise from Mrs. Bragg that she would 
 send them. He gave l couple of tracts to her 
 and Mrs. Wilcox, and took leave. 
 
 In the next room was a French boot-leg- 
 crimper ; a tradesman not known in the coun- 
 try. He was at work with a paper cap on 
 his head, and spectacles on his nose ; and was 
 very merrily singing over his work. He had 
 no children, and would receive no books. 
 
 The next room was close and overheated. 
 A poor child was lying ill with the measles. 
 The mother was from Connecticut, and had 
 once been better off; but she had a drunken 
 husband, and misery had made her almost 
 stupid. Yet when Frank gave her the " Dairy 
 man's Daughter," and joined with Mr. Brooks 
 in singing a hymn which she had heard in her 
 infancy, she wept, and said that her little girl, 
 who was now abroad picking up shavings, 
 should go to the school. 
 
 As they reached the street, Mr. Brooks 
 said : " This is not pleasant work, but it ia 
 12* 
 
138 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 the only way in which the misery of the pool 
 can be reached. We must take it as Putnam 
 did the wolf. We must go into the den ! This 
 is the way also to gather scholars. I could 
 tell you of wonderful changes wrought by 
 religion in just such places as these." 
 
 The next house which they visited con- 
 tained several families. One of them was 
 that of a pious Scotchman, w^ho was a plumber. 
 He was laid up with a sprained ankle. Frank 
 was struck with the neatness and cleanliness 
 of the small room. There was a little pile of 
 old books on the bureau, and the children 
 were already connected with the Sunday- 
 school. M^Poor was glad to hear, however, 
 that a new one was to be estabhshed so near 
 to them. The remainder of this house was 
 occupied chiefly by Germans. 
 
 It would be tedious to recount all these 
 visits. They occupied a number of afternoons, 
 in successive weeks. Frank learned much 
 of the habit? of the peopLi whom he sought to 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 139 
 
 oenejfit. Besides the gathering of scholars, 
 these circuits opened the way for doing good. 
 They gave tracts and Bibles. They induced 
 several to attend public worship. They dis- 
 covered cases of suffering, which were made 
 known to benevolent individuals: and they 
 carried comfort and instruction to several in 
 firm, aged and dying persons. 
 
 Frank was modest. He went rather as a 
 learner than a teacher. In the few instances 
 where he made visits alone, he sought to con- 
 vey instruction by a tract or book, or by read- 
 ing a chapter in the Bible. But he was 
 making a good beginning in a great work, 
 which cannot well have too many labourers. 
 His heart rejoiced to have any means of ho- 
 nouring his Master ; and often was he re- 
 warded by appearance of success. 
 
 The character of a young disciple is so 
 soon formed for life, that it is all-important to 
 engage in active labour from the very first. 
 The opportunities afforded for this by the 
 
140 
 
 FKANK harper; OR, 
 
 Sunday-school are very numerous, especiaDi 
 in cities. Therefore the sooner every capable 
 youth is enhsted in this service the better foi 
 the community, and the better for his own 
 soul. 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 141 
 
 CIL^PIER XVII. 
 
 DISAPPOINTMENT. 
 
 Long before the point of time at which we 
 nave arrived, Frank had lost all traces of home- 
 sickness and discontent. The novelty of a 
 town Hfe had worn off; but he had in the 
 same degree become familiar with his busi- 
 ness, and with the ways of a commercial city. 
 He was so industrious and punctual, so neat 
 and quick-handed, so good at copying and ac- 
 counts, and so true and trusty, that his em- 
 ployers were every day putting into his hands 
 little pieces of business, which had hitherto 
 been committed to the elder clerks. Thus it 
 is, that faithfulness in one's calling leads to 
 a good name and to promotion. 
 
 How different it was with his early town- 
 
142 FRANK HARPER, dR, 
 
 acquaintances, Ned and Joe ! In reading a 
 morning paper, one day, Frank's eye alighted 
 on the following paragraph, in the Police Re- 
 port : — 
 
 " Grand Larceny. Captain Wills and conste.'ble Mil 
 ton, of the sixth ward, arrested yesterday at the house of 
 Jane Moggs, corner of Dey and Threadneedle streets, a 
 young fellow, named Joseph Denton, on a charge of rob- 
 bing a Mr. Louis Dampier, while at the island of Port-au 
 Prince, of four bills of the Bank of France, for 1000 francs 
 each, with a promissory note, drawn by a Mr. Choux of 
 Paris, made payable at the order of Dampier. On search- 
 ing his person and trunks, Denton was found in possession 
 of all the money, except about $150 expended in the pur- 
 chase of clothing, and a gold watch, which he had bought 
 with the stolen money." 
 
 Some months after this, Frank was looking 
 at a ragged corps of new recruits marching 
 near the arsenal, when he was astonished to 
 recognise among them his old chamber-fellow, 
 Ned Briggs. He had all the signs of a drunk- 
 ard and a villain; and Frank turned away 
 with a heavy heart, and with an inward 
 prayer for God's mercy on the wretched pro- 
 digal. 
 
 But though Frank was contented, he was 
 not altogether free from anxiety. He began 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 143 
 
 to perceive that something was wrong in the 
 house w^th which he was connected. Se- 
 veral of the young men were discharged. A 
 great sadness hung over the two principals 
 They were crowded upon by numerous credi- 
 tors, and spent much of their time in running 
 to friends,vand writing to correspondents, to 
 obtain accommodations, " extensions," anq 
 other reliefs. At length, one morning, before 
 he left his lodgings, Frank received a note, by 
 the hands of old Cato, informing him that 
 Messrs. Boggs and Buncombe had no further 
 need of his services. In a word, their store had 
 been closed by the creditors. It is a frequent 
 but a distressing event, in a commercial city. 
 
 Frank was thus, all on a sudden, deprived 
 of employment. He was the more embarrassed, 
 because his friend, Mr. Brooks, had been se- 
 veral weeks absent, on a tour through the 
 Soutliem and Western States, preparatory to 
 going into business for himself. After musing 
 «adly over the case, he saw no way open fo* 
 
144 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 him, but to pack up the little red trunk, and 
 return to his father's house. Perhaps Provi- 
 dence, which had befriended him thus far, 
 would open some path of usefulness. At any 
 rate, he should see his honoured parents, 
 and his dear sisters ; and perhaps he might 
 take another quarter in good Mr. Tree's 
 school to perfect himself in Geography, 
 History, Natural Philosophy and Double 
 Entry. 
 
 " How shall I spend the day ?" thought 
 Frank. "I cannot get off till to-morrow, 
 think I will take a look at the shipping 
 on the East River, and examine the Dry 
 Dock." 
 
 As he walked slowly up Chatham Street, he 
 saw much to fix his attention and awaken 
 thought. It '^ a region of pawnbrokers and 
 old clothes-sellers. Many of these are Jews. 
 The national physiognomy struck him at once • 
 tliey were almost like brothers. He observed 
 that they stayed as little as possible in their 
 
THE COUNTR'K BOY IN TOWN. 145 
 
 dark shops, and spent most of the time pacing 
 up and down the space before their doors : it 
 is a custom which they have brought with 
 them from abroad. Thus it is that they may 
 be observed in Frankfort, in Amsterdam, and 
 in Posen. Most of them were smoking and 
 talking German. Frank remembered Mr. 
 Grove's having told him that there were fifteen 
 thousand Jews in New York, and that they 
 have nine synagogues. He called to mind, 
 that they are the ^ed of Abraham, and re- 
 solved to read o\cr the tenth and eleventh 
 chapters of Romans, on his return. 
 
 Among the numerous carriages which passed 
 him, he observed here and there an omnibus, 
 bearing a little flag, by way of advertisement, 
 concerning a great ship launch, near the foot 
 of Stanton street. He remembered that one 
 of the Sabbath-school visitors was in the em- 
 ploy of Messrs. Brown and Bell, the great ship- 
 builders. It is a rational curiosity which leads 
 a young man to seek such sights. Frank 
 13 
 
146 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 threrw himself into one of the Dry Dock omni- 
 buses, and alighted in Lewis street. 
 
 Crowds were pressing towards the ship- 
 yard. As he turned a corner, near the water, 
 he was startled at finding himself in full view of 
 the noble vessel, and he was immediately under 
 her bows. Often as he had seen ships on the 
 river, where their hulls aie chiefly below the 
 surface, he had never formed a just idea of 
 the magnitude of the structure. A fine full 
 length statue of Washington, by Dodge, 
 formed the figure-head. Passing round into 
 the ship-yard, he found himself among a mul- 
 titude, gathered to witness the launch of the 
 largest packet-ship ever built in America. It 
 was indeed what is called a three-decker, of 
 fifteen hundred tons, and in length of deck 
 measuring one hundred and eighty- eight feet. 
 The masts, of course, were not complete, but 
 the length of the main- mast was to be one 
 Hundred and ninety-five feet. Frank took 
 notice that the bottom was not coppered • he 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 147 
 
 afterwards learned that it is common to make 
 the first voyage and return without coppering. 
 Crowds were still pressing up the long gang- 
 ways and clambering over the bows. 
 
 Frank's position was near the stern, and 
 not far from the water. The sound of a mul- 
 titude of workmen was heard chipping away 
 the blocks under the keel, and removing va- 
 rious supports. At length these noises grew 
 less — ^the last retaining shores were removed — 
 then the dog-shore was touched — it was a 
 moment of indescribable suspense — and the 
 mighty mass gUded majestically into the water. 
 Frank's excitement was extreme ; he scarcely 
 knew that his hat was in the air, or that he 
 was mingling his shout with that of the multi- 
 tude. He felt a choking sensation, and when 
 a cannon just behind him opened its brazen 
 throat, he was relieved by the reverberation, 
 which seemed to give voice to his pent-up 
 thoughts. The vessel went far into the river, 
 ana moved with the tide some iistance up 
 
X48 
 
 stream, but was soon towed back to the dock 
 by a small steamboat. 
 
 All American youths may well take an in- 
 terest in these triumphs of the arts of peace. 
 The day is coming when our oaly ships shall 
 be vessels of peace. Let us pray, that they 
 may carry the gospel to all nations ! 
 
 After the launch, Frank found his Sunday- 
 school acquaintance, Mr. Thomas, and made 
 an arrangement for the little class which he 
 was now reluctantly called to leave. On his 
 way home, he stopped at the doors of several 
 of his friends, and in particular at that of Mr. 
 Halsted, his pastor. 
 
 The good old gentleman was busy, as 
 usual ; but he received his young friend with 
 parental kindness, and gave him some timely 
 advice. "You are perhaps about to leave 
 New York for good and all ; but let us leave 
 that to Providence. The Lord often surprises 
 his (hildren by most unexpected light and 
 help These the woi id calls < turns of 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 149 
 
 tune :' but I call them < turns of Providence/ 
 Let me give you a motto for your journey — 
 for your year — and for your life — here it is, on 
 a card : 
 
 Give yourself, your all, to the Lord ; and 
 ha will take care of you. My son, remember 
 this for life ! Commit thy way unto the Lord — 
 trust also in Him — and He will bring it to 
 pass. — Acknowledge the Lord in all thy ways, 
 and He will direct thy paths. ^"^ 
 
 Mr. Halsted then gave Frank a little volume, 
 entitled Life in Earnest,] saying, "Read it — 
 read it many times — pray over it — practise 
 it — it is worth its weight in gold." And then 
 the old gentleman raised his hands, and gave 
 Frank his blessing. 
 
 Frank had a feeling of satisfaction, in ex- 
 pecting to meet his belored friends; yet it 
 
 "' Rom. xiv 8. 
 
 f A publication of the American btmday- school Union. 
 13* 
 
i6o: 
 
 OR, 
 
 must be confessed there was some sadness in 
 leaving New York. It was now his home. It 
 was the place of his employment, and where he 
 nad expected to spend his Kfe. It was, above 
 all, the place where he had received his first 
 right views of religion. Here was his pastor ; 
 here were his Christian friends ; here was his 
 Sabbath-school, and his class of poor little 
 boys. Let us forgive him, if he shed a few 
 secret tears. 
 
 It now remained for him to settle his week's 
 bill with the landlady ; give directions for the 
 sending of his Sunday-school Journal ; shake 
 hands with his fellow-clerks and fellow-teach- 
 ers; and then he should be ready for the 
 railroad, in the morning. 
 
 As Frank sat in his little attic room, late 
 that night, his reflections were serious. " This 
 chamber (thought he) is no great things ; — but 
 it has been a happy — happy room to me ! On 
 that bed — I first learned the way to Christ. 
 By its side how often — how often have I 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN- 151 
 
 prayed to God ! By that old table — soon 
 tc be another's — I have read this blesseo 
 Bible nany an hour. Thank God for all 
 this! 
 
 " The months I have passed here have been 
 favoured months. How raw and inexperienced 
 was I ! How surrounded oy evil ! How won- 
 derful the grace, which has made me to difler 
 from my evil companions ! The same God 
 who led poor wandering Jacob, from Bethel, 
 has surely been leading me. What can I do 
 for him !" 
 
 This led him to turn to his Bible and 
 read over the twenty-eighth chapter of Ge- 
 nesis. The closing verses came home to his 
 feehngs : 
 
 ^^And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God 
 will he with me, and will keep me in this way 
 that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and 
 raiment to put on, so that I come again to my 
 father'' s house in peace , ihen shall the Lord be 
 mp God And this stone, which I have set up for 
 
ibi 
 
 FRANK HARPER. OR, 
 
 a pillar J shall be God^s house : and of all that 
 thou shall give me I will surely give the tentn 
 unto thee.^^ 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. ;53 
 
 CHAPTER Xnil. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The ways of Providence are wonderful, and 
 he who observes them will find it true, even 
 m the days of his youth, Frank had risen 
 early in the norning, and was soon on his 
 way to the ferry. His emotions were of a 
 mingled nature : sadness at leaving his place 
 of employment — joyful hope of rejoining the 
 circle at home. He suddenly thought of stop- 
 ping at the Post-office, and there he found a let- 
 ter addressed to him by his friend, Mr. Brooks. 
 On breaking the seal, he was at once thrown 
 into a flutter. It informed him that Mr. Brooks 
 was about to open a store in Fulton street, 
 and the letter went on to say : " I have en- 
 gaged the services of a young cousin of mine, 
 for my little business ; but you know I shall 
 
164 FRANK harper; or, 
 
 need a clerk and salesman ; and I know no 
 one, my dear Frank, whom I would rather 
 have near me, than yourself. If, therefore, 
 you can consent to cast in your lot with mine, 
 how delightful it will be ! For the present, 
 the utmost I can afford you is a hundred and 
 fifty dollars a year; but this is rather more 
 than you have been receiving from Boggs and 
 Buncombe. Direct to me at Louisville, ana 
 let me know your determination." 
 
 Frank scarcely knew which way to turn. 
 His first thought was to go back to his lodg- 
 ings : but, on consideration, he determined to 
 carry out his previous intention of visiting his 
 parents ; especially as it would be some weeks 
 before he should have any business in town. 
 His heart swelled with gratitude to God fof 
 this most seasonable interposition, and he 
 went on his way with spirits which made the 
 journey one of unexpected pleasure. 
 
 The arrival of Frank spread joy through 
 tht farm-house at Coventry. His father, who 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 155 
 
 was in the corn-field, saw him first, and left 
 .he plough, to welcome his only son. His 
 mother was knitting by the kitchen fire : she 
 scarcely believed her eyes, when the tall and 
 handsome youth who entered proved to be 
 her own Frank Mary and Anne bounded in 
 from the dairy, and Ihrew their arms about 
 his neck. Jonathan shook his hand with a 
 vehemence which almost put his wrist out of 
 joint ; and the old dog leaped as high as his 
 head, and covered him with violent caresses. 
 
 Most of the day was given up to these do- 
 mestic joys. There was much to be told, and 
 more questions were asked than could be an- 
 swered. Frank gave a detailed account of 
 his recent history, interspersed with many 
 new traits of city life. All agreed that he had 
 been the special care of Providence. It was 
 an unspeakable satisfaction to this affectionate 
 brother, to observe indications of a renewed 
 heart in both his sisters. This nad been the 
 csonstanf burden of his prayers, and had oc- 
 
156 FRANK harfer: or, 
 
 cupied many of his weekly letters. He also 
 found that he could comprehend and estimate 
 the humble piety of his parents, in a manner 
 altogether unknown to him before. 
 
 A week was spent in riding about to see 
 his country friends. In these visits he paid 
 his respects to his relations, his minister, and 
 his teacher, Mr. Tree. With the last of these, 
 he continued to have frequent and profitable 
 interviews. 
 
 By the advice of his father, Frank deter- 
 mined to spend the few remaining weeks in 
 such active exercise as might strengthen his 
 system, after the confinement of the city. He 
 therefore put on a suit of homespun, and turned 
 in upon the work of the farm. The thoughts 
 of his cnildhood came to him again, when, 
 during this fine weather of early summer, he 
 walked slowly after the plough, enjoying the 
 fragrance of the fresh earth and the green 
 corn ; or -when he swung the scythe among 
 the first cutting Df the rich meadows. The 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 157 
 
 dewy mornings were sweet to him oeyond 
 expression, and he seemed to inhale vigour 
 with every breath. And then, when work 
 was over, how charming were the evenings, 
 at the old porch, overgrown with honey- 
 suckles and clustenng roses, amidst the circle 
 of those whom he most loved! 
 
 Thus rolled away five or six pleasant weeks, 
 when, one afternoon, who should alight before 
 Mr. Harper's door but Mr. Brooks. Frank was 
 overjoyed to recognise his old friend, from 
 whom he soon learned that he was ready to 
 commence business, and that Frank was 
 henceforth to be employed in his store, and 
 to be an inmate of his family; for, among 
 other arrangements of life, he had married a 
 prudent and very lovely Christian lady. 
 
 The parents were much pleased with Frank's 
 prospects. 
 
 « Don't thank me !" said Brooks — " you 
 ©we me no thanks at all. I am consulting 
 my own pleasure and interest. I know Frank, 
 14 
 
158 FRANK harper; OR, 
 
 and he knov^s me ; we shall go well in the 
 traces together. We have been long enough 
 at lodgings ; it is time to have a house, how- 
 ever humble, where we may worship God, 
 morning and evening, and where we may oc- 
 casionally have a circle of Christian friends, 
 for reading the word and for prayer " 
 
 We need not follow our young friend into 
 the further details of his history. His new 
 connection was all that he could wish. Both 
 he and his employer humbly endeavoured t 
 serve God in their worldly calling, and God 
 was pleased to smile on their business. Frank 
 often compares his situation to that of a frail 
 little vessel, which, after being tossed in storms, 
 has come into a quiet haven. 
 
 There is one lesson, which the author earn- 
 estly desires to impress on every reader. It 
 IS, that for a youth who comes from the coun- 
 try into a great city, the course of safety, useful- 
 ness, honour and happiness, is to join himself 
 to persons of true piety, and to commit him^ 
 
THE COUNTRY BOY IN TOWN. 159 
 
 self by faith to the guidance of God. There 
 is no other protection. Hundreds of young 
 men and boys make the experiment every 
 year, and many of them are ruined for ever. 
 Parents and guardians who send young per- 
 sons into th<» city act an unrighteous and un- 
 feelmg part, when they use no precaution, in 
 order to bring their children and others under 
 right influences. Let the youthful reader 
 know then, that «« a 'prudent man foreseeth evil 
 and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and 
 are punished ; and that " hy humility and the 
 fear of the Lord, are riches, and honour and 
 
 * Prov. xxii. 3, 4. 
 
JANE SCOTT 
 
 WRITTEN FOR THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, AND 
 REVISED BY THE COMMITEE OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 ~]arr. ■^^■■'^''^. 
 
 kU. 1 ^ V' ■■■), 
 
 AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION 
 1122 Chestnut St. 
 
JANE SCOTT. 
 
 OME here, my 
 child, and 
 read in a 
 little book 
 I have 
 made for 
 you. Tou have now 
 got a new book, and 
 I hope you will like 
 "^' it. What is more, it 
 will do you good, if you think 
 of what you read. Let me tell 
 
i JANE SCOTT. 
 
 you a story about Mr. Bell and 
 Jane Scott. 
 
 Mr. Bell was a good man, who 
 had a large farm in the state of 
 Maine. He loved all good boys 
 and girls, and tried to make the 
 bad ones turn from their bad 
 ways to love God. Once a week, 
 he went all round the town to see 
 who was sick, and to give the 
 poor people such things as might 
 do them good. Tou might have 
 seen him with a tract in his 
 hand, to give to some little boy 
 or girl. 
 
 Among the children that he 
 knows is Jane Scott. She is 
 about eight years old, but she 
 does not know much. She has 
 
JANE SCOTT. 5 
 
 not been to school to learn, for 
 she is very poor. Ought yoL^ 
 not to thank the Lord that you 
 have a Sunday-school to go to? 
 
 All the good things we have in 
 the world are sent to us by the 
 Lord. 
 
 Mr. Bell talked with Jane the 
 other day, and I wish you to 
 
^ JANE SCOTT. 
 
 know what it was they said 
 Look at the picture, and you will 
 see Mr. Bell in his arm chair. 
 He is now going to say some- 
 thing to Jane. 
 
 Mr, Bell, My dear child have 
 you prayed to God this day 1 
 
 Jane, No, sir. I do not know 
 any prayer, except "Now I lay 
 me down to sleep." 
 
 Mr, Bell, Cannot you pray to 
 the Lord unless you learn a 
 prayer from somebody? 
 
 Jane, No, sir. It would not be 
 right to pray any thing that comes 
 into my head : would it, sir 1 
 
 Mr, Bell, No, my child. You 
 must say what is right in your 
 prayers. You must say what 
 
JANE SCOTT. ^ 
 
 you think is true, and you must 
 ask for what you really want 
 When you feel very hungry, what 
 IS it that you do ? 
 
 Jane, I go and ask my mother 
 for some bread. 
 
 Mr, Bell, But suppose you do 
 not wish to have any bread, do 
 you ask your mother for bread 
 then? 
 
 Jane, O, no, sir. I ask for 
 what I want. 
 
 Mr, Bell, You only ask for 
 what you want, then, Jane ? 
 
 Jane, Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. Bell, And unless you 
 really want a thing, you never ask 
 your mother for it ? 
 
 Jane, No, sir, indeed I do not. 
 
g JANE SCOTT. 
 
 It would be silly in me to beg for 
 what I did not wish. But what 
 strange questions you ask. 
 
 Mr. Belt We were talking of 
 prayer. Tell me what you mean 
 by prayer. What is prayer 1 
 
 Jane, Prayer, sir! Why, 1 
 think prayer is something good 
 that we learn to say ; and then 
 we kneel down every morning 
 and every night and say it. 
 
 Mr, Bell, But, my dear child, 
 is this all you know about prayer ? 
 Suppose you go into a room and 
 kneel down and say the first 
 commandment ; would that be a 
 prayer ? 
 
 Jane, No, sir ; I suppose not. 
 
 Mr, Bell, Well, you see it is 
 
JANE SCOTT. g 
 
 not every thing good that we say 
 that is a prayer. Let me tell 
 you what prayer is. It is asking. 
 To pray, is to ask. To pray to 
 God, is to ask God for what we 
 want. Whenever you ask God 
 for anything, then you pray. 
 
 Jane. Why, sir ; then praying 
 is almost the same as begging. 
 
 Mr, Bell. Just so. To pray, is 
 to beg. When you want bread 
 to eat, you beg your mother for 
 it. Suppose you had no mother, 
 and were alone in the woods, very 
 hungry, and without any food 
 near you/? 
 
 Jane, Then I would kneel down 
 and ask the Lord to give me some 
 bread. 
 
IQ JANE SCOTT. 
 
 Mr. Bell That would be 
 praying to God. If you said, O 
 Lord, give iue some bread, it 
 would be a prayer. Because 
 praying is asking. Every one 
 that asks of God, prays to God 
 Now you would not need any 
 one to teach you to ask God for 
 bread, would you 1 
 
 Jane, O, no, sir. If I was 
 going to starve, I should know 
 well enough how to ask. 
 
 3Ir. Bell. Then when you 
 really wish for any thing, you 
 know how to pray for it ? 
 
 Jane. Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. Bell. What is the reason 
 you do not pray to God to make 
 you a good child ? 
 
JANE SCOTT. Jl 
 
 Jane. I do not know, sir. 
 
 Mr. Bell I will tell you. It is 
 because you do not really want 
 to be good. You said that when 
 you really wanted any thing you 
 knew how to pray for it. If you 
 really wished to be a good, pious 
 child, you would ask the Lord to 
 make you so. 
 
 Jane. If I go and kneel down 
 and say, O Lord., Jesus, make 
 me a good child, would that be 
 wrong ? 
 
 Mr. Bell. No, my dear little 
 girl. It will be right. And if you 
 are in good earnest, the Lord 
 will hear you. If you really wish 
 to be a good child, the Lord will 
 be pleased when you ask him, 
 
12 JANE SCOTT. 
 
 But it is not real praying, if you 
 are not in earnest. I will show 
 you what I mean, by telling you 
 a little story. 
 
 Once there was a man, who 
 had a fine peach-tree in his gar- 
 den. He had a little son, who 
 was about six years old. One 
 day, when the man was very busy 
 in his shop, his little son came, 
 and said, O^ father^ come and get 
 me a peachy for I ivish to have 
 one very much. Then the man 
 left his work, and came out, and 
 went to the garden, and walked 
 till he came to the peach-tree 
 the little boy said, Father / ivas 
 only in fun; I do not want a 
 peach at all. Then his fatlic* 
 
; VNE SCOTT 13 
 
 was displeased and said, You are 
 a bad boy, for you have trifled 
 with me, and what you said to 
 me was not true. 
 
 Jane. The little boy was a bad 
 Doy. 
 
 Mr. Bell Why so ? 
 
 Jane. Because he told his fa- 
 ther a lie. 
 
 Mr. Bell. What lie did he tell? 
 
 Jane. Why, sir, he told his fa- 
 ther he wished to have a peach 
 very much, when he did not wish 
 to have one at all. 
 
 Mr. Bell. Now you see how 
 people displease God when they 
 pray without being in earnest. 
 Some children kneel down, and 
 say a prayer over, and never 
 B 
 
j4 JANE SCOTT. 
 
 think of what they are saying 
 Is that being in earnest ? 
 
 Jane. No, Sir. 
 
 3Ir. Bell. Some little children 
 go to say their prayers, and then, 
 while they are on their knees, they 
 are all the time thinking about 
 something else. This is displeas- 
 ing to God. 
 
 Jane. Can God hear me, sir, 
 if I go by myself, and pray in my 
 mother's room^ 
 
 Mr. Bell. Yes, my dear child ; 
 God hears you whenever you 
 speak a single word. If you 
 whisper it to yourself, God hears 
 you. If you only think it in your 
 mind, God knows it. He knows 
 
JANE SCOTT. J5 
 
 it if you do not speak a word 
 aloud. 
 
 Jane. What is the use of say- 
 ing any thing then "? Will it not 
 do as well for me to ask the Lord 
 for what I want without saying 
 any words 1 
 
 Mr. BelL What do you mean, 
 my child 1 
 
 Jane. I mean, sir, that if God 
 knows every thing that I think in 
 my mind, then I need not say any 
 prayer with my lips. Cannot I 
 just sit where I am, and pray to 
 God in my mind ? 
 
 Mr. Bell. Good people often 
 pray in that way. We can pray 
 while we are at work, and while 
 we are walking, and while we are 
 
Jg JANE SCOTT. 
 
 lying awake in bed. But then il 
 is right to pray with words also 
 Whenever we go to any place, 
 by our ourselves, to pray, we 
 ought to forget every thing else. 
 If you try to pray without saying 
 any words aloud, you will perhaps 
 forget what you are praying 
 about. When you pray aloud, 
 you will have to think of what 
 you are asking. 
 
 Jane, I do not know what you 
 mean, sir. 
 
 Mr, Bell. I will show you 
 what I mean. Just try to think 
 of all you have been doing to- 
 day. — Now begin. Think over in 
 your mind all the things you have 
 done this morning. — I will wait 
 
JANE SCOTT. 17 
 
 five minutes. Here is my watch 
 When this long hand gets from 
 this mark to that mark on the 
 watch, it will be five minutes. 
 Now begin. 
 
 When the five minutes were 
 over, Mr. Bell said quickly, Stop ! 
 
 Now what are you thinking about ? 
 Have you thought of all you have 
 been doing to-day ? 
 
 Jane. Oh dear! sir. I did 
 b2 
 
|§ JANE SCOTT. 
 
 begin, but I forgot, and jusi when 
 you stopped me, I was thinking 
 how very slow that little hand of 
 the watch was moving along. 
 
 Mr, Bell, Now you see, my 
 child, how hard it is to keep your 
 thoughts from wandering. When 
 your thoughts keep running away 
 from what you want to be think- 
 ing about, that is what we call a 
 wandering of the thoughts, 
 
 Jane, But would not my 
 thoughts wander, if I was saying 
 them all aloud ? 
 
 Mr. Bell. Perhaps not so much. 
 Let us try. Just begin to tell me 
 all you have been doing to-day. 
 
 Jane, Well, sir, now I will try 
 to tell you. First I went for the 
 
JANE SCOTT. 19 
 
 cow; and then I fed the ducks, 
 and put water over the fire to boil 
 the potatoes. Then I went to the 
 doctor's to get some physic, and 
 after I came home I ate my break- 
 fast ; and after I had my breakfast, 
 I sat down and peeled apples all 
 the morning for mother to dry, for 
 
 market 
 
 Mr. Bell That will do. Now 
 you see that your mind did not 
 wander so much. So it is when 
 you pray aloud. The words you 
 say help to make you think about 
 the right thing. You need not 
 speak very loud when you pray ; 
 a whisper will do ; but most per- 
 sons find it useful to say some- 
 thing which thev can hear them- 
 
20 JANE SCOTT. 
 
 selves. I do not mean to say 
 that our prayers are not just as 
 pleasing to God when they are 
 not expressed in words, if they 
 are really the desires of the heart. 
 
 Jane, Now I begin to know 
 what you mean, sir. If you will 
 teach me a prayer I will say it 
 over every day. But I am afraid 
 the Lord will not care for what 
 such a bad little girl as I can say. 
 
 Mr. Bell. Do you think you 
 are bad, Jane ? 
 
 Jane, Yes, sir, indeed I do. I 
 know I am bad. The Lord does 
 not love bad children. How can 
 I pray, when I am so wicked 1 
 Will the Lord give me what 1 
 ask him for ? 
 
JANE SCOTT 21 
 
 Mr, Bell, I am glad you begin 
 .o feel that you are a sinner. 
 Jesus Christ came into the world 
 to save sinners. He died on the 
 cross to keep sinners from going 
 to hell. He is the Son of God. 
 He made you, and me, and every 
 thing in the world. After he had 
 died to save sinners, he was 
 buried. Then he rose from the 
 dead, and went up again to hea- 
 ven. 
 
 Jane, Is he in heaven now, 
 sir? 
 
 Mr. ^^/Z. Yes, my child. Jesus 
 is in heaven now. He loves sin- 
 ners now, as much as when he 
 died for them. He looks down 
 and sees every thing we do. 
 
22 JANE SCOTT. 
 
 He listens and hears every thing 
 we say. He takes notice of al) 
 our poor prayers. If we ask any 
 thing in good earnest, we must 
 always remember that Jesus must 
 help us to ask. 
 
 Jane, Oh, what a good Sa- 
 viour ! Does he pray for us ? 
 
 Mr. Bell. Yes. If Christ 
 does not pray for us, all our 
 prayers are of no use. "While 
 we are praying, Christ is [/ray- 
 ing for us to our Father in hea- 
 ven. 
 
 Jane. I am sure then thai our 
 Father in heaven will do what 
 the Lord Jesus asks him to do 
 for us. 
 
 Mr. Bell. Yes, my child, God 
 
. ANE SCOTT. 23 
 
 always hears him, and does what 
 he asks. We are so foolish and 
 bad, we do not know what to 
 pray for, or how to pray, but the 
 dear Saviour prays for us. He 
 takes our poor prayers, and gives 
 them to God the Father. The 
 Father loves the Son, and for his 
 sake, hears what we say. Let 
 me tell you a little story. 
 
 Once there was a little girl, 
 about as big as you are. She 
 was walking in the garden to see 
 the flowers. When she saw the 
 roses, and the pinks, and the hy- 
 acinths, and the violets, she was 
 much pleased. Then she thought, 
 r should like to make my dear 
 father a pretty nosegay. So she 
 
24 ANE SCOTT 
 
 plucked a great many flowers 
 which she thought the prettiest. 
 But she also plucked a good many 
 weeds too. The red and blue 
 flowers of the weeds seemed very 
 pretty to her, and she put them 
 along with the roses and pinka 
 
 When she came into the house, 
 
JANE SCOTT. 25 
 
 she ran to her elder brother, and 
 said, " brother, see, here is a prettjr 
 nosegay: I wish you would take it 
 to father, and tell him that his little 
 Mary sent it to him." " Yes, I will, 
 my dear," said her brother, " but 
 first I will take out these ugly 
 weeds, and I will fix these flowers 
 better, and I will get some other 
 flowers which are prettier, and then 
 I will give it to your father. He 
 will like you better for this." He 
 did so, and little Mary's father 
 was much pleased. 
 
 Now, Jane, said Mr. Bell, do 
 you know what I mean by this 
 story ^ 
 
 Jane. I think I do, a little. If 
 C 
 
26 JANE SCOTT. 
 
 I pray to God, I am like littl*? 
 Mary offering flowers to her fa- 
 ther ; and I ought to have some 
 one to show me how. Is that 
 what you mean, sir? 
 
 Mr, Bell. In part it is. When 
 we pray to God, we honour him. 
 He is pleased with prayers which 
 his children offer. Every good 
 child ought to offer the best 
 prayers he can. But, after all, 
 the best prayers we offer, are not 
 as good as they should be. They 
 have much in them that is said 
 amiss, like Mary's nosegay, wh:ch 
 had weeds in it. We are so 
 wicked that God is displeased 
 with us ; the Lord Jesus Christ 
 
JANE SCOTT. 27 
 
 pleads for us, and speaks in our 
 favour; for he is the friend of 
 every one who believes on him. 
 
 Jane, Can a bad person have 
 a prayer answered ? 
 
 Mr. Bell. We are all bad per- 
 sons, by nature and by practice. 
 We are children of wrath, and 
 we go astray, from our birth. 
 The Bible says there is not a 
 just man on earth that doeth 
 good, and sinneth not. Our sins 
 would cause us all to be sent to 
 hell, if God should not pardon 
 them. 
 
 Jane. Then I am afraid no- 
 body can pray a prayer that is 
 worth any thing. 
 
 Mr. Bell. That is true. Our 
 
28 JANE SCOTT. 
 
 prayers are not worth any thing. 
 They deserve nothing. God 
 might be angry with us because 
 of them. There is no merit in 
 hem. And this is the reason why 
 we need a friend in heaven. Try, 
 now, to think why we need a friend 
 in heaven ? 
 
 Jane. We need a friend in 
 heaven, to plead for us and to 
 ask God the Father to love us. 
 
 Mr. Bell. Exactly so. Christ 
 is our friend in heaven. He is 
 so much our friend, that he died 
 for us. If any one was to die 
 to save your life, w^ould you not 
 DC sure he was your friend ? 
 
 Jane. Yes, sir. I should think 
 he loved me very much. 
 
JANE SCOTT. 29 
 
 Mr, Bell. Christ loves sinners 
 so much, that whenever they are 
 willing to trust in him, then he 
 pleads lor them? and says to his 
 Father, Father forgive them 
 When they pray, Christ inter- 
 cedes for them. 
 
 Jane, What is the meaning of 
 intercede ? 
 
 Mr, Bell, It is just what you 
 said yourself It is the same as 
 pleading for them. To intercede 
 for you, is to tahe your part. 
 Christ intercedes, because he 
 takes the believer's part, or speaks 
 for him. That is, Christ is our 
 Intercessor. 
 
 Jane, Then our heavenly Fa- 
 c2 
 
30 JANE SCOTT. 
 
 ther hears us just because his 
 Son takes our pari ? 
 
 Mr, Bell. True. Our heavenly 
 Father hears our prayers because 
 Jesus Christ prays for us. He 
 loves the Lord Jesus Christ. He 
 hears us for the sake of his Son. 
 God is w^ell pleased with his be- 
 loved Son, and for his sake is 
 well pleased with all who believe 
 in his Son. 
 
 Jane. Oh, sir ; will it be right 
 for me to say to the Lord, Lord, 
 T am a poor., wicked little girl, 
 but forgive me for the sake of 
 Jesus Christ? 
 
 Mr. Bell. Dear child! That is 
 exactly what I wished you to 
 
JANE SCOTT. 31 
 
 say. That is praying in the 
 name of Christ When you feel 
 that you are sinful, then you feel 
 that you need an intercessor. 
 When you believe that Christ is 
 your intercessor, then you pray 
 to God to hear you for Christ's 
 sake. When you ask any thing, 
 for Christ's sake, then you ask 
 in the name of Christ. And 
 when you ask in the name of 
 Christ, you will be heard. 
 
 Jane. How do we know that 
 we shall have what we ask in 
 the name of Christ ? 
 
 Mr, Bell. Hear what the Lord 
 Jesus Christ says to us. What- 
 soever ye shall ask in my name, 
 
32 JANE SCOTT. 
 
 that will I do. We should be 
 afraid to send our prayers up to 
 God's holy place if Jesus Christ 
 had not died for us. But he has 
 shed his blood, and now we may 
 be bold enough to go to the Lord 
 and pray him to hear us. God 
 will hear us for the sake ol 
 Christ's precious blood. The 
 Scripture says, We have boldness 
 to enter into the holiest by the 
 blood of Jesus, — Heb. x. 19. 
 
 Jane. Must I always think, 
 when I am praying, about the 
 Lord Jesus ? 
 
 Mr. Bell. Yes, you ought never 
 to forget that your prayers are 
 not worth any thing, until they 
 
JANE SCOTT. 33 
 
 are offered up by Christ. Now 
 we have talked enough for this 
 time. I will teach you a little 
 form of prayer, which is published 
 by the American Sunday-school 
 Union. You must always be in 
 earnest and think about what you 
 are saying, or the Lord will be 
 displeased. Every day, go into 
 some quiet place, where no one 
 can see you, and kneel down, 
 and pray to God. And now may 
 the blessing of God rest upon 
 you. Farewell. 
 
A PRAYER 
 
 Fw a Young Person who earnestly desires 
 fo love God. 
 Almighty God, Thou art my great Cre- 
 ator, and I should fear Thee, and obey Thy 
 commandments. Thou art my heavenly 
 Father, who givest to me all my daily 
 blessings, and I am sure I ought to love 
 Thee. Thou hast shown thy kindness to 
 me, not only in creating me, and giving me 
 health, and food, and clothes, and friends, 
 but, O, what lovingkindness Thou hast 
 shown in giving Jesus Christ, thy well- 
 beloved Son, to die for me, and save me 
 from everlasting misery, if I will believe 
 m him and love him. And .Tesus also 
 " hath loved us, and given himself for us." 
 O, I should love my Creator, and blessed 
 Saviour with all my heart ; but it is so 
 hard, so stubborn, it seems determined not 
 to do so. Now, while I am speaking, 1 
 feel as if I hate sin, that keeps me from 
 loving my God ; but, O, I am afraid that 
 34 
 
A PRAYER. 35 
 
 <vhen I rise from my knees, 1 shall feel 
 that I love sin still, and shall have my 
 mind full of vain thoughts, and soon forget 
 that 1 had even a v^dsh to be free from sin. 
 O, pity me ! pity me, heavenly Father ! it 
 is a dreadful thing to have such a stubborn 
 heart as mine is. Thou hast said in the 
 Bible to every young person, " Give me thy 
 heart." Heavenly Father, mine is not fit 
 to give to Thee, for it does not love Thee 
 as it should love Thee. But, O, if I wait 
 until it is good enough to give to Thee, I 
 never can do it. Take it ! O take it 
 iust as it is, for the sake of Jesus Christ, 
 the Saviour, who was perfect in goodness. 
 Take my heart, merciful Father, sinful 
 as it is. 0, if Thou wilt, Thou 
 canst make it clean. Lt;t thy Holy Spi- 
 rit make me hate sin, and love Thee ; drive 
 from me all wicked thoughts, and wishes , 
 keep down my pride, prevent my passions 
 from breaking out into evil words, and 
 rash actions. I cannot tell how much 1 
 want Thy Holy Spirit to do for me, for 
 
36 A PRAYER. 
 
 every day there seems to be some new 
 fault ill me ; some evil way in my actions 
 that I had not before. O, how wicked I 
 must be in thy sight, Lord, for thou art 
 altogether holy ! I do desire, I do pray, to 
 have my heart changed by thy Holy Spi- 
 rit. The blessed Saviour of sinners has 
 promised that Thou wilt give it to them 
 that ask it ; merciful Father, for his sake 
 give it to me ! O, teach me how to pray foi 
 it, so as to be sure of having it, that I may 
 love Thee ; love my Bible, in which I can 
 learn about Thee ; love Jesus, who died 
 for me, that I might be made fit to go to 
 heaven, and live there for ever in happi- 
 ness. O, for this dear Saviour's sake, mer- 
 ciful Father, hear my prayer ; and I will 
 bless and praise Thee v^^hile I live, and 
 bless and praise Thee better when I die, 
 and am in heaven with Jesus, where there 
 is no sin. Amen. 
 
FATHER'S STORIES 
 
 THE LOST MOTHER, 
 
 THE BOY AND THE BUTTERFLY, 
 
 THE BABY IN THE RIVER. 
 
 WRITTEN FOR THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCflOOL UNIOK 
 AND REVISED BY COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 vld.v\ie,o iV'.'ijcll AitianJei 
 
 AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION: 
 
 1123 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA. 
 
FATHER'S STOEIES, 
 
 THE LOST MOTHER. 
 
 Artlmr^ (turning over the leaves 
 of a picture-book.) Father, this 
 picture makes me sorry. 
 
 Mr, Herbert. Why so, Ar- 
 thur? 
 
4 father's stories. 
 
 Arthur, Because the poor wo» 
 man see.ns to be distressed. 
 
 Mr, H, Yes, she does. She 
 is alone in the fields. The night 
 is coming on. The sky grows 
 black. It is about to be stormy. 
 And her dress is not fit for a 
 stormy night. 
 
 Arthur. Why is she out so 
 late, without a hat or a cloak ? 
 
 Mr, H, Poor woman! She 
 has lost her way. She left her 
 house about noon, to go over the 
 great meadows to her father' 
 house Two of her dear little 
 children were sick, and there 
 was no house wittiin three miles 
 
m 
 
 father's stories. 
 
 She tjiought she would 'eave 
 them for a little while, and go to 
 her father's, and get some medi 
 cine, and some one to help her 
 But she has lost her way. 
 
 Artliu7\ What makes her fold 
 her arms and look up to the sky ? 
 
 Mr. H, She is in distress ; she 
 is praying to God to help her. 
 She is afraid her dear children 
 will suffer while she is gone. 
 Her heart is full of grief She 
 thinks no one can help her but 
 God. 
 
 Arthur That is right; is it 
 not, father? O, I am sure the 
 Lord will hear her. 
 
 a2 
 
b FATHER''S STORIES. 
 
 Mr, H, Yes, my soiij God 
 Almighty can hear us always, and 
 he helps those who have no other 
 helper. You know there are 
 many beautiful stories in the 
 Bible, of God's helping people 
 when they were in distress. When 
 poor Jacob was travelling by him- 
 self, far from home, in a strange 
 country, God took care of him. 
 He had to go away because he 
 was afraid his wicked brother 
 Esau would kill him. When he 
 left home, his father said to him, 
 God Almighty bless thee ! And 
 God did bless him. One night 
 he plept on the bare ground, w^ith 
 
father's stories. 
 
 a stone for his pillow. Bat he 
 had a lovely dream, which God 
 sent to comfort him. The Lord 
 appeared to him in the dream 
 and said, "Behold I am with thee, 
 and will keep thee in all places 
 whither thou goest." And so 
 God did keep him. 
 
 Arthur, O, I hope this poor 
 woman will find her way home! 
 
 Mr, H, Yes, my boy, she did 
 so. After she had been praying, 
 she heard the sound of a horse's 
 feet, and presently she began to 
 see a man riding towards her. 
 It was one of her father's ser- 
 vants. He put her on the horse, 
 
• 8 father's stories. 
 
 and led her back to her house. 
 Then he rode to her father's, 
 and got her mother and aunt to 
 come over and help her. 
 
 ArtJiur. But the children, were 
 they alive? 
 
 Mr. H. O yes, they were both 
 in a sweet sleep, and they soon 
 gfot well. 
 
father's stoeies. 9 
 
 THE BOY AND THE BUTTEE. 
 FLY. 
 
 HIS is a very dif- 
 ferent picture, 
 said Arthur 
 to his father 
 in their next 
 '^^ conversation. 
 M)\ Herbert Tes ; how differ- 
 ently this mother looks ! Here 
 her children are well. Little 
 Emma is in her lap. Little Lucy 
 
10 father's stories. 
 
 is at her feet. This is whai 
 makes a mother happy. She 
 loves to have her daughters bj 
 her. No matter how much trou- 
 ble they give her, she is never 
 tired of them. There is no love 
 on earth like a mother's love. O 
 my son, remember how much 
 your dear mother has done for 
 you when you were a baby. Ho- 
 nour and love her. Never grieve 
 her tender heart. Do all you 
 can for her. This is well-pleas- 
 mg to God. 
 
 Arthur, If that littfe Emma 
 had died, how sorry her mother 
 would have been ! 
 
father's stories. 11 
 
 Mr II. Yes, indeed. Not long 
 atio, I saw a dear little child dia 
 in his mother's arms. A few 
 hours before he was playing 
 about sweetly. But death came, 
 and took him away, without his 
 being sick a whole day. I felt 
 his sweet hands ; they were like 
 snow. I kissed his cheek; it 
 was very, very cold. His mo- 
 ther's heart was almost broken. 
 But I will tell you what would 
 have distressed his mother more 
 than his death. 
 
 Arthur. O father, what is that ? 
 What could distress his mothc 
 more? 
 
12 FATHERS STORIES. 
 
 Mr.H. Itwouldhave distressed 
 his mother more, if he had grown 
 up to be a man, and had become 
 a profane, wicked wretch. There 
 are many such sons. Many 
 aged mothers are almost killed 
 with grief to see their sons be- 
 come drunkards, thieves, and 
 murderers. Solomon says, "A 
 wise son maketh a glad father, 
 but a foolish son is the heaviness 
 of his mother." 
 
 Arthur, I hope I shall not be 
 the heaviness of my dear mother. 
 I think I can never do any thmg 
 to displease her. 
 
 Mr H Ah, my son! You 
 
FATHER^S STORIES. 13 
 
 think so now, but unless the grace 
 of God change yo ir heart, you 
 will be very different from what 
 you think. Take tlie Lord Jesu^ 
 Christ for your example, and you 
 will go aright. Pray that God 
 would send his Holy Spirit to 
 teach you and to make you holy. 
 
 Arthur, Father, tell me more 
 about Emma and Lucy. 
 
 Mr. H, I perceive that you 
 like the story better than the ad- 
 vice I give you. Take notice, 
 Arthur, the reason why I tell you 
 the stories is to make you learn 
 something good. I wish you to 
 
 think of God your Creator, your 
 B 
 
14 FATHERS STORIES. 
 
 Preserver, and your Saviour 
 Wlien you were a very little 
 child, not so large as Lucy, you 
 used to listen to what I told you 
 about Christ, and used to say 
 that you would be a good boy 
 and serve God all your life. And 
 once when you were very ill, and 
 we thought you would die, you 
 said you hoped you would go and 
 be with Christ in heaven. 
 
 Arthur Was I ever so very 
 ill? 
 
 Mr, H, Yes, my son; I will 
 tell you about it, for you seem 
 not to remember. When you 
 were about six years old, you 
 
father's stories. 15 
 
 used to run about the meadow 
 before our door, and try to catch 
 the butterflies. Your sister Jane 
 saw you doing this, and in order 
 to amuse you, she made you a 
 little net of thread: it was a sort 
 of bag, and was fastened on the 
 end of a slender stick. With 
 this you used to catch the moths 
 and butterflies. One afternoon 
 a large spotted butterfly came 
 into the green meadow, and flew 
 about the flags and lilies near 
 the spring. You know there is 
 a high bank over the spring. 
 Look out of the window; there 
 
16 father's stories. 
 
 you see the bank; there is an 
 old tree growing on it. 
 
 Arthur, Yes, sir, I know the 
 place very well. 
 
 Mr, H. Just there you caught 
 the butterfly. But as you stooped 
 down to strike it with your net, 
 you slipped, and fell down several 
 feet over the edge of the spring. 
 When you were brought into the 
 house, we thought you were dead. 
 But you opened your eyes, in a lit- 
 tle while, and began to cry. You 
 were sick in bed for more than a 
 month. Your mother and 1 
 thought our little Arthur would 
 
father's stories. 17 
 
 never get well, and our hearts 
 were very much distressed. But 
 we tried to give you up to the 
 Lord ; and we prayed to him to 
 heal you, and promised that we 
 would endeavour to teach you to 
 love and serve him. 
 
18 father's stories. 
 
 THE BOY IN THE RIVER. 
 
 Arthur. The first story you 
 told me this morning was about 
 Emma and Lucy. Father, please 
 to tell me more about them. 
 
 Mr, Herbert, Mr. Dearly had 
 three children, — James, Lucy, 
 and Emma. He lived in the state 
 of Illinois, where there are g/eat 
 plains and meadows, larger than 
 any you ever saw in your life. 
 His house was on the edge of 
 one of these plains, near a wide 
 river. But he spent very little 
 time at home, for he had to travel 
 
father's stories 19 
 
 a great way off to the lead mines 
 So that Mrs. Dearly was left with 
 her children. But her father lived 
 a few miles from her, over he 
 wide plain I spoke of; and the 
 river ran between the two farms. 
 
 One day Lucy took little Em- 
 ma out into the fields to play. 
 She had a little woollen ruof with 
 her, which had been spread be- 
 fore the hearth. Lucy put Emma 
 on this, and dragged it about, as 
 if it had been a wagon. This 
 sport pleased the little creatures 
 very much. 
 
 It is always pleasant to see 
 children (especially brothers and 
 
20 father's stories 
 
 sisters) doing all they can to 
 make each other happy ; and no 
 one knows till he has tried it 
 how much of the enjoyment falls 
 to him who does the kind act. 
 
 But Lucy forgot that she was 
 very near the river, and went 
 on dragging the rug up to the 
 very edge. And then, as she 
 was lifting up one end of it, poor 
 little Emma rolled off, — quite 
 into the river. 
 
 Arthur, Was she drowned? 
 
 Mr, H, Emma screamed as 
 she touched the water; Lucy 
 screamed louder still. Though 
 they were much alarmed, yet the 
 
father's stories. 21 
 
 danger was not great. The water 
 was shallow, and full of flags at 
 that place ; and Lucy soon found 
 that she could crawl in, and pull 
 out the little girl from among the 
 flaojs. But the wettinoj made 
 them both sick, and it was a long 
 time before they were able to go 
 out again and play. Mrs. Dearly 
 was thankful that her child was 
 not drowned. While Lucy sat 
 by the fire, with a sore throat, 
 her mother read to her about the 
 child who was named from his 
 beinor drawn out of the water. 
 
 Arthur. Oh, I know who that 
 was ! It was Moses. 
 
22 father's stories. 
 
 Mr, H, Who drew Moses out 
 of the water ? 
 
 Arthur. An Egyptian maid. 
 
 Mr H. Whose maid was this ? 
 
 Arthur, Pharaoh's daughter's 
 maid. 
 
 Mr. H What was the king's 
 dauo'hter doinc^ at the river ? 
 
 Arthur. She came there to 
 wash herself, and her maids 
 walked along by the river side. 
 
 Mr. H. What river was it 1 
 
 Arthur. The pver Nile^ which 
 I'uns into the Mediterranean sea. 
 It is the only river in Egypt. 
 
 Mr. H. How long ago did this 
 happen ? 
 
father's stories. 23 
 
 Arthur. I do not know ; pray 
 tell me. 
 
 Mr, H, About thirty-five hun- 
 dred years ago. But where did 
 you learn this, Arthur ? 
 
 Arthur, I read it in {he second 
 chapter of Exodus, and my Sun- 
 day-school teacher explained it 
 to me. 
 
 Mr. H. Well, now we have 
 talked enough for once : you may 
 go out and saw wood to strength- 
 en your little arms. 
 
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