Saturday morning visitor., 1848-12-16

| year, which he always thought large
sum. But his beer and dtobacco cost near
ly seven pounds He went over and o.
yer the calculation dozen times, in doubt
of the first estimate, but it always came
out the same. Then he began TO 60 over
in his mind the many comforts seven
pounds per annum would give TO his fam
ily and particularly how many little lux
uries might be procured for Lizzy, whose
delicate appetite turned from the coarse
food that was daily set before her.
But 10 give up the beer and tobacco in
toto when it was thought of seriously, APP
peared impossible. How could he live
with them?
On that evening, the customer whose
boots he had taken home in the morning,
called in Unexpectedly, and paid for them.
Claire retained a sixpence of the money,
and gave the balance 10 his wife. With
this sixpence IN his pocket he wen: out
for mug of beer, and some tobacco to re-
plenish his pipe. lie staid some time
longer than he usually took for such an
errand.
When he came hack he had three or
anges in his pocket; and in his hands
were two fresh bunns, and cup of sweet
new milk. No beer had passed his lips,
and his pipe was yet unsupplied. He
had passed through another conflict with
his old appetites; but love for his child
came of, as before, the conqueror.
Lizzy, who dropped about all day, ly-
ing down most of her time, never went TO
sleep early. She was awake, as usual,
when her father returned. With scarce-
ly less esgerness than she had eaten the
orange in the morning, did she now drink
the nourishing milk and eat The sweet
buns, while her father sat looking at her,
his heart throbbing with nexpressible de-
light.
From that day, the pipe and the mug
were thrown aside 1t cost prolonged
struggle. But the inan conquered the
mere animal and Claire Sound himself
no worse off in health. He could work
as many hours, and with as little fatigue ;
in fact, he found himself brighter in the
morning, and ready 10 go to his work ear
lier, by which he was able 10 increase al
least a shilling or two, his weekly income.
Added TO the comfort of his family, eight
or len pounds produced great change.
But the greatest change was in little Liz
zy. For few weeks, every penny sa-
we'd from The beer and tobacc5, the father
regularly expended for his sick child /;
and it soon became apparent, that it was
nourlshing food, more than medicine, that
Lizzy needed. She revived wonderfully
and no long time passed before she could
sit up for hours. Her little tongue, too,
became free once more, and many an hour
of labor did her voice again beguile.-
And the blessing of better food came also
in time 10 the other children, and to all.
$50 much TO come from the right spend
ing of single penny" Claire said to hun
self, as he sat and reflected ore day.
"Who could have believed 1t ?"
And as il was with the poor cobler, SO
will it be with all of us. There are little
matters of self-denial, which, if we had
but the true benevolence, justice, and re-
solution 10 practice, would be the begin
ming Of more important acts of q like ma
ture, that when performed, would bless,
not only our families, bui others and be
returned upon us in a reward of delight
incomparably beyond any thing that self
ish and sensual indulgences have it in
a. = -. ls~i~