Year: 1867

T" You mustn't be inquisitve," replied
father evasively. "It's enough to know
that it's true, and that | know personally
the characters in it; and now don't interrupt
me any more"


:. No, no, papa" said we all, gathering a
little closer to his chair; a movement which
he regarded with deprecatng expression
until satisfied that his toes were in no dan
ger.


My friend Manning, you know" COM
menced father we knew nothing about him.
by the way, and having abilities not of an
every day order he early resolved upon turn.
ing himself to some account in the world
But he was poor mans son, and of large
family and the question was how to bring
1t about under circumstances as unfavorable
as could well be imagined. His parents
were plain, hard working, honest. church,
going people, having little to do with the
retinements of life, but possessing plenty of
strong good sense and innate perceptions of
the properties of social intercourse and
they had carefully and perseveringly incul.
Gated the notions which this good sense sug-
gested. One rule they really insisted on
one, regret to say, which is too often dis
regarded by people in their station they
scrupulously enjoined, and enforced if neces-
sary, respect for those superior either in
age, condition, or character never allowing
an infraction of this rule to pass without
suitable rebuke or punshment-a practice
which all parents and educators of youth
would do well to initiate; for, depend upon
it, girls, there is nothing in the world so
prepossesses one in favor of another as civil
and respectful behavior or address, | car e
hath al
or ignorant, it is the passport to good will,
ard has in many instances been the stepping
stone to fortune.


Well, my friend Manning. at this period
of his history, was as green and untutored a
little chap as need be /; bashful and awkward
beyond all description but he got this les
son by heart, though he seldom had call to
put it into practice.


" One bright autumn Sunday, young Man.
ming, and one or two of his brothers were
standing on the terrace of the village meet
ing-house-for though they lived at a dis.
tance, they were required to be punctually
at church as often as Sunday came; for the
parents, though not professedly religious,
held very correct notions about church. going.
to be respected. We cannot leave YOU
money, but we will see that you acquire right
habits


They stood on the terrace, l said, max.
ing their boyish observances on the various
equipages of the good towns people as they
cracked up their steady old nags 10 order to
flourish up to the church door, there to de-
post their load of women and children


1.-The lady stopped her horse and looked
around in some perplexity as to what she
Shonld do With ~ Voupo
ly comprehended The matter, and springing
he took the reins from her hand while she
alighted and helped out the little girl and
though she expressed warmly her pleasure
at his unsolicited politeness and attention,
his difidence was such that he could not
utter single word in reply; for he had
recognized in her widow lady who had
very recently taken up her residence at a
fine old mansion not far from the village, of
whose wealth and grandeur he had heard
fabulous rumors. So he only stood by the
horse, blushing and smiling, till the occu
pants of the carriage were safely on the
ground. and then carefully secured the horse
in neighboring shed, while the lady and
her daughter went into the church.


Now, girls, trivial and unimportant as
this occurrence may seem, it essentially
modified the whole after life of the lad 1t
wasn't simply the act itself, but the mode
and tense of it, which had such power to
effect his destiny. Do you understand p
The manner and time of doing a thing
quite Indifferent to itself, may, and often
does, make an ineifaceable impression !"


Father stopped short and looked earnestly
but very pleasantly.


Yes, SIR" answered Rebecca, thinking
he awaited some response on our part ;
- yes, sir, but that isn't all, is it ?"


. Not quite" replied he with queer
twinkle in his eyes, unless you are tired of
listening"


No, indeed, papa, do go on,'' urged we,
all in the same breath.


"Well, then," proceeded father, after
service, the widow, Mrs. D., and her little
girl found the chaise at the door, and the
same boy in attendance, with the same un.
surmounted diffidence holding him tongue
tied.


- Mrs. D. took silver quarter from her
pocket and was going to slip it into the boys
hand as an accompaniment to her thanks,
but he was out of sight the moment they
were seated in the chaise


"Who is that boy, Elizabeth ?" inquired
the widow as they drove homeward.


- don't know. mamma, but | saw him
in the Sunday School his class is very near
mine, " replied Elizabeth.


=" Indeed ~ said Mrs. D. "but | might
have known he belonged to the Sabbath
School, and that he had been carefully train
ed at home too, by his civil and obliging
behavior. Quite extraordinary in q raw
country lad. | shall keep my eye on that
boy, Elizabeth, for you may rely upon it he
will yet be heard of in the world, whatever
his situation and prospects may now be-


Elizabeth was pleased to hear him com.
mended, and added her own remark to the
same purport.


Through the succeeding week the lad
was often mentioned and by taking some
trouble his name and address were ascer-
tained, together with certain particulars re-
specting bis ambitious purposes for the
future, all of which information only served
to convince the widow D.. that she had not
been mistaken in her first estimate of the
youngster.


We now pass over an interval of ten
years, which to my friend Manning were
years of stern but resolute struggle
and toll. Bent ON the course which had been
the scheme of his prattle. he bad undertaken,
single handed, to grapple with the thousand
obstacles which rose mountain high between
his poverty and liberal education and
professional career. But he never taltered


or wavered in bis determination, though