Year: 1879

There is a touching story Of the fa- nous Dr. Samuel Johnson, which has had an influence on many boy who has heard 1t. Samuel's father, Michael Johnson, was poor bookseller, in Lichfield, Eng land. On market days he used to carry

 package Of books to the village of Ut- toxeter, and sell them from stall in the market-place. One day the bookseller was sick, and asked his son to go and sell the books in his place. Samuel, from q silly pride refused to obey.

 Fifty years afterward Johnson became the celebrated author, the compile of the English Dictionary" and one of the distinguished scholars in England, but he never forgot his act of unkindness to his poor, hard d-toiling father; so when he visited Uttoxetor he determined to show his sorrow and repentance.

 He went into the marketplace at the time of business uncovered his head, and stood there an hour in a puring rain, on the very spot where the bookstall used to stand. "This," he says, was an act of contrition for my disobedience to my kind father"

 The spectacle of the great Dr. Johnson standing bareheaded in the storm, to atone for the wrong done by him fifty years before is grand and touching one. There is representation of it fn marble) on the Doctors monument,

 Many man in after-life has felt some thing harder and heavier than a storm Of rain beating upon his heart, when he re- membered his acts of unKindness to a good father or mother now in their graves.

 Dr. John Todd, of Pittsfield, the eminent writer. never could forget how. when his old father was very sick, and sent him away for medicine, he Ia little lad) had been unwilling to go, and made up a lie that "the druggist had not got any such medicine"

 The old man was just dying when lit tie Johnny came in, and said to him My boy. your father suffers great pain for want of that medicine"

 Johnny started in great distress for the

  on his return was almost gone. He could only say to the weeping boy, "Love God, and always speak the truth, for the eye of God Is always upon you. Now kiss me once more, and farewell"

 Through all his after-life Dr. Todd of ten had Q heartache over thatact of false- hood and disobedience to his dying father. It takes more than shower of ram to wash away the memory of such sin. Dr. Todd repented of that sin | thousand times.

 The words, "Honor thy father and thy mother" mean four things-always do what they bid you, always tell them the truth, always treat them lovingly, and | takeicare of them when they are sick or grown old. never yet knew a boy who trampled on the wishes of his parents who turned out we'll. God never blesses a wilfully-disobedient son.

 When Washington was sixteen years old he determined to leave home and be a midshipman in the Colonial navy. After he had sent off his trunk, he went to bid his mother goodbye. She Tept so bit terly because he was going away tfat he said to his negro servant, Bring back my trunk; am not going to make my mother suffer so by my leaving her"

 He remained at home to please his mother. This decision led to his becom- ng surveyor, and afterwards soldier His whole glorious career in life turned 'n this one simple act of trying to make is mother happy And happy, too, will ,e the child who never had occasion to he'd bitter tears for an act of unkindness e his parents. Let us not forget that Tod has said, Honor thy father and thy mother. - Toaths' Companion.