Year: 1872

"Rosa, my love, attend to your lessons
whilst am away, and do not touch any
thing that lies upon my table," These
had been the last words of Mrs. Cameron
on quitting the room where she had been
sitting with her little daughter since
breakfast-time, busy with affairs of her
own. Rosa lifted up her eyes from the
French exercises, and said, VERY well,
mammal" and very well it would have
been if she had simply obeyed her moth
er's directions. But having finished her
lessons, a fit of idleness came on, and in
stead of setting herself to some employ
ment, she began to saunter about the
room, pokiDg the fire, displacing the orna-
ments on the mantel-piece, and now and
then gazing through the window into the
quiet street. 1t is in just such moments
as these that children are easily tempted
to do wrong.


81 wonder what there isupon mammals
table that am not to see: ?" she said to
herself; and though resolving not to
touch anything, she Immediately went to
make an examination with her eyes.
There was the inkstand and the writing
case living open, a few books and box
that looked like the box of colors which
Rosa had seen at the shop, and to obtain
which she had seriously talked of saving
up her money for nearly a year to come.
Surprise and curiosity put every other
consideration out of her head. She
| touched the spring, up went the lid it
was the very box that she meant to buy
There was a slip of paper inside with
some writing upon it, and, duty and
honor both forgotten, Rosa drew near
| enough to read it:


| TO ROSA on HER BIRTHDAY
AToKES OF HER MOTHERS APPovAL OF HER ATTES-
| TIoN AND OBEDIENCE.


Rosa closed the spring as quietly as if
any one could overhear her, and with
feelings altogether changed went back to
| her seat in the corner. Her first emo
| ton had been that of extreme delight,
but it was followed the next instant by
such pang of self-reproach and such
dread of discovery that her limbs trem-
bled and her cheeks turned pale. Pres
emily her mother returned; and finding
Rosa, as she thought, still intent upon
her studies, Mrs. Cameron closed the
writingcase, put away the inkstand and
locked up the box of colors in her cab
met at the farther end of the room.


1t was miserable day for Rosa, and
bitterly she repented of what she had
DONE Her birthday was on the morrow,
and there could be no doubt that the box
of colors would then be presented to her
with those expressions of appreciation
and affection which would have been so
delightful if she had not felt them entire
ly undeserved. How could she thank her
kind, confding parent, or pretend the
surprise which she did not feel ? And
then to think how different the case
would have been if she had only observed
her mothers iniunctionsl With what un-
mixed pleasure she might have received
| the welcome gift Z what hours of amuse-
ment it would have afforded what en-
couragement to persevere in habits of
obediencel


Rosa was a well-instructed child, and
in circumstances like the present con-
science plainly pointed out her duty. But
we have all experienced how hard it is to
confess fault when we know that il will
deprive us of the good opinion we most
| value and Rosa went to bed with the
burden of her unacknowledged trans
gression weighing upon her mind


The next morning, when she was sit
ting at breakfast with her father and
mother, Susan, the maid, came in with
smiling face and laid parcel before her.
| A glance at the countenance of Mrs
Cameron told Rosa what were its con-
tents, and that the time of trial was come.
With trembling hands she began to undo
the string, but the knot would not come
united, and her eyes were blinded with
tears, SO that she could not see what she
was about. A moment more, and she
hastily pushed aside the parcel, rose from
her chair and, sobbing, threw her arms
round her mothers neck. A few broken
sentences told the sad tale of her fault
and her contrition.


keep back the color-box, dear NAM
ma" she said, ''till deserve il. could
not bear to look at it now. And if you
will but forgive me and trust me as be-
fore, l hope l shall never, never be so
naughty again"


Mrs. Cameron tenderly kissed her re-
pentant child, and assuring her of her
forgiveness, expressed her hope that this
lesson. though painful, might be of last
ing service by teaching her self-distrust
and leading her to look for heavenly aid
in every time of temptation. And though
Rosa did not obtain the color-box just
then, no long period elapsed before she
became mistress of it, with her mothers
full confidence and clear and quiet con-
science Children's Hour.