A PLEASING COMPANION. CHAPTER I. SELECTIONS FROM THE CHILDREN'S FRIEND. SECTION I. William and Thomas; or the contrast between Industry and Indolence. 1. In a village, at a small distance from Boston, lived a wealthy farmer, who had two sons, William and Thomas, of whom the former was exactly a year older than the latter. 2. On the day that the second son was born, the farmer set in his orchard two young apple-trees of an equal size, on which he bestowed the same care in cultivating, and they throve so much alike, that it was a difficult matter to say which claimed the preference. 3. As soon as the children were capable of using garden implements, their father took them, on a fine day early in the spring, to see the two plants he had reared for them, and called after their names. William and Thomas having much admired the beauty of those trees, now filled with blossoms, their father told them that he made them a present of them in good condition, and that they would continue to thrive or decay, in proportion to the labour or neglect they received. 4. Thomas, though the younger son, turned all his attention to the improvement of his tree, by clearing it of insects as soon as he discovered them, and propping up the stem, that it might grow perfectly upright. He dug all around it to loosen the earth, that the root might receive nourishment from the warmth of the sun, and the moisture of the dews. No mother could nurse her child more tenderly in its infancy, than Thomas did his tree. 5. His brother William, however, pursued a very different conduct; for he loitered away all his time in the most idle and mischievous manner, one of his principal amusements being to throw stones at people as they passed. He kept company with all the idle boys in the neighbourhood, with whom he was continually fighting, and was seldom without a black eye or a broken shin. 6. His poor tree was neglected and never thought of, till one day in the autumn, when, by chance, seeing his brother's tree loaded with the finest apples, and almost ready to break down with the weight, he ran to see his own tree, not doubting but he should find it in the same pleasing condition. 7. Great, indeed, was his disappointment and surprise, instead of finding the tree loaded with excellent fruit, he beheld nothing but a few withered leaves, and branches covered with moss. He instantly went to his father, and complained of his partiality in giving him a tree that was worthless and barren, while his brother's produced the most luxuriant fruit. He, therefore, thought that his brother should, at least, give him one half of his apples. 8. His father told him, that it was by no means reasonable that the industrious should give up part of their labour to feed the idle. "If your tree," said he, "has produced you nothing, it is but a just reward of your indolence, since you see what the industry of your brother has gained him. 9. "Your tree was equally full of blossoms, and grew in the same soil; but you paid no attention to the culture of it. Your brother suffered no visible insects to remain on his tree; but you neglected that caution, and left them even to eat up the very buds. As I cannot bear to see even plants perish through neglect, I must now take this tree from you, and give it to your brother, whose care and attention may possibly restore it to its former vigour. 10. "The fruit it shall produce must be his property, and you must no longer consider yourself as having any right to it. However, you may go to my nursery, and there choose any other which you may like better, and try what you can do with it; but if you neglect to take proper care of it, I shall also take that from you, and give it to your brother, as a reward for his superior industry and attention." 11. This had the desired effect on William, who clearly perceived the justice and propriety of his father's reasoning, and instantly got into the nursery to choose the most thriving apple-tree he could there meet with. His brother Thomas assisted him in the culture of his tree, advising him in what manner to proceed; and William made the best use of his time, and the instructions he received from his brother. 12. He left off all his mischievous tricks, forsook the company of idle boys, applied himself cheerfully to work, and in autumn received the reward of his labour, his tree being then loaded with fruit. 13. From this happy change in his conduct, he derived the advantages not only of enriching himself with a plentiful crop of fruit, but also of getting rid of bad and pernicious habits. His father was so perfectly satisfied with his reformation, that the following season he gave him and his brother the produce of a small orchard, which they shared equally between them. BERQUIN. 14. 'Tis the voice of a sluggard—I heard him complain, Turns his sides and his shoulders and his heavy head. 15. "A little more sleep and a little more slumber;" Thus he wastes half his days and his hours without number. The thorn and the thistle grew broader and higher; He had ta'en better care for improving his mind; But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding, SECTION II. WATTS. Mischief its own Punishment, exemplified in the history of William and Henry. 1. MR. STEVENSON and his little son Richard, as they were, one fine day, walking in the fields together, passed by the side of a garden, in which they saw a beautiful pear-tree loaded with fruit. Richard cast a longing eye at it, and complained to his papa that he was very dry. 2. On Mr. Stevenson's saying that he was dry also, but they must bear it with patience till they got home, Richard pointed to the pear-tree, and begged that his papa would let him go and get one; for as the hedge was not very thick, he said he could easily get through, without being seen by any one. 3. Richard's father reminded him that the garden and fruit were private property, and to take any thing from thence, without permission of the owner, was nothing less than being guilty of a robbery. He allowed that there might be a possibility of getting into the garden without being seen by the owner of it; but such a wicked action could not be concealed from him, who sees every action of our lives, and who penetrates even into the very secrets of our hearts; and that is God. 4. His son shook his head, and said he was sensible of his error, and would no more think of committing what might be called a robbery. He recollected that parson Jackson had told him the same thing before, but he had then forgotten it. 5. At this instant a man started up from behind the hedge, which had before concealed him from their sight. This was an old man, the owner of the garden, who had heard every thing that had passed between Mr. Stevenson and his son. 6. "Be thankful to God, my child, said the old man, that your father prevented your getting into my garden with the view to deprive me of that which does not belong to you. You little thought, that at the foot of each tree is placed a trap to catch thieves, which you could not have escaped, and which might have lamed you for the rest of your life. 7. I am, however, happy to find, that you so readily listened to the admonition of your father, and showed such a fear of offending God. As you have behaved in any so just and sensible a manner, you shall now, without danger or trouble, partake of the fruit of my garden." He then went to the finest pear-tree, gave it a shake, and brought down near a hat-full of fruit, which he immediately gave to Richard. 8. This civil old man could not be prevailed on to accept of any thing in return, though Mr. Stevenson pulled out his purse for that purpose. "I am sufficiently satisfied, sir, said he, in thus obliging your son, and were I to accept of any thing, that satisfaction would be lost." Mr. Stevenson thanked him kindly, and having shaken hands over the hedge, they parted, Richard at the same time taking leave of the old man in a polite manner. 9. Little Richard, having finished several of the pears began to find himself at leisure to talk to his papa. "This is a very good old man, said he, but would God have punished me, had I taken these pears without his leave?” 10. "He certainly would, replied Mr. Stevenson, for he never fails to reward good actions, and chastise those who commit evil. The good old man fully explained to you this matter, in telling you of the traps laid for thieves, into which you must inevitably have fallen, had you entered his garden in a clandestine manner. 11. God directs events so as to reward good people for virtuous actions, and to punish the wicked for their crimes. In order to make this more clear to you, I will relate to you an affair which happened when I was a boy, and which I shall never forget." Richard seemed very attentive to his father, and having said he should be very glad to hear his story, Mr. Stevenson thus proceeded. 12. "When I lived with my father, and was nearly about your age, we had two neighbours, between whose houses ours was situated, and their names were Davis and Johnson. Mr. Davis had a son named William, and Mr. Johnson one also of the name of Harry. Our gardens were at that time separated only by quickset hedges, so that it was easy to see into each other's grounds. 13. "It was too often the practice with William, when he found himself alone in his father's garden, to take pleasure in throwing stones over the hedges, without paying the least regard to the mischief they might do. Mr. Davis had frequently caught him at this dangerous sport, and never failed to reprimand him severely for it, threatening him with severe punishment if he did not desist. 14. "This child, unhappily, either knew not or would not take the trouble to reflect that we are not to do amiss, even when we are alone, for reasons I have already mentioned to you. His father being one day gone out, and therefore thinking that nobody could see him, or bring him to punishment, he filled his pockets with stones, and then began to fling them about at random. . 15. "Mr. Johnson happened to be in his garden at the |