at once, by the pea-jacket, tarpaulin, and careless neck-tie. "There was that in his countenance to attract notice. With a profusion of the finest brown curls an eye of intelligence, and a face altogether above the common sort, generally found in the forecastle. He was emaciated, and looked as if just risen from extreme illness. Every few moments a distressing cough revealed the truth, that he was not far from the grave. "At length, I could not help turning round and saying, 'friend, you seem distressed; do try a lozenge.' He looked grateful, and as if willing to advance a little further in conversa tion." "Yes, this is a hard cough; it overhauled me coming on a lee shore in dead winter." "You have been very ill, I fear.” "Yes, I've had trouble, as well as other people; have been in the hospital, at Manilla, three months, with and East Indian fever." "Where are you bound now?" "Oh, to sea again. I sail from port to-morrow." "No, not to sea! you ought to be at home, under a physician's care. Have you a home, my friend?" "Yes, ma'am, I have a home, I suppose," (brushing away a tear with the cuff of his sleeve,) "I have rich friends, a plenty who wouldn't like, from shame, to see me in the lee-scuppers and a mother too, if she's living, who never thought I'd be in this condition." And again the hand swept over the eyes quickly. "A mother! Then why don't you go home to her?" "I dare not-it would break her heart. "My father is dead my brother was much older than I, and he domineered over me, and oppressed me. I could not bear it- he couldn't get the weather-gage of me! I left home and ran away-I left my mother without a word, but I've not made much by my voyage. I've been sick, got in debt-I owe the last captain I sailed with, and must go to sea with him again, to earn some money to pay him." "Oh, my friend, you ought not to go on the salt water at this inclement season. You will die of consumption, if you do;" (and my heart shuddered, as I remembered the toils of the poor sailor and his hardships, in the cold winter, running up the rigging stiff with ice, the frozen fingers, and cold, wet clothes, in which he turned into the bunks of the miserable forecastle.) "Think of your mother! and how glad she will be to welcome you back again!" "What is her name?" "He quickly gave it to me. "Where does she live!" "In Lowell." "Will you not return to her?" "I can't, I have no money." 66 "I glanced around; eager listeners caught the words, the hands were in the pockets." “Here, we'll make you up a purse,” “said a husky voice. "The poor fellow dropped his head into the slender fingers, and burst into tears, his sobs interrupted by the distressing cough. "Ah! that mother must see her boy again. "You shall have one - and in a moment I wrote, on a card, an order to a Bible Depository. The cars stopped, the sailor boy, in broken words, expressed his thanks, and disappeared. The good ship Hestor sailed out of Boston harbor, next day, without him. "So, you perceive, dear Anne," said Mrs. Freeman, "the world is crowded with interest. God scatters along our footsteps, opportunities for usefulness. We cannot escape them. We may shut our eyes-we may fold our talent in the napkin; but there they lie, directly in our way, and no bitter regret can ever recall a lost opportunity." CHAPTER XIII. 66 THE GARDEN. "OH, mother! mother! just look through these bars-do see this lovely garden! See those winding gravel paths. Look at these trees and flowers. See the fruit hanging on the walls pears and peaches. Do look!" said the delighted little girl, pulling her mother by the hand, as they slowly walked by a garden, in the city of N. B. A spacious mansion reared its lofty walls among the green foliage, lovely walks diverging in every direction, arbors and grottos, studded with shells and minerals, wafted from foreign shores, every where met the eye in varied forms of elegance. Wealth, intelligence, and skill had lent their aid to render this abode an |