THE TWO APPRENTICES, About twenty years ago two youths were received as apprentices into the same house of business. The lads were nearly the same age, but there was not any other resemblance between them; they were very unlike in character, and there was a difference in the position of their families. Henry J -'s father was a man of education and talent; but he was too indolent, and too fond of pleasure, to do much for his children. Henry, who was the eldest, had been allowed to idle away most of his time until he was fourteen, and he would never have learned a trade had not his mother's family urged the matter very strongly, and even paid down a premium for his apprenticeship. Thomas C- -was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. His father had been a journeyman all his life, but he had managed to provide his family with the necessaries and many of the comforts of life, and when he died, he was not only free from debt, but he left a few pounds in a saving's bank; this sum was used to apprentice Thomas to the same business his father had followed, his mother thinking very wisely that would be the best way of spending the money, as it would in time most probably be a means of providing for them both. Thomas was an honest, industrious, and good tempered lad, but rather homely in his appearance, and rough in his manners. Henry, on the contrary, was handsome and gentlemanly. Henry was aware that he had the advantage in point of education and address, and he took an ungenerous pleasure in making his fellow apprentice feel that he was his superior. Thomas loved peace too well to quarrel with him, but he often felt hurt and annoyed at the marked disrespect shown him. As years passed on, Henry J was spoken of by his companions as a fine talented young fellow, but a little idle, and rather too fond of pleasure; "but he never has a penny in his pocket," they would say, "and he is always in debt." Though these young men could see Henry's faults, and blame his idleness and extravagance, yet they laughed at Thomas as dull and plodding, and they called him stingy, and fond of his money. The fact was, that Thomas C's pleasures were of a different character; he liked to spend his evenings at home with his mother; and he was very fond of reading, and all the money he could spare he spent in books; indeed, he gained a good store of information in his leisure hours. When the term of Henry's apprenticeship had expired, he did not follow his business, but took a situation as traveller, thinking that change of scene would be more pleasant, and that he should be more his own master. But here we must leave him. Early in last winter the mistress of a dirty lodging house made application to the Benevolent Society connected with Chapel, for relief for a sick man who was lying ill in one of her rooms. The next morning one of the members of the Church went to the place. He was the bearer of a small sum from the society, and he took with him also a few little things which he thought would be acceptable to a sick person from Lis own house. "I am glad you are come, Sir," said the woman of the house, who opened the door, "the poor man is very bad, and he would have been starved if I had not taken him up a few things." She led the way up a dark, dirty staircase, and opened the door of the back room on the second floor; the chamber was in keeping with the rest of the house, and with the slatternly appearance of the woman, it was dirty and ill furnished; indeed, there was an air of wretch edness about the place beyond what might be expected to arise from poverty. The sick man, who lay stretched on a low bed in one corner of the room, added to the painfulness of the picture. His form was wasted to a mere skeleton, and his features were pale and haggard, and too plainly showed that he had been a drunkard. As the visitor approached the bed the sick man started, as though some disagreeable object had passed before his eyes, and his whole frame shook with emotion. Thinking that his brain was affected by the low fever from which he was suffering, the visitor did not take much notice of his agitation. He sat down by his side, and asked him a few questions concerning his health, but he found that he was not equal to conversation of any kind. Taking therefore a few little books from his pocket, he asked him to get some one to read them to him when he felt able to bear it. He then gave the money which he had brought from the society, and the articles he had with him for the invalid, to the woman, as she was acting as nurse; and saying that he would call again in a few days, he left the room. Early in the following week, the visitor went again to the sick man's chamber. He found him better, and on his entrance he greeted him with a smile, and offered him his hand; still there was a reserve and agitation in his manner. After making a few kind enquiries, the visitor tried to draw the man into conversation, by making some remarks on the tracts he had given at their last meeting. The sick man did not seem disposed to talk, but he listened, though it appeared as if he did so more out of respect to his visitor, than from interest in the subject. "Do you not know me, Thomas?" he suddenly exclaimed, looking earnestly in the other's face; "Oh how I must be changed." His companion was now in his turn surprised and agitated. Henry J– !" he cried, "Is it possible that you are Henry J -, my fellow apprentice !" "I am indeed that unhappy man," was the reply. "When I was a lad, I laughed at you Thomas for being so steady, and for spending your evenings at home instead of joining our jovial parties; but those jovial parties have brought me to this. I had talents which might have raised me in life; I had friends who would have helped me forward; I had advantages in many ways, but I lost them all by spending my time at a tavern. I have disgraced my family, and now they have left me to die alone." "No, not to die, I hope," cried his companion, and he seized the sick man's hand. Thomas C- had risen, step by step, until he became the master of a flourishing business. He had been admitted to a Christian Church, and was one of its most active and useful members. God blest him in his basket and in his store, and he was not unmindful of his duty to others. Those who have much of this world's goods are expected to act as His stewards. Henry Jon the contrary, had, as he had himself confessed, sunk, step by step, into ruin. Mr. C -took care that his early associate should not want any thing which would be likely to aid his recovery, and he paid him the most kind attentions. When he was able to bear the change, he had him removed to a more comfortable lodging. He is now much better in health, and there is reason to hope that he will take warning from the experience of the past, and never again indulge in those debasing habits which had brought him to the state of wretchedness in which his early associate found him. The sure way to overcome this evil is, at once and for ever, to abandon the use of intoxicating drinks, solemnly resolving not to touch, taste, or handle the accursed poison, asking God, by earnest, fervent prayer, to strengthen the holy resolution, and looking unto Him daily for strength to resist temptation. Intemperance, that monster sin And then your resolution dies. Do thou, O Lord, support my Temperance vow ! Preserve my soul from sin, And grant me grace to seive thee now, And endless life to win. Do thou assist me, when I try The drunkard to reclaim ; That so he may (0 thou Most High!) For ever bless thy name; Be Thou my guide, be thou my tower, Be thou my Saviour nigh, And keep me from the tempter's power With thy all-seeing eye. Societies may receive 24 Sixpenny Packets of Tracts and Hand Billa in any part of London, by a post-office order for 10s. 6d., or 50 packets for 218., being sent to Richard Dykes Alexander, Ipswich. All Country Booksellers may obtain Tracts through William Tweedie, 337, Strand, London. Stereotyped and Printed by J. M. Burton and Co. Ipswich. CRIME AND PAUPERISM. The following valuable paper on the above named subjects has lately appeared in the public papers, from the pen of James Haughton, Esq., of Dublin. "35, Eccles-Street. "DEAR SIR,-Public attention is, at the present time, much directed towards the questions, Crime and Pauperism, with a view of devising some means, other than those heretofore employed, for the suppression of those evils. It is clear that civilization has not yet discovered the proper mode of reclaiming the ignorant, and the visions of making their industry available for the promotion of the general good. A large amount of effort has been expended, immense sums of money have been appropriated, and much thought and writing has been given to the subjects, with a view of leading men to a right solution of the difficulties with which that question is surrounded. The proper punishment of crime, and the best means of preventing pauperism, have yet to be found out. 6 "One set of reasoners would hang, or otherwise torture, for every species of offence. Another set, acting on the 'law of love,' would still strive to bring the evil doer and the unfortunate into a better position, by acts of mercy and kindness. Both parties, in support of their theories, seem to forget almost altogether, that prevention is better than cure.' The upholders of a reign of terror, and the favourers of that milder system which, I think, is now happily predominant, seem alike forgetful of the fact, that it is ignorance and intemperance which are keeping their fingers busy; and that, therefore, it would be their wiser course to give up theorisings in opposite directions, and |