express their joy by jumping up and down, and clapping their hands. All were eager to begin to work. Ellen, however, checked their impatience, and informed them, that as this was their first meeting, it was necessary and proper that business should receive the first attention, and before proceeding any farther, or without more loss of time, it would be best to appoint a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. She had proceeded thus far when she was interrupted by Harriette, anxiously making the general inquiry-" Who do you want for President ?"

"Twas indeed a hard question. It was very evident there were but two proper candidates, and these, Ellen and Harriette. Both had intimate friends in the little party, and both had separate claims to the honor. Ellen was at the present time the most popular, and Harriette had two sisters and one cousin present, just half the number. To have given a vote on so difficult a subject without wounding the feelings of either party, would have required no ordinary share of skill.

"I want Ellen," said the first little girl to whom the question was put; and so do I," said a second,-" and so do I," said a third. Seeing a majority were in favor of it, Harriette, with great magnanimity, gave her consent, and as a reward' for it, was immediately chosen Vice President. The Secretary and Treasurer having been appointed in the same way, the whole society, which now consisted of four officers and two members, applied themselves diligently to their work.

The President took the superintendence of the whole, and portioned out to each officer her respective duty, according to her rank. One was to look at the little girls, to see if they sewed right, a second was to cut patterns, and a third was to baste. Three bed-quilts, star, plain patch-work, and blockwork, it was agreed, they should commence immediately, besides two little aprons and one cap, were to be made. But here was a difficulty: what should they do with their money ? Their quilts would certainly sell for three dollars apiece, and then they would get about one dollar more for their aprons and caps. Here was ten, at the very first commencement, and what was to be done with it?

A long and animated discussion now took place. Some of the more aspiring, wished that it should be presented to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions; others thought it would be much better to make their minister life member of some Bible Society; and a few there were, who, not being quite so sanguine as to the amount they should earn, ex pressed only the modest opinion, "that perhaps it would be bes

VOL. I.

11

to buy poor old Mrs. Lower a cloak :" and so warm did each of the little disputants become in urging the superior merit of her own proposal, that they entirely forgot their present duties, and Ellen, as she glanced her eye around the table, had the mortification of seeing that not half a square of her neatly basted patchwork was sewed; for little girls can seldom keep both tongues and needles rapidly employed at the same moment. Putting on all the dignity she possibly could, and assuming all the authority which belonged to her official station, she gave several loud and successive raps with her thimble upon the table. "Twas a sound to which they were accustomed; and in an instant every voice was hushed,-almost every little band had resumed its work,-and many a sideway and almost fearful glance was cast, as if all expected to catch the eye, and hear the voice of Miss E. in loud and angry tones, call some little offender to her desk.

Ellen smiled as she saw the success of her expedient; and as the delusion vanished, the smile spread over the countenances of all however she improved the moment of industry and silence, by making the following address to her now attentive audience :

"Girls, I'll tell you what it is,-unless you sew more than you have done this afternoon, we shall not get a cent ;--but I suppose you will, so I have three plans to propose to you, and you must all be still and hear them :-The first one that makes any noise must go and sit in that chair, behind the bed, till I get through. And in the first place, you know that in India they throw their dear little babies to the crocodiles ;-now we can get a Missionary to save us one, and we can educate him with our money, when he is old enough, and while he is little we can make his clothes and send out to him-and then, you know, he can come and preach for us." The youthful orator stopped to take breath, and her proposal was received with the loudest acclamations of joy. A second rap, a second time restored silence, and she proceeded. "In the second place, we must have a name for our society-every society has a name, and we shall need one very much. I think the Children's Benevolent Association would be a good one; don't you like it ?" "Yes-yes, it's just the thing," was heard from all sides of the table.

"Well, I am glad you like it ;—and in the third place, I think we had better have a recess now."

This last proposal was received with greater joy and louder acclamations than either of the other two, and they immediately complied with it. In such a hurry were the little girls to escape from the tedious work of sewing, to which they had steadi

ly confined their attention for about fifteen minutes, that they nearly overturned the table, with all the precious materials which were laying upon it. All work was instantly thrown aside, and needles were left hanging on their long pieces of thread, to drop off, and fall unobserved in some crack where the owner should find it not. How seldom do children think of

the future!

"What shall we play ?"-was of course the first question, and it was asked anxiously by the two or three who had stationed themselves at the window, and saw the large clouds of dust, which a violent wind ever and anon whirled up and blew along the road. "Its too windy to play out doors: what shall we do in the house ?"

"Still Parm-Still Parm," was immediately proposed by two or three voices, and eagerly seconded by the others. It was no sooner said than done. With all the energy and promptness of childhood, the shutters were closed,-the 'Tory' chosen,and each little girl in her hiding-place in less than a minute. They aimed at perfect darkness, but in vain had they closed the shutters. The light, as if vexed at the attempt to hide it, came pouring in with double power through every crack and crevice. It streamed maliciously across the white bed-quilt, directly over three little chubby faces, which had there sought a hiding-place. Neither was this all: it sent its rays over and under the the table, revealing two others, who had there sought security from the grasping arm of their 'Tory.'

A laugh burst from all at this discovery; but they were determined at any rate to have a game. Ellen went into her mother's best chamber, and bringing from thence several large English blankets, with the assistance of the party, pinned them up over the windows. It was of no use, for light enough still found entrance to spoil the play; and in despair of excluding it altogether, they at last determined to "blindfold their Tory."

This done, and each having again secreted herself,—with outstretched arms and with an expression of the utmost caution, the Tory' commenced her duties. The first thing which she joyously grasped was the high post of the bed, and coming in rather closer contact with it than was desirable, she received in return a severe blow upon her nose. The expression of caution changed for one of pain, and there seemed a little danger that she might not be able to control her tears. A whisper from one corner of "never mind," just scout them, and with re-animated courage she advanced swiftly towards the spot from which the sound proceeded. There were impediments in the way which she knew not of. She reached out her hand to grasp her ex

pected prize, and placed her feet firmly against what she supposed to be the door. A scream was heard; but 'twas too late. Over went the table,—bang on the floor,-needles, pins, bits of cloth nicely arranged, squares thrown in every direction. A step was heard on the stairs. Every little girl, as if conscious she was not doing right, jumped from her dark corner, and all hands were instantly at work pulling down the blankets and throwing open the shutters, hoping to accomplish it before the step should reach the door. In the midst of their employments, it opened, and Ellen's mother entered. She looked with perfect amazement upon the scene before her. "Ellen, is this your society?" said she at length. "Why mother, it is recess;" said the mortified child. Mrs. G. shook her head and smiled; and telling her daughter she had better close immediately, as Mr. G. was unwell, and could not bear the noise-she gave one glance more at the disorderly room, and then went out.

Every little girl as she put on her bonnet to return from this "first society meeting," sighed to think of its termination ;and even the President, as she performed the unpleasant duty of "setting things to rights," almost sighed to think she had insisted upon its meeting the first time at her house. Had these children really practised self-denial, and animated by the hope of doing good, given up for once their play and applied themselves diligently to their work, they might have sewed many a square of their bed quilt and the close of their meeting would have been far more tranquil.

The lesson in Westminster's Shorter Catechism, on the next Saturday forenoon, was much better committed than it had been on the preceding one, and not a single scholar was obliged to remain after school, for inattention and disobedience. The same little party of six, who, just a week before, had stopped upon the "great rock," anxious to know all the plans for the meeting, passed it as unconcerned, as if they had nothing now to occupy their holiday, save their own individual plans for pleasure; and possibly they might have forgotten it altogether, had not Ellen screamed after them as they parted—“ Meet at Harriet's house."

Precisely at half past two, the President of this youthful society was at the place appointed, and busy arranging her work for the afternoon: but she had time to take it all from her large bag-sort it out, thread all her needles, and get every thing ready before any other one made her appearance. By three o'clock, the four officers were all in their proper places; but they waited in vain for the two members. Probably thinking the duties they had to perform, were so very unimportant, as to render it unnecessary for them to attend, when they had

any thing else to do, these two little girls had taken their baskets at an early hour, and gone out in the woods to spend the afternoon in collecting berries.

Finding the society so very small, and hoping for better things in future, the three inferior officers proposed giving it up for this time only, and joining their companions in the woods. In vain Ellen reasoned, warned and entreated,—the afternoon was too pleasant to stay in the house-the berries were too good to hang on the bushes-and, in short, the temptation was too strong to be resisted. They put on their bonnets-took their baskets, and in a few minutes might be seen, hand, in hand, going rapidly to the distant and dark woods, where their two delinquent members were already enjoying themselves.

Ellen stood at the window and watched them till they were out of sight, and then, with tears in her eyes, returned to the table. "Ah," thought she, as she replaced all the work in her bag, just as she brought it-"I'll never be President of a Childrens' Benevolent Association again."

It is to be feared, that too many similar plans of childhood meet with a similar fate as this unfortunate society. Children love novelty, and enter with spirit upon every thing which partakes of it; the novelty of a Benevolent Society soon went off, and it needs more judgment, more maturity of mind, to keep up that interest, and present those motives, which shall induce a child to be constant in her attendance, and unwearied in her efforts to do what good she can. With an experienced hand to guide it, such a society may live and flourish. The efforts which the child is willing to make, will be rightly applied, and the benevolent feelings of the heart, will be brought into lively and constant exercise, and they will be taught the happiness of doing good. But without this, it must die; unless, indeed, the individual members have more firmness and stability of character than is generally met with, among children.

MR. EDITOR:

WISDOM AND HONESTY.

For the Religious Magazine.

"Ought a man to set his sails so as to catch every wind that blows?" was the question addressed to me by an uncompromising friend of truth, concerning a preacher who gained the attention and excited the interest of almost all sects. Will you