Anonymous

“ The thought that they will come upon you need not make you sad, but it should make you good, and cause you to resolve to do your duty and to serve God. If you do so, when you get as old as I am, you will find that if age brings its cares and sorrows, it also brings surer and even brighter hopes of a life beyond the grave. ”

“ John Cooper was a little boy, whose father and mother lived in a cottage on one side of a village green. He was his parents' only child, so that he had no brothers nor sisters to play with. But he had a dog of which he was very fond, and he used sometimes to play with other children on the green. Tom Jones was one of the boys that played with John Cooper. One day he asked John Cooper to go for a long walk with him, instead of going to school. John at first would not consent, but at last he gave way and went with Tom, taking Carlo with him. ”

“ John Davis and his wife were very poor people, but as they worked very hard, they could just get a living for themselves. John worked for a farmer in the parish, and his wife took in needle-work.
They did pretty well, when John had work; but for nearly two years John's master could not employ him always, and he was brought almost to distress. But his wife always used to keep up his spirits by saying, "Be content, and thank God if you can but live; brighter hours will come." ”

“ They were very poor, and were now too old to work much; but with what they got of John's pay, they had enough just to live upon, and above all they had thankful hearts, which made them happy. Yet they often wished for John's return; sometimes too they were fearful lest he should be killed or wounded in the wars; but when they felt thus, they always tried to put their trust in God.
When John had been away ten years, he came back one day, safe and sound, as his father and mother were standing at the door of the cottage. ”

“ For some time after her husband had left, she got on very well, and was able to send the boys to school: but she caught a fever and was forced to keep her bed. Her neighbour, Sarah Smith, was very kind to her, and used to come to the house every morning and evening to do what she could to help her. But she was a poor woman, and could not afford to give Mary Jones anything that cost money; so poor Mary was forced to part with a great many things that she might get food.
Ned and Tom at this time took turns to go to school. Tom used to go to school one day, while Ned waited on his mother ”

“ His wife was in the mean time doing something in the house, or working for some of the farmers who lived near.
Michael now bought a cow and two pigs, and made some profit by them. In six years more he bought the cottage he lived in; and twelve years after this, that is twenty-four years after he was married, he rented a little farm. By this time he had seven children; and as he had made his cottage larger, they all lived at home and helped him. His eldest boys worked at the farm, and the girls milked the cows and made the butter, under the care of their mother, and kept the poultry. ”