THE MORAL PICTURE BOOK [Illustration: THE MORAL PICTURE BOOK: PRAYER] JOHN COOPER. * * * * * John Cooper was a little boy, whose father and mother lived in a cottageon one side of a village green. He was his parents' only child, so thathe had no brothers nor sisters to play with. But he had a dog of whichhe was very fond, and he used sometimes to play with other children onthe 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 ofgoing to school. John at first would not consent, but at last he gaveway and went with Tom, taking Carlo with him. There was a pretty stream of water that ran along one side of the green, and then passed through a wood in a winding course. In some places itwas rather broad and deep, and in other places it was shallow, and ranmurmuring over the stones at the bottom. Tom said that it would be verypleasant to go along the stream, sometimes on one side, and sometimes onthe other, far into the wood, and to look for birds' nests. The sun wasshining very brightly, the trees were in full leaf, the grass was thickand green, sweet flowers were blooming on all sides, butter-flies anddragon-flies sported in the sunshine, and birds were singing on everybush and tree. All things seemed to be joyful, and the two boys startedoff briskly, with Carlo after them. But of this party, the only one that was truly happy, was Carlo. He hadnothing to do but to obey his master, and this he had done when John hadcalled him away from his home. John tried to raise his own spirits, andran, and jumped about, and romped with Carlo. But he could not forgetthat he had done wrong, that he ought to have been at school, and thathe should grieve his kind parents when they knew what he was now doing. The thought of this would come into his mind, and kept him from beinghappy. As for Tom Jones, he seemed merry enough, though he not only knewthat he was doing wrong himself, but that he had led John into mischief. He tried to forget this, and laughed and shouted with all his might; butit was in vain, and he had bitter feelings at the bottom of his heartall the time. [Illustration: AFFECTION] They went on rambling till they had got more than a mile into the wood. The stream here was wide and deep. On one side of it there grew an oldwillow, and in one of the branches of this, they saw a wren's nest. AsTom was the stronger boy of the two, it was agreed that he should helpJohn up to the branch, so that he might reach the nest. John got uponthe branch, and he had put out his hand to take hold of the nest, whenthe branch broke off, and down he fell into the water. Tom laughed atthis, for he knew that the stream was not deep enough to drown him: butCarlo rushed in and dragged his master by the clothes towards the bank. John scrambled out, but he was covered with mud. Tom helped him to takeoff his clothes, and clean off the mud and dry them; but with all theycould do, John was still in a sad mess, and as it was now late in theday, he turned to go home with a heavy heart. When he reached the cottage, he found his father and mother in greatalarm, as they could not think what had become of him. When they foundout what had taken place, their alarm was changed into grief, on accountof the son whom they loved so much, having done wrong. John himselfcried a great deal, and said that he was more vexed because he hadcaused them grief, than he should have been, if they had scolded andwhipped him. His mother told him that she left it to his own heart toscold him, and that he should go to his bed-room and pray to God on hisknees to forgive him, as she had taught him to pray. John did as she bade him, and he prayed to God with all his heart. He then went to sleep with a quiet mind; and when he awoke the nextmorning, he prayed again that God would give him strength to do hisduty, and to stand firm when he should be tempted again as he had beenby Tom Jones. He then read a chapter in the Bible to his mother, andwent to school. His master kept him in, and gave him only a piece ofbread and a cup of water for dinner. But he did not suffer nearly somuch from this as he had done from having grieved his dear parents; forhe had before this been brought to repent, and he felt that God, andhis father and mother, had forgiven him. John Cooper never again grieved his father and mother by doing wrong, and never forgot the lesson he had learned, when Tom Jones led himastray, as long as he lived. [Illustration: SUNDAY MORNING] When John Cooper became a man, there were bad times, and he could notget a living at the trade to which he had been brought up: so he wentfor a horse-soldier. And before he went, his father and mother gave himtheir blessing, and he prayed with all his heart that God would blessthe old people, and preserve them; and said he would let them have asmuch of his pay as ever he could. It was a sad day for him and his parents when he went away. They hadnever been parted for so long a time before, and he was now going toIndia, from whence he could not return for some years. But they couldnot help it; so they all said that it was God's will that they shouldpart, and it was their duty to bear it as well as they could. After John was gone, the old people never missed a day but they prayedto God to keep their son, both in his soul and body, from all evil. Theywere very poor, and were now too old to work much; but with what theygot of John's pay, they had enough just to live upon, and above all theyhad thankful hearts, which made them happy. Yet they often wished forJohn's return; sometimes too they were fearful lest he should be killedor wounded in the wars; but when they felt thus, they always tried toput 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. Youmay judge how they all felt, and how many questions his fond motherasked him, as to where he had been, and how he had got on. The next day was Sunday, and both John and his parents were glad of it, for they wished to go to church to offer up their thanks to God, who hadkept John safe through many dangers, had saved the lives of the oldpeople, and had now brought them to each other again. It was a fine bright morning in Spring, just such a one as it had beennearly twenty years before, when Tom Jones had tempted John Cooper tokeep away from school, and to go into the wood to take birds' nests. John did not forget that day; and when it came into his mind, he couldnot help thinking of the changes that had taken place since. He went to church, and you may be sure that he and the old man and womangave thanks to God with all their hearts, for the mercy he had shewn tothem. [Illustration: CHARITY] CHARITY. * * * * * Mary Jones was a poor woman whose husband had gone to sea on a longvoyage. She lived in a house by the road side, and got her living bywashing. She had two little boys, who were her great comfort, and whomshe used to call Ned and Tom. For some time after her husband had left, she got on very well, and wasable to send the boys to school: but she caught a fever and was forcedto keep her bed. Her neighbour, Sarah Smith, was very kind to her, andused to come to the house every morning and evening to do what she couldto help her. But she was a poor woman, and could not afford to give MaryJones anything that cost money; so poor Mary was forced to part with agreat many things that she might get food. Ned and Tom at this time took turns to go to school. Tom used to go toschool one day, while Ned waited on his mother; and the next day Nedwent to school and Tom staid at home. One morning when Ned was going toschool, the thought of his poor mother pressed hard on his heart; andafter he had gone a little way, he burst out crying. He had not gone far along the narrow lane towards the school, when twoyoung ladies met him and asked him why he was crying. He told them thathe was thinking of his poor sick mother. The ladies then asked him hisname and where he lived, and said they would go and call upon hismother. He thanked them and dried up his tears, and went on to schoolwith a much lighter heart. Soon after he reached home in the evening, the two kind ladies came tohis mother's house with a foot-boy, who brought a basket filled withbread and meat, and some things fit for the poor sick woman. They told Mary Jones how they had met Ned in the lane, and what he hadtold them; and she thanked them for what they had brought, and said thatshe hoped God would bless them for their goodness to her. They thenasked about Ned and Tom, and said they would get their father to do whathe could for them. The young ladies then went home, told their father and mother what theyhad seen and heard, and thanked God that they had been able to make apoor woman and her two sons happy. HOSPITALITY. * * * * * There was a poor woman named Rachel Jenkins, who lived in a very littlecottage at some distance from any other house. She was a widow, and verypoor, but she was very clean and careful; so that her cottage had alwaysa look of neatness and comfort. She used to spend most of her time inspinning. She had one son, whose name was Harry. He was twelve years old, and usedto carry a basket filled with tapes and thread, pins and needles, andother things of that sort, which he sold to people who lived near. Heused to go out in the morning and return in the evening; and you may besure his mother was always glad when the time came for him to come home. One evening, as he was on his way home, about half a mile from hismother's house, he saw an old man sitting by the way-side, who was verytired, and seemed as if he was not able to walk any further. His hairwas quite white, and his face and hands were thin and wrinkled. Harry said to him in a kind voice, "You seem tired, father; have you gotmuch further to walk. " The old man told him that he had to go to thenext town, which was twelve miles further; but that he was so tired, hewas sure that he should not be able to get there that night. On this, Harry said, "I wish you would go home with me; for I am sure my motherwould be very glad that you should sleep in our house. " The old manthanked him and said he would go with him. So he rested his hand uponHarry's shoulder, and walked slowly towards the house. Harry's mothermet them at the door; and when Harry had told her how he had met withthe old man, she said she was glad to see him, and asked him to walk into take some tea. After tea, the old man told Sarah Jenkins that he was going to see hisson, who was laid up in a hospital in the town to which he was going. His son was a soldier, and had been in the West Indies for some years;but he caught the yellow fever, and was sent home sick. The next morning the old man went on his way, and blessed Sarah Jenkinsand Harry, because they had done good to him who could make no otherreturn than to thank them and pray for them. [Illustration: HOSPITALITY] SUNDAY EVENING. * * * * * When I was a girl, Sunday evening used to be the part of the week that Iloved best; and I liked it better in Winter than in Summer. We used tosit round a blazing fire; my mother used then to teach my little brotherTom to say his prayers, and my father used to teach me to read inPilgrim's Progress, or some such book; while my brother John sat nearreading some book or other that was fit for a Sunday, with his dogHector lying at his feet. My dear old grand-father was then alive, and he would sit at the tablewith the large old family Bible before him for the whole evening. As I look back upon the pleasant picture in my mind, my eye fills withtears. I cannot help thinking of what has become of the faces that werethen so full of smiles and gladness. My grand-father went to the gravefirst, but he died in a good old age; and though we mourned to lose himwhom we had all loved so much, we could not help feeling that it was ahappy change for him, as he could hardly see or hear. Next to him, mypoor little brother Tom fell ill of the typhus fever, and God took himto heaven in the budding of his child-hood. Only a year or two ago, myfather gave me his dying blessing, and was then a very old man. Mymother now survives, though very old; and my two sisters, Mary andElizabeth, who were then lively girls, are living, and are the mothersof families. My brother John, a middle-aged man, is the Captain of aship, being now far away on a voyage; and he has left behind him a wifeand two boys, the youngest of whom is as old as he was at the time Ihave spoken of. I am almost an old woman; though on these happy eveningsthat I was speaking of, I was the youngest but one. You, my little friends, will, perhaps, some day have to look back uponsuch changes as I have seen. The thought that they will come upon youneed not make you sad, but it should make you good, and cause you toresolve to do your duty and to serve God. If you do so, when you get asold as I am, you will find that if age brings its cares and sorrows, italso brings surer and even brighter hopes of a life beyond the grave. [Illustration: SUNDAY EVENING] CONTENTMENT. * * * * * John Davis and his wife were very poor people, but as they worked veryhard, they could just get a living for themselves. John worked for afarmer in the parish, and his wife took in needle-work. They did pretty well, when John had work; but for nearly two yearsJohn's master could not employ him always, and he was brought almost todistress. But his wife always used to keep up his spirits by saying, "Becontent, and thank God if you can but live; brighter hours will come. " Sometimes John was quite spirit-broken, and said he should leave homeand try to get work somewhere else. He was forced to sell some of hisgoods to buy food, and did not know which way to turn. But his wifenever failed to wear a cheerful face, and used to be always saying tohim, "Do your best, and be content to take what God appoints. " John loved his wife very much; but he was sometimes half vexed becauseshe was never sad like he was. He would tell her that it was a very goodthing to be cheerful and happy when they could get a good living. Shethen used to say to him, that there was no virtue in being content whenall was going on well; and that the proper time to try to be cheerfulwas, when things were going amiss. At last, better times came. John got into work on the estate of a richman who lived near; and as he was a very honest man and knew his work, his master soon put him in a place of trust, raised his wages, and gavehim a good house to live in. John had by this time got five children, and he could no longer denythat he had reason enough to be a happy man. You may see him and hiswife and children in the picture, enjoying a fine Summer's evening infront of their house. I knew John when I was young, and he was always ready to say how muchwas due to his good wife. He told me that he owed all his good fortuneto her cheerful spirits and good advice to him; and added, that now hewas well off he found the truth of what she had told him, that theproper time to try to be cheerful was, when things were going amiss. Ihave never forgot that lesson, and I hope I never shall; and I beg myyoung friends to keep in mind that 'Contentment is a constant feast. ' [Illustration: CONTENTMENT] INDUSTRY. * * * * * "There is work enough in the world for every one to do something. Thereis no proper place for idle people. " This is what old Michael the basketmaker used to say to his children; and as they grew up, they foundreason enough to thank him for the lesson. Michael had been a sailor in his youth, but when he married, he settledin a country place, and took up the trade of a basket maker. At first, he could hardly get money enough to buy rods: but by working very hard, he soon got money and credit too. No one in the village was now upbefore Michael, and most people went to bed before he left off work. Small as was the sum of money that he could earn in a week, he wouldalways put by something, if it was but a penny. Every month he put thesesavings into the savings' bank; and in the course of the first sixyears, he found he had got twenty-five pounds. By this time he had got two children, and the eldest was old enough tolearn to read. She used to sit by him with her book as he worked, and hetaught her when she wanted help. His wife was in the mean time doingsomething in the house, or working for some of the farmers who livednear. Michael now bought a cow and two pigs, and made some profit by them. Insix years more he bought the cottage he lived in; and twelve years afterthis, that is twenty-four years after he was married, he rented a littlefarm. By this time he had seven children; and as he had made his cottagelarger, they all lived at home and helped him. His eldest boys worked atthe farm, and the girls milked the cows and made the butter, under thecare of their mother, and kept the poultry. As for Michael himself, though he was well off, he kept on his oldtrade, and went on in his old habits. The last time I saw him before Ileft the place in which he lived, he was teaching his youngest child toread while he was at work, just as he had taught his eldest. I have often thought of Michael's words, "There is no place in the worldfor idle people. " [Illustration: INDUSTRY]