THE TWO APPRENTICES. og

Osborne, as he was leaving the shop for the evening,
to his assistant Mr. Isaacs, *‘I would have a little
talk with him before his fellow-apprentice comes ;
he seems a sharp, clever youth, I think,” said Mr.
Osborne.

“A little too much of a gentleman at present,”
returned Mr. Isaacs, who was a thorough tradesman,
and had no patience with any dandyism behind the
counter, “‘and sharp and clever he is with a witness ;
he has broken half a gross of vials, two graduated
measures, and a Corbyn quart, within the last fort-
night; but he has taken prodigiously to practical
chemistry, and so that he does not blow the house
up, he may be of some use in time.”

** We must teach him to be careful,” said Mr. Os-
borne, advancing to the door, “‘send him in as soon
as he comes,” repeated he, and disappeared through
the half-glass door with the green silk curtain, that
led to the parlour where his good wife always sat at
her work.

Mr. Osborne had a little code of morals—it is a
thousand pities that it never was printed—which he
delivered orally to his apprentices many times during
the earlier part of their apprenticeship; and he now
wished particularly to insist on that part which re-
lated to “your duties towards your fellow-appren-
tices.” This warned of bad example, either set by
themselves or followed in others; insisted on truth,
sobriety, kindness; on advising in love; on “doing as
they would be done by.” Mrs. Osborne always cried
when her husband thus lectured his young appren-
tices. She felt asif the boys were her own children,
and she always said that no clergyman could preach
to them as her husband did. “And now remember,”