40 THE TWO APPRENTICES.

concluded Mr. Osborne, “that the happiness and
well-being of your future life depend upon the dis-
positions you cultivate and the habits you acquire in
youth ;—are you idle, wasteful, unpunctual, dilatory
in youth, it is vain to look for industry, frugality,
exactness, and promptitude in after-life. .A religious,
active youth will ensure, as far as human means can
do it, a respectable and prosperous age!’ These last
words Mr. Osborne never failed to speak with re-
markable emphagis, nor did he omit it on this occa-
sion. Thus far, the young apprentice had been fed
with what may be called, in the style of Jean Paul
or our Carlyle, the common apprentice-bread ; after-
wards came the cake-of-love which was broken for
his especial eating; and this was literally a love-feast,
at which the good aunt as well as uncle assisted.
Some little they said on his peculiar circumstances,
on the awful example which would ever remain be-
fore him in his father's career ; but oh, how tenderly
and lovingly was this warning enforced! The youth
—and he was a slender, handsome youth—sat with
his graceful head supported on his well-fermed hand,
and his intelligent brown eyes fixed on the counte-
nance of his affectionate monitors. He looked hand-
some; and they saw in him the fairest promises of
good,—they saw in him the support, and comfort,
and pride of their old age. They besought him to be
steadfast in his duties both to God and man; they
besought him to deserve the love which they were
willing to give him; and in them, they said, he
should never want a friend. They spoke with tears,
and as the seal of the covenant between them, they
gave him a new Bible, which they prayed him to
_ Study diligently. The youth began to say something