THE TWO APPRENTICES. 49

haps to compensate, if they could, for Nature’s
supposed unkindness. But long was the lecture
that they gave to him on patience and perseverance,
which, plodding on together, remove mountains of
all kinds, and make even ordinary abilities more
availing than the most meteor-like genius.

“Well, and how does Reynolds go on?” again
inquired Joanna from Mr. Isaacs, some twelve or
eighteen months later. .

“* Exceedingly well!” was now the reply. “He
has stability and perseverance, he will make a good
tradesman. He is much more practical than Williams,
and thus much more useful.” The aunts were well
pleased, and now could very well endure to hear
their nephew speak well of his fellow-apprentice.

The Osbornes, who had their reasons for being
particularly interested in Williams, saw his quick
abilities, and his attractive exterior, with uncommon
pleasure. As to Mr. Isaacs, he had begun some
time ago to have his own thoughts about the smart
apprentice, and let him now take his own flights,
Satisfied to have the more helpful services of Rey-
nolds. Isaacs soon saw, what Mr. Osborne seemed
never to find out, that Williams, unstable as water,
‘spite of his natural brilliant gifts, would, in the end,
excel in nothing. Besides this, there were slight
peccadilloes now and then, a missing half-crown or
80, which, while he never shut his own eyes to, and
always reproved in his own way, he never spoke of to
Mr. or Mrs. Osborne, unwilling to distress them, as he
said to himself, about the son of poor Mrs, Edwards,

Mr. Isaacs had mentioned to Miss Kendricks his
suspicion of the youth’s parentage ; and this suspi-
cion was confirmed to them by an accidental discovery

F