visit a poor woman, in an obscure part of the town, was directed, by mistake, to the lodging of another person, and knocking at the door, was desired, in a low female voice, to come in.

2 On entering the room, she found a poor helpless woman on a bed, emaciated by illness, and apparently in a miserable situation, in consequence of a paralytic stroke five years before; during which period she had been confined to her bed, and rendered incapable of assisting herself.

3. Her friendly visiter, pitying her condition, was surprised by her answer, “that she thought herself one of the happiest of mortals;" and on desiring an explanation, the poor woman, in simple language, related the following particulars.

4. That, in the younger part of life, she had been left a widow with an only son, who, when she received the stroke, was twelve years of age; until that time, by spinning and other work, she had been enabled to maintain herself and child, and to pay a trifle for his education.

5. Since that trying dispensation of Providence, confined to her bed, and deprived of the use of her limbs, she had been inca pacitated from doing any thing for herself,

and having no money to pay another, her son, at an early age, trusting to the divine blessing, took the noble resolution, by the labour of his own hands, to relieve the wants, and alleviate the distresses of his afflicted parent.

6. A female neighbour occasionally called in to perform some kind offices; but her chief comfort and support arose from the filial affection and unremitted attention of her son.

7. He immediately procured such works as his juvenile years admitted of, in the Osnaburgh manufactory at Dundee; and, after cleaning the room in which they dwelt, getting ready their breakfast, and making his mother comfortable for the day, he left her every morning with a smiling countenance, to attend the labours of the loom, and returned in the evening, with his well-earned pittance, to enjoy a cheerful meal with his beloved parent. And thus, for the space of five years, have the revolving days succeeded each other.

8. But this is not all: his mother could not read; the child, by his assiduity, had acquired that advantage: he had not indeed, read the classics, nor studied in the

schools of philosophy; but he had perused the sacred scriptures, and knew the truth as it is in Jesus; he had tasted the spiritual bread, and drawn water from the wells of salvation.

9. In the midst of apparent poverty he had found durable riches; and, although surrounded by outward distresses, he had a heart-felt experience that the ways of religion are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths, paths of peace.

10. Reflecting, therefore, on the many hours he was under the necessity of leaving his mother alone and unemployed, and desirous that she should also participate in the superior blessings he enjoyed from his religious knowledge, he resolved to teach her to read; and, in due time, accomplished the pleasing task; affording by this means a stream of comfort-an inexhaustible source of delight, which she confessed made her the happiest of women.

11. It pleased the Almighty to open her heart, that, like Lydia, she might attend to the things that were spoken; and, with Mary sit down at her Saviour's feet, and hear his word.

12. She added that, during her son's absence, it was her delight to meditate