committed, and she was left in the forest on promising never to return again to the kraal. On the following morning, however, the son found to his surprise that his wretched mother had appeared alive in the village, when he became exceedingly indignant with his minions, and determined on seeing himself that his wishes were carried into execution. Accompanying therefore, his people to the forest with their victim, he ordered her to be bound to a tree, and left to perish. In vain she entreated for food; in vain, amidst the prolonged fever of her sufferings, she begged for "water-water;" the unnatural son, who dwelt within hearing of her cries, only answered as they broke successively through the stillness of the evening, "No-mother! you have lived too long already; you must now die." As night approached her piercing shrieks still resounded through the forest, mingling with the fierce howls of the hyaenas. The morning dawned and she was a corpse. Steedman's " Wanderings in South Africa." THE HAPPY RE-UNION. A. T., aged 25 years, was admitted into this Asylum on the 16th Oct. 1838. This young woman presented herself at the Probationary House, in a most deplorable and destitute condition, and earnestly entreated to be admitted, but from want of room she could not be received. The Committee, however, conceiving her situation to be peculiarly distressing, and believing her to be sincere in her desire to forsake her evil course of life, placed her under the care of the agent to fallen females. Under her charge she remained some days, but being a woman of industrious habits she was unwilling to continue idle, and expressed a desire to seek employment at hop-picking; there being no immediate hope of a vacancy in the Asylum, she was assisted by the agent in the attainment of this object. She accordingly proceeded to the neighbourhood of Kent, and for six weeks supported herself by her own industry. At the end of the hop-season she returned to London, and again presented herself for admission. She was, on this second application, received; and never will the individuals who witnessed her reception forget the earnest manner in which, when for the first time she took her seat in the ward, she gave utterance to her feelings by saying, “Thank God I'm here." The account she gave of herself was as follows:-She stated that she was a married woman, and a mother; that for some time after their marriage, herself and husband lived happily together; but he got into bad company, and speedily contracted habits of drinking and profligacy. This threw the entire expense of providing for her own, her child's, and her indolent husband's wants upon her; but this responsibility she bore, and so successfully, that he used to boast to his companions at the skittle-ground, that "it was not much consequence where he was, for his mistress would keep all right at home." This circumstance, however, was frequently the occasion of dissention between them. Thus matters continued, until her health failing she was obliged to be removed to the hospital. While here, the husband abruptly quitted his home, taking with him the child. On hearing of the circumstance, the distressed mother quitted the hospital and for some time wandered in search of them: she was, however, unsuccessful, and under the effect of grief and distress she gave herself up to strong drink, and ultimately became a woman of the town. She continued in the Asylum eight months. During this period she conducted herself in a most satisfactory manner, performing well, and diligently, every department of employment which she undertook, until a situation was procured for her. She had only been in her situation three weeks, when on going on an errand for her mistress, she, greatly to her surprise, was accosted by her husband. Mutual explanation ensued. He informed her, that, finding himself so entangled with his companions in London, he had as the only hope of escape from their influence fled into the country, and had subsequently made every enquiry after her, but could gain no tidings of her retreat. That now he was doing well both as to morals and circumstances, for proof of which he referred her to the clergyman of the parish in which he resided, and concluded by entreating her to re turn with him to the country, as he was then only on a visit to London in search of medical advice. She detailed to him her past conduct and present circumstances, adding, that as she owed all the happiness and comfort she then enjoyed to the ladies at the Probationary House, she could give him no answer until she had consulted them. This she did. By their advice enquiries were made of the clergyman to whom her husband referred, which proving satisfactory, she was instructed to give her mistress due notice: at the expiration of which she left London to rejoin her husband and child. It is only necessary to add that her mistress parted with her with regret, stating to the ladies that she never had a servant she liked so well, and that no money should have parted them." 66 The following communications have since been received from them: "BELOVED MATRONS, W-, Feb. 1840. "I am very sorry you have not heard from me before, it is full four months since I wrote, but not hearing from you I did not like to take the liberty of writing a second time. "I am most happy to inform you I got here quite safe, and was met by my husband very kindly, and my little boy was quite as glad to see me. I am very happy and comfortablewe live in a neat little cottage in W- seven miles from B—, we have a most beautiful view into W, and as the summer advances it will be very pleasant. My husband's health is very bad, my own is much the same as when I was in London. We have had several visits from the minister of this parish, who is a very good man. He makes it a rule to visit, in time of sickness, all villagers who attend his church He has also been kind enough to take my little boy into the National school. B Please to give my respects to all the young women under your care. and C- I hope are well, HI hope is doing well, and L- I hope is restored to her husband and happy as, thank God, I am. I often think of your kind admonitions to me, "Your most humble and thankful Servant, A. T.” "HONOURED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, "I return you my most humble thanks for your kindness to my wife, who, I am sure has benefitted much by your kind instruction. We are, thank God, very happy, although my health is bad. "Yours respectfully, W. T-” RUTH; OR, THE IMPORTANCE OF DECISION IN THE FEMALE CHARACTER. A Lecture addressed to Young Women. RUTH i. 16-18. THE pleasure I have long felt in seeing so many of you, my young female friends, diligently attending the public means of grace, and in knowing that you are anxious for self-improvement, has made me often resolve to attempt something for your more immediate benefit; and it has occurred to me that nothing could be more interesting or instructive than a few plain lectures on some of the female characters mentioned in Sacred Scripture. With this view I have resolved to call your attention this evening to the case of Ruth, on whom God has conferred the peculiar honour of giving her not only a name and a place in the sacred page, but of causing a whole book to be written concerning her history. Of that book it is sufficient to say, that it was written by the direction, and under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and contains a story, which, for simplicity and beauty, excels all the novels and romances that were ever composed. The immediate writer of the book was, probably, the Prophet Samuel, and its subject is one of the most interesting characters we can conceive. There is very little recorded of what she said, but that little testifies her piety and prudence; it is her character that speaks, and that character, along with a few of her words, shall occupy our attention this evening. But, before I attempt to expatiate on the general subject, let me earnestly beg of you, my young friends, many of whom have so little time to read, not to waste your time in the polluting novel, or in the exciting romance, but to fly to your Bibles, and in the narratives of Scripture gratify your imagination, and improve your hearts. Read those tales of real life, from which you will learn more and better what manner of persons you ought to be, than the most skilful novelist can pourtray, or the most accurate moralist can teach. Scripture and characters such as Scripture approves, are the best subjects you can study. In considering the case of Ruth, I shall notice II. HER SOLEMN RESOLUTION. III. HER SUBSEQUENT HISTORY. IV. THE LESSONS OF HER CASE. I. HER EARNEST APPEAL. Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee." To whom was this addressed? On what occasion? Under what circumstances ?-To answer these questions would be simply to repeat the whole of the chapter from which our text is selected; but it may be sufficient to say, that Naomi was the widow of a good man, who, with his wife and two sons, had fled from Bethlehem in Judah, during the time of a severe famine in Israel, and had gone to Moab, where it appears that he soon died, and left Naomi with her two sons, who, some time after their father's death, married two young Moabite women; but they had not been married long before they also died, and proved that their names, Mahlon, (sickness,) and Chilion, (consumption,) had not been unappropriately given them. Not long after their death, the Lord having visited his people, by giving them bread, Naomi resolved at once to return to her country and kindred, having nothing now |