the assistance of the
neighbours, forced him from the coffin, and carried him to a friend's
house, in order to keep him there till his father should be buried; for
his aunt dreaded the thoughts of letting him follow the funeral.

The solemn scene was now preparing, and the bell began to toll, which
Adolphus heard, and every stroke of it pierced his little innocent
heart. The woman to whose care he had been left, having stept into
another room, he took that opportunity to regain his liberty, got out of
doors, and ran towards the churchyard. On his arrival there, he found
the funeral service finished, and the grave filling up, when on a
sudden, a cry was heard, "Let me be buried with my dear papa." He then
jumped into the grave.

Such a scene must naturally affect every one who saw it. They pulled him
out of the grave, and carried him home pale and speechless. For several
days he refused almost every kind of sustenance, being at intervals
subject to fainting fits. After some time, however, the consolations and
advice of his good aunt appeared to have some weight with him, and the
tempest in his little heart began to abate.

The affectionate conduct of Adolphus was the conversation for miles
round their habitation, and at last reached the ears of a wealthy
merchant, who had formerly been a little acquainted with the deceased
Mr. Clarkson. He accordingly went to see the good Adolphus, and feeling
for his distresses, took him home with him, and treated him as his son.

Adolphus soon gained the highest opinion of the merchant, and as he grew
up, grew more and more in his favour. At the age of twenty, he conducted
himself with so much ability and integrity, that the merchant took him
into partnership, and married him to his only daughter.

Adolphus had always too great a soul to be ungenerous: for even during
his younger days he denied himself every kind of extravagance, in order
to support his aunt; and when he came into possession of a wife and
fortune, he placed her in a comfortable station for the remainder of her
life. As for himself, he every year, on his father's birth-day, passed
it in a retired room alone, sometimes indulging a tear, and sometimes
lifting up his heart to heaven, from whence he had received so much.

My little readers, if you have the happiness still to have parents
living, be thankful to God, and be sensible of the blessing you enjoy.
Be cautious how you do any thing to offend them; and should yo