r readers may not be troubled with a fiery temper, but they who
are should watch it closely, or they will burn themselves. If you have
fire about, keep powder and petroleum out of the way, or there may be
an explosion; he that tempts the fire with combustibles must surely pay
the penalty sometimes. The safest and wisest policy is to put the fire
out altogether; get the evil temper destroyed by Divine grace, and then
this "sin shall have no dominion over you."

CHAPTER XXI.

"The Liberal Deviseth Liberal Things."

Little Abe was endowed with a generous heart, but with very limited
means. He could generally say as the Apostles did to the lame man,
"Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee;" yet he
often devised means whereby he could enjoy the luxury of giving to
others. His own children, and even those of the village, knew they
could get a penny from Abe if he had one in his pocket, although it
might be the last he had in the world, and many a time he might be seen
surrounded by a swarm of children in the street, all begging sweets or
some other little trifle of him; and you want no better proof of a
man's habitual kindness than to see him often beleaguered by little
children: they only beg where they get something.

If any poor neighbour was in want, and Abe had any means of assisting
him, he would not wait to be asked. Many a time he has gone home to
Sally and told her of some poor creatures who had no bread in the
house, and then he would wind up his tale of sorrow with, "Naa, lass,
we'll be loike to tak' 'em a loaf," whereupon the good woman would go
to the cupboard and take out a big family loaf, and hand it to him, and
he would hurry away to gladden the hearts of the hungry children.

People do not need to be rich to exhibit the spirit of true generosity,
because it is not so much in the amount given, as in the spirit in
which it is done, and the sacrifice involved in the act. It is a truly
noble thing for a wealthy man to bestow of his abundance on the needy
around him, and he who does so is sure to gain a place in the
affections of the people. Everyone admires a liberal man; indeed, it
is questionable whether admiration for this quality may not sometimes
blind us to other things in the same persons which are actual faults,
and hence a man may be intemperate or profane or worldly, and people
say, "Well, but he is such a generous fellow," and that is taken as
mitigation of his f