t of lilies and roses, and, giving it
to Mary, he said, "These are brothers and sisters, whose beauty no
other flowers can equal. Innocence and modesty are twin sisters, which
cannot be separated. Yes, my dear child, God in His goodness has given
to modesty, innocence for a sister and companion, in order that she
might be warned of the approach of danger. Be always modest, and you
will be always virtuous. Oh, if the will of God be so, I pray that you
may be enabled to preserve in your heart the purity of the lily!"

One ornament of their garden, which James and his daughter most dearly
prized, was a dwarf apple-tree little higher than a rose-bush, which
grew in a small round bed in the middle of the garden. The old man had
planted it on his daughter's birthday, and every year it gave them a
harvest of beautiful golden yellow apples spotted with red. One season
it seemed specially promising, and its blossom was more luxurious than
ever. Every morning Mary examined it with new delight. One morning she
came as usual, but what a change had taken place! The frost had
withered all the flowers, which were now brown and yellow and fast
being shrivelled up by the sun. Poor Mary's sensitive feelings were so
affected that she burst into tears, but her father turned the incident
to good account.

"Look, my child," said he, "as the frost spoils the apple-blossoms, so
wicked pleasures spoil the beauty of youth. Oh, my dear Mary, tremble
at the thought of going aside from the path of right. If the time
should ever come when the delightful hopes which I have had for your
future should vanish, I should shed tears more bitter than you do now.
I should not enjoy another hour of pleasure, and my grey hairs would be
brought with sorrow to the grave." At the mere thought of such a
calamity the old man could not keep back his tears, and his words of
tender solicitude made a deep impression on Mary's heart.

Brought up under the care of a father so wise and loving, Mary grew up
like the flowers of her garden, fresh as the rose, pure like the lily,
modest as the violet, and full of promise for the future, as a
beautiful shrub in the time of flourishing.

When James viewed his beautiful garden, with its luxuriant flowers and
its prolific fruits, which so well repaid his constant care, it was
with a feeling of satisfaction and gratitude. But this feeling was
nothing compared with the joy he felt when he saw his daughter, as the
reward of his