doubt, owe her life and health, in no
small degree, to your instructions."--"This," said I, "is what I little
expected to see; but you may thank God for it rather than me, since she
lives by virtue of obedience to his laws, and not mine. Then you are not
only pretty healthy yourselves," I added, "but you have a healthy
child."--"We have two," said they. "The other is in the cradle; we will
go and bring her."

At this moment, the loud declaration, "The coach is ready, gentlemen,"
reminded us that our conversation was at an end for the present, and we
were obliged to separate. Not, however, till we had enjoyed a most
luxurious mental repast in "the feast of reason, and the flow of soul,"
with no abatement but the consciousness, on my part, of a little loss to
the landlord, who had provided for the passengers a smoking dinner.

This, reader, to speak somewhat paradoxically, was one of the proudest,
and yet one of the humblest days of my life. To have been the
Heaven-appointed instrument of such a marked change for the better in a
human family, was more than could have been foreseen or even expected.
It is more than has often fallen to my lot. True, I do not hesitate to
regard it as an extreme case; and yet it is, in magnitude, just what I
could show you in miniature, at various points in the same vicinity, and
indeed, all over the country.

Mr. and Mrs. L. still pursue the even tenor of their way, and have their
reward in it. One of their two daughters,--buds of early
promise,--though probably more or less scrofulous, hardly reached
maturity, ere she descended to the tomb. The rest enjoy a tolerable
degree of health. Of course, I do not speak of their health as greater
than that of the average of mankind, notwithstanding their thorough
reformation. It is much, all things considered, that it should be equal
to that average.

As for the mother of Mrs. L., who still occasionally visits the family,
she looks on in silent amazement, hardly knowing whether to recommend
any more beer, with all sorts of roots good for the blood in it, or
whether to give up the pursuit. I believe, however, that she does not
often presume to interfere with their habits. Perhaps she has
learned--if not, she may possibly live long enough to acquire the
lesson,--to "let well alone," as her children and grandchildren already
have. I certainly hope she has. It will conduce greatly to her health
and happiness, as well as make her a better citizen and