sed away, and little Effie was watching every
opportunity for making applications of the truth her mother had taught
her, but yet, (such is the deceitfulness of the human heart,) she still
considered herself out of danger. If any little boys or girls who may
perchance read this story, are as confident as Effie, we only ask them
to watch over their thoughts and actions for as long a time as she did,
and see if they do not discover their mistake. One day Mrs Maurice went
to make a call on a lady of her acquaintance, and as Harry was engaged
with his father, she allowed Effie to accompany her. It was a beautiful
parlour into which they were ushered, and Mrs Town received them with
due politeness. They were scarce seated when the servant announced
another visitor, and a lady with whom Mrs Maurice was very well
acquainted entered, and immediately stated the object of her call--to
obtain subscriptions for a charitable society.

'I am tired of these societies,' said Mrs Town, 'do not you think, Mrs
Maurice, that individual charity is preferable?'

'Undoubtedly, in many instances, but societies have done much good, and
I am therefore disposed to countenance them.'

'But don't you think,' said Mrs Town, 'that a person is very apt to
think by being a member of a society she is freed from individual
responsibility?'

'There may be such people,' was the reply, 'and undoubtedly are, but
they are those who give merely because they are expected to do so, and
this is the easiest mode of cheating the world and themselves that could
be devised.'

'Well,' replied Mrs Town, 'I have always made it a point never to place
my name on a subscription list, so I shall be obliged to decline. I
hope,' she said to the disappointed lady, who had been advised to call
upon her because she was rich, 'I hope you will meet with better success
elsewhere.'

'I hope I shall,' the lady could scarce forbear saying, as Mrs Town
curtsied gracefully in answer to her embarrassed nod, but she soon
calmed her excited feelings and passed on.

'Poor Mrs D.!' said Mrs Town. 'This must be very unpleasant business. I
can't see what could induce a lady of her respectability to engage in
it.'

'I know of no one who could perform the task better,' said Mrs Maurice.

'Certainly not, but--' Mrs Town paused, and then added, hesitatingly,
'it seems a little too much like begging.'

'It surely is begging,' said Mrs Maurice, with much animation, 'begging
for the poor