e paper did come, we literally devoured its contents. With us it was
an oracle. If the "Courier" affirmed or denied a thing, that was enough for
us. It was an end to all debate. How confiding children are! He who has
read "Robinson Crusoe" when a boy, finds it almost impossible to regard it
a fable when he is a man. The newspaper, that makes its weekly visit to the
family circle in the country, leaves the marks of its influence upon the
mind and the morals of the child. It forms his tastes and controls his
character. How careful, then, should parents be, in the selection of
periodicals to be the companions of their children.

* * * * *

STORY FOURTH.
THE CIDER PLOT.

When I was an apprentice, some years ago, I lived--no matter where, and
served--no matter whom. There were three apprentices besides myself; and it
seems necessary to say, that, at the time when the incident happened which
I am about to relate, we had neither of us completed that branch of
husbandry called the sowing of wild oats; and as the soil was very
favorable for the development of that species of grain, we were perhaps a
little too industriously engaged in its cultivation. We were in great haste
to have the oats all sowed in good season.

One day our employer bought a cast of cider--Newark cider, I believe they
called it--and the greater portion of it was nicely bottled, and placed in
a dark corner of the cellar, to be used, not for making vinegar, or mince
pies, but for a very different purpose--which may be surmised by such as
remember that in those days the juice of the apple had a much better
reputation than it has now. We were allowed our share of the beverage. But
we were not satisfied. We resolved ourselves into a sort of committee of
the whole, one afternoon; and after a long and somewhat spirited debate,
came to the unanimous conclusion that, in the course of human events, it
became necessary to employ the most effective measures to procure
additional supplies from the cellar. Now it so happened, that these
measures were not of the most peaceable and honorable kind. Such was their
nature, in fact, that if we had been discovered in the act of resorting to
them, it would no doubt have been deemed necessary, in the general course
of human events, that we should be soundly whipped.

The plan was to seize a bottle once in a while, something after th