t in your
dealings, faithful in your friendships, patient under trials,
persevering under difficulties, strangers to covetousness, content
with little, moderate with much, generous, self-denying, courageous in
well-doing, pure in heart, devout in spirit, modest before men,
reverent to your parents, respectful to your superiors, humble before
God; and, like him, let the clear light of truth shine forth in all
your words, in all your actions, in all your looks and gestures, in
all your secret thoughts, and in your very souls. Be all this, that
men may reverence you, that angels may honor you, that God may bless
and reward you."

Here Uncle Juvinell paused; and, as he looked round on the saddened
faces of his little auditors, a moisture crept out softly upon his
eyelashes, and dimmed the brightness of his spectacles. "It grieves me
much, my dearest children," said he, after a moment or two,--and there
was a tremor of deep fatherly feeling in his voice,--"it grieves me
much, that our happy little circle must be broken up. It will be but
for a season, however; and, when we meet again, we shall be happier
than had we not parted at all. On Monday, I take the stage-coach for
Louisville; and there I take the steamer 'Eclipse' for New Orleans. As
it is a long journey I have before me, I must needs write many
letters, and do a deal of packing, before setting out: so we will sing
our evening hymn now, and separate for the night."

Then, joining their voices together, they sang that beautiful hymn,
"Though far away from friends and home." At the second line,
however,--"A lonely wanderer I may roam,"--the little folks fairly
broke down; their hearts rising into their throats from very grief,
and choking their voices: but, with all the ease of a professed
singing-master, Uncle Juvinell, though his heart was full too, glided
at once from the lowest bass to the highest treble, which he carried
alone, until some of the children, getting the better of their
feelings, chimed in with him, when he softly dropped to the very
bottom of his bass again.

The hymn ended, the little folks came one by one, and, without
speaking a word, embraced and kissed their dear old uncle, this best
of men; he laying his gentle hand upon their bowed heads, and blessing
them with more than his usual fervor.

THE END.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Farmer Boy, and How He Became
Commander-In-Chief, by Morrison Heady

*** END OF THIS