he never went to jail without his provision; then
hot water, and sugar, and lemons, and peppermint drops were all
forthcoming for money, and Fred learned once and again, and again, the
fatal secret of hushing conscience, and memory, and bitter despair in
delirious happiness, and as Dick said, was "getting to be a right jolly
'un that would make something yet."

And was it all gone, all washed away by this sudden wave of evil?--every
trace of prayer, and hope, and sacred memory in this poor child's heart?
No, not all; for many a night, when his tempter slept by his side, the
child lived over the past; again he kneeled in prayer, and felt his
mother's guardian hand on his head, and he wept tears of bitter remorse,
and wondered at the dread change that had come over him. Then he
dreamed, and he saw his mother and sister walking in white, fair as
angels, and would go to them; but between him and them was a great gulf
fixed, which widened and widened, and grew darker and darker, till he
could see them no more, and he awoke in utter misery and despair.

Again and again he resolved, in the darkness of the night, that
to-morrow he would not drink, and he would not speak a wicked word, and
he would not play cards, nor laugh at Dick's bad stories. Ah, how many
such midnight resolves have evil angels sneered at and good ones sighed
over! for with daylight back comes the old temptation, and with it the
old mind; and with daylight came back the inexorable prison walls which
held Fred and his successful tempter together.

At last he gave himself up. No, he could not be good with Dick--there
was no use in trying!--and he made no more midnight resolves, and drank
more freely of the dreadful remedy for unquiet thoughts.

And now is Fred growing in truth a wicked boy. In a little while more
and he shall be such a one as you will on no account take under your
roof, lest he corrupt your own children; and yet, father, mother, look
at your son of twelve years, your bright, darling boy, and think of him
shut up for a month with such a companion, in such a cell, and ask
yourselves if he would be any better.

And was there no eye, heavenly or earthly, to look after this lost one?
Was there no eye which could see through all the traces of sin, the yet
lingering drops of that baptism and early prayer and watchfulness which
consecrated it? Yes; He whose mercy extends to the third and fourth
generations of those who love him, sent a friend to o