LITTLE LOBSKI AND HIS MOTHER. 191 that he was the father of the children on low. I considered as Lobski's legs realthe beach was confirmed. He was an ly brought us here, it was best to bathe him at once. entire stranger to the driver as well as Since going in, which he to myself, and as I could not find his ad- took very well, considering the instantandress, it gives me an opportunity of lay- at the sea, 'Dere's my tub, Ma.' eous plunge, he calls to me when he looks He ing before my readers a sprightly epistle was rather frightened, and thought he from a mother who leaves her home in fell into the water, but not near so much, the city to visit a bathing place with two the guide says, as most children are.— young children, and with the pleasure of Harry is getting fatter every day, and expecting and receiving an occasional very jealous of Bob when with me-but, out of doors, the little fellow glories in pop-visit from her good man. seeing Lobski run on before. They grow very fond of each other. COPY OF THE LETTER. Gravesend, Thursday aft. Dear Henry,-We arrived here after a very pleasant voyage in one of the Calais steamers. Lobski, as usual, was and is quite at home. He really appears to be the flower of Gravesend. He spars with all the sailors who notice him, which are not a few-nods to the old womenhalloos to the boys, and runs off with their hoops-knocks at the windows with his stick-hunts the fowls and pigs because they run away from him-and admires the goats because they are something new. As we walk on the beach he looks out for anoner great ship-kisses the little girls -thumps Mary-and torments me. The young ones in the road call him Cock Robin. He is indeed what E. D. calls 'a tainted one.' Upon first coming down I immediately commenced inquiries about the bathing, and found some who talked of mud-rubbing. No one gave it such a character as Mrs E. I met with a lady on the beach, who told me she had brought a little boy down last year to be mud-rubbed, but after a month's stay his legs were no way improved-she then bathed him for a month, and the boy is a fine little fel Monday will be a grand day here in choosing the mayor, and at night a mock election takes place, with fire-works, &c. and this day month Greenwich-fair is held in the fields. The people here are selves to themselves.' The sailors are any thing but sociable, and keep themthe most obliging, and very communicative-they usually carry Bob over any dirty place or so for me. day, but by no means empty-handed or This is a scribble-but Bob is asleep on my lap. I am, iny dear Harry, Yours, very affectionately, ****. N. B. Please to send me word the day of the month, and what's o'clock. The Wild Bee's Song. I have come from the banks where the Violets bloom, And the Bluebells are ringing soft peals to the breeze, bowers, And the white-breasted Hawthorn is lavish of flowers, I have been to the meadow where Cowslips abound, Can you imagine any thing more expressive of loneliness, and desire for intelligence, than this young wife's capital N. B.-or more sportively affectionate than the 'twist up' of her kiss, with Bob asleep on her lap. I like a letter, and a letter-writer of this sort, mightily. How natural is her momentary hesitation between mud-rubbing and bathing. Then I kissed it this morning while bathed in the dew. the instant determination, so essential when there is no time to spare, marks such 'decision of character!'-I presume that 'Lobski' may be rickety; and I take this opportunity of observing, on the authority of a medical friend, that townbred children, who eat profusely of sugar And I've drank of the nectar the King's-cup contained. and are pampered with sweets, usually are. Sugar has the effect of softening the bones, and causes the rickets. It should form no part of the food of ricketty children, or only in a small degree; and such children should be allowed and encouraged to eat freely of common salt. To return to the letter. Her account of Lobski's animated nature is so pretty and true a sketch of boyish infancy, that you may perceive the hand of the mother in every line. In the anticipation of the mayoralty show, and the fair, and the unsociableness of Gravesend society, I can trace something of the woman. I hope Where the Pansy and purple-tinged Bugle are found; Appears midst the grass like an amaranth gem ;- The common's rude wild is no desert to me, For there blooms the Heather profusely and free; twined; around, And the blossoming Thyme for me does abound. I call this my manor, my ample domain, And rifle the costly parterres of the great, And murmur my song of delight on its breast; And I take, when I'm weary, luxurious repose There is not a monarch on earth half so gay. And the blithest might envy my joy when I stray Among the fresh glories of April and May. more tempting than many much sweeter and that actual knowledge of her predicconfections. Janetta was the only daughter of a lady who had an establishment for twenty little girls, whom she educated with all the tenderness of maternal love, and the wisdom gained by knowledge and experience; being assisted in communicating the accomplishments called for by their rank in life, by her excellent husband and several judicious teachers. In this situation it will readily occur to every thinking person, the only daughter of the governess ran no little risk of being spoiled, especially if she were a clever and pretty child, as it was the interest of every person around her, to exhibit her acquirements and contribute to her attainments; to engage her affections and indulge her wishes, in order that her influence might, in some shape or other, prove beneficial to them, during their residence with her mother. Perhaps few situations in early life can be found, where a child may be equally important, and of course equally surrounded by those temptations likely to injure her temper, awaken her pride, and destroy that simplicity and ingenuousness, which are the best characteristics of her age. Her faculties are likely to be prematurely nurtured, but her virtues to be blighted, by that consciousness of power which is so generally injurious to all, even when time and trouble should have taught better things. Happily for Janetta, the parents she was blessed with, influenced by a deep sense of religion, sound understandings, ament necessary for her real welfare. guarded her in every point; and whatever might be, and indeed must be, their gratification in her progress, never suffered her superiority to induce vanity, much less exultation, over others. She was a child with the rest, subject to the same discipline, instructed with the same kindness; and although the real sweetness of her temper, and her constant industry in improvement, might have rendered her valuable as a peace-maker to the quarrelsome, or an assistant to the indolent, neither, in general, sought her interference, because they held her to be governed by the same rules which bound themselves, and referred all matters of moment to their governess. But wherever a proper favor was to be obtained, a childish error to be forgiven, an indulgence desired, Janetta was always applied to, less on account of her supposed powers of persuasion, than in order to confer on her the pleasure she evidently felt. So far from being a selfish child-the great error of only children—she might be said to live in and for others, to the utter exclusion of that usually most interesting person self; and the circumstance of being surrounded by so large a family circle, of course offered abundant means for the exercise of that kindness and generosity which was inherent by nature, fostered by education, and become habitual from situation. Such was Janetta, when she walked off with her prize of jujubes, recalling to BE JUST BEFORE YOU ARE GENEROUS. mind all who had colds, or were likely to have them, yet coming to the very false conclusion, that so large a supply could not by possibility be wanted; but it furnished a proof of her mother's great kindness to every body, and elicited a hope, that surely that dear mamma would not have occasion for them herself.' It did however so happen, that when Mrs Alston was retiring for the night, she thought it prudent to have a few jujubes under her pillow, and entered her daughter's room, which joined her own, for the purpose of taking them, but she did not find any; and unwilling to disturb her, retired without them; and having an indifferent night, had the pain of hearing her daughter cough very frequently, without, as she thought, taking the means of relief she had so abundantly provided. 6 On Janetta entering her room in the morning, as was her custom, the first inquiry was Where did you put the jujubes, my dear?' and next, Why did you not take them yourself in the night?' 'Dear mother, I had not one left; therefore I could not put any under my pillow, as you directed.' What could you possibly have done with them, Janetta? I insist upon knowing.' 'I think jujubes are very odd things, for they really went in the strangest way imaginable; but I will tell you exactly all I know.' Of this Mrs Alston could have no doubt, for Janetta's integrity was always 195 able to bear examination, and she listened with a calm but somewhat serious air to the explanation which followed. 'When I left you, I recalled to mind who amongst the young ladies were troubled with colds like myself, and I counted seven; so I got seven pieces of paper, mother, and made up seven parcels— good, handsome parcels-and gave one to each of them. I thought I did very right, and was taking proper care of the young ladies. 'So you were, Janetta; go on with your account.' and put Then I got two little papers, a few into each, for the two little ones, mother, because I thought it would please them; and I made a package for miss Jessop, because she was a stranger; and then I handed them about to the rest, and laid them open on the table, and though nobody seemed to like them, or care for them, when I returned from practising, I found there was not half a dozen left; but I wrapt those up for myself, remembering also you had said it was possible you might want some, but in the course of the evening somebody asked for them, and so all were gone before bed-time.'. You are the most imprudent girl, Janetta, I have ever known. Had the jujubes been husbanded as they ought, for those who required them, they would have lasted several days, for I bought all the confectioner had; and, living so far from the town, I shall be some time before I can get more. Go down immediately, and see if you can beg a few for |