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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13344 ***
+
+THE MORAL PICTURE BOOK
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE MORAL PICTURE BOOK: PRAYER]
+
+
+
+
+JOHN COOPER.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+John Cooper was a little boy, whose father and mother lived in a cottage
+on one side of a village green. He was his parents' only child, so that
+he had no brothers nor sisters to play with. But he had a dog of which
+he was very fond, and he used sometimes to play with other children on
+the green. Tom Jones was one of the boys that played with John Cooper.
+One day he asked John Cooper to go for a long walk with him, instead of
+going to school. John at first would not consent, but at last he gave
+way and went with Tom, taking Carlo with him.
+
+There was a pretty stream of water that ran along one side of the green,
+and then passed through a wood in a winding course. In some places it
+was rather broad and deep, and in other places it was shallow, and ran
+murmuring over the stones at the bottom. Tom said that it would be very
+pleasant to go along the stream, sometimes on one side, and sometimes on
+the other, far into the wood, and to look for birds' nests. The sun was
+shining very brightly, the trees were in full leaf, the grass was thick
+and green, sweet flowers were blooming on all sides, butter-flies and
+dragon-flies sported in the sunshine, and birds were singing on every
+bush and tree. All things seemed to be joyful, and the two boys started
+off briskly, with Carlo after them.
+
+But of this party, the only one that was truly happy, was Carlo. He had
+nothing to do but to obey his master, and this he had done when John had
+called him away from his home. John tried to raise his own spirits, and
+ran, and jumped about, and romped with Carlo. But he could not forget
+that he had done wrong, that he ought to have been at school, and that
+he should grieve his kind parents when they knew what he was now doing.
+The thought of this would come into his mind, and kept him from being
+happy. As for Tom Jones, he seemed merry enough, though he not only knew
+that he was doing wrong himself, but that he had led John into mischief.
+He tried to forget this, and laughed and shouted with all his might; but
+it was in vain, and he had bitter feelings at the bottom of his heart
+all the time.
+
+[Illustration: AFFECTION]
+
+They went on rambling till they had got more than a mile into the wood.
+The stream here was wide and deep. On one side of it there grew an old
+willow, and in one of the branches of this, they saw a wren's nest. As
+Tom was the stronger boy of the two, it was agreed that he should help
+John up to the branch, so that he might reach the nest. John got upon
+the branch, and he had put out his hand to take hold of the nest, when
+the branch broke off, and down he fell into the water. Tom laughed at
+this, for he knew that the stream was not deep enough to drown him: but
+Carlo rushed in and dragged his master by the clothes towards the bank.
+John scrambled out, but he was covered with mud. Tom helped him to take
+off his clothes, and clean off the mud and dry them; but with all they
+could do, John was still in a sad mess, and as it was now late in the
+day, he turned to go home with a heavy heart.
+
+When he reached the cottage, he found his father and mother in great
+alarm, as they could not think what had become of him. When they found
+out what had taken place, their alarm was changed into grief, on account
+of the son whom they loved so much, having done wrong. John himself
+cried a great deal, and said that he was more vexed because he had
+caused them grief, than he should have been, if they had scolded and
+whipped him. His mother told him that she left it to his own heart to
+scold him, and that he should go to his bed-room and pray to God on his
+knees to forgive him, as she had taught him to pray.
+
+John did as she bade him, and he prayed to God with all his heart.
+He then went to sleep with a quiet mind; and when he awoke the next
+morning, he prayed again that God would give him strength to do his
+duty, and to stand firm when he should be tempted again as he had been
+by Tom Jones. He then read a chapter in the Bible to his mother, and
+went to school. His master kept him in, and gave him only a piece of
+bread and a cup of water for dinner. But he did not suffer nearly so
+much from this as he had done from having grieved his dear parents; for
+he had before this been brought to repent, and he felt that God, and
+his father and mother, had forgiven him.
+
+John Cooper never again grieved his father and mother by doing wrong,
+and never forgot the lesson he had learned, when Tom Jones led him
+astray, as long as he lived.
+
+[Illustration: SUNDAY MORNING]
+
+When John Cooper became a man, there were bad times, and he could not
+get a living at the trade to which he had been brought up: so he went
+for a horse-soldier. And before he went, his father and mother gave him
+their blessing, and he prayed with all his heart that God would bless
+the old people, and preserve them; and said he would let them have as
+much of his pay as ever he could.
+
+It was a sad day for him and his parents when he went away. They had
+never been parted for so long a time before, and he was now going to
+India, from whence he could not return for some years. But they could
+not help it; so they all said that it was God's will that they should
+part, and it was their duty to bear it as well as they could.
+
+After John was gone, the old people never missed a day but they prayed
+to God to keep their son, both in his soul and body, from all evil. They
+were very poor, and were now too old to work much; but with what they
+got of John's pay, they had enough just to live upon, and above all they
+had thankful hearts, which made them happy. Yet they often wished for
+John's return; sometimes too they were fearful lest he should be killed
+or wounded in the wars; but when they felt thus, they always tried to
+put their trust in God.
+
+When John had been away ten years, he came back one day, safe and sound,
+as his father and mother were standing at the door of the cottage. You
+may judge how they all felt, and how many questions his fond mother
+asked him, as to where he had been, and how he had got on.
+
+The next day was Sunday, and both John and his parents were glad of it,
+for they wished to go to church to offer up their thanks to God, who had
+kept John safe through many dangers, had saved the lives of the old
+people, and had now brought them to each other again.
+
+It was a fine bright morning in Spring, just such a one as it had been
+nearly twenty years before, when Tom Jones had tempted John Cooper to
+keep away from school, and to go into the wood to take birds' nests.
+John did not forget that day; and when it came into his mind, he could
+not help thinking of the changes that had taken place since.
+
+He went to church, and you may be sure that he and the old man and woman
+gave thanks to God with all their hearts, for the mercy he had shewn to
+them.
+
+[Illustration: CHARITY]
+
+
+
+
+CHARITY.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Mary Jones was a poor woman whose husband had gone to sea on a long
+voyage. She lived in a house by the road side, and got her living by
+washing. She had two little boys, who were her great comfort, and whom
+she used to call Ned and Tom.
+
+For some time after her husband had left, she got on very well, and was
+able to send the boys to school: but she caught a fever and was forced
+to keep her bed. Her neighbour, Sarah Smith, was very kind to her, and
+used to come to the house every morning and evening to do what she could
+to help her. But she was a poor woman, and could not afford to give Mary
+Jones anything that cost money; so poor Mary was forced to part with a
+great many things that she might get food.
+
+Ned and Tom at this time took turns to go to school. Tom used to go to
+school one day, while Ned waited on his mother; and the next day Ned
+went to school and Tom staid at home. One morning when Ned was going to
+school, the thought of his poor mother pressed hard on his heart; and
+after he had gone a little way, he burst out crying.
+
+He had not gone far along the narrow lane towards the school, when two
+young ladies met him and asked him why he was crying. He told them that
+he was thinking of his poor sick mother. The ladies then asked him his
+name and where he lived, and said they would go and call upon his
+mother. He thanked them and dried up his tears, and went on to school
+with a much lighter heart.
+
+Soon after he reached home in the evening, the two kind ladies came to
+his mother's house with a foot-boy, who brought a basket filled with
+bread and meat, and some things fit for the poor sick woman.
+
+They told Mary Jones how they had met Ned in the lane, and what he had
+told them; and she thanked them for what they had brought, and said that
+she hoped God would bless them for their goodness to her. They then
+asked about Ned and Tom, and said they would get their father to do what
+he could for them.
+
+The young ladies then went home, told their father and mother what they
+had seen and heard, and thanked God that they had been able to make a
+poor woman and her two sons happy.
+
+
+
+
+HOSPITALITY.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+There was a poor woman named Rachel Jenkins, who lived in a very little
+cottage at some distance from any other house. She was a widow, and very
+poor, but she was very clean and careful; so that her cottage had always
+a look of neatness and comfort. She used to spend most of her time in
+spinning.
+
+She had one son, whose name was Harry. He was twelve years old, and used
+to carry a basket filled with tapes and thread, pins and needles, and
+other things of that sort, which he sold to people who lived near. He
+used to go out in the morning and return in the evening; and you may be
+sure his mother was always glad when the time came for him to come home.
+
+One evening, as he was on his way home, about half a mile from his
+mother's house, he saw an old man sitting by the way-side, who was very
+tired, and seemed as if he was not able to walk any further. His hair
+was quite white, and his face and hands were thin and wrinkled.
+
+Harry said to him in a kind voice, "You seem tired, father; have you got
+much further to walk." The old man told him that he had to go to the
+next town, which was twelve miles further; but that he was so tired, he
+was sure that he should not be able to get there that night. On this,
+Harry said, "I wish you would go home with me; for I am sure my mother
+would be very glad that you should sleep in our house." The old man
+thanked him and said he would go with him. So he rested his hand upon
+Harry's shoulder, and walked slowly towards the house. Harry's mother
+met them at the door; and when Harry had told her how he had met with
+the old man, she said she was glad to see him, and asked him to walk in
+to take some tea.
+
+After tea, the old man told Sarah Jenkins that he was going to see his
+son, who was laid up in a hospital in the town to which he was going.
+His son was a soldier, and had been in the West Indies for some years;
+but he caught the yellow fever, and was sent home sick.
+
+The next morning the old man went on his way, and blessed Sarah Jenkins
+and Harry, because they had done good to him who could make no other
+return than to thank them and pray for them.
+
+[Illustration: HOSPITALITY]
+
+
+
+
+SUNDAY EVENING.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+When I was a girl, Sunday evening used to be the part of the week that I
+loved best; and I liked it better in Winter than in Summer. We used to
+sit round a blazing fire; my mother used then to teach my little brother
+Tom to say his prayers, and my father used to teach me to read in
+Pilgrim's Progress, or some such book; while my brother John sat near
+reading some book or other that was fit for a Sunday, with his dog
+Hector lying at his feet.
+
+My dear old grand-father was then alive, and he would sit at the table
+with the large old family Bible before him for the whole evening.
+
+As I look back upon the pleasant picture in my mind, my eye fills with
+tears. I cannot help thinking of what has become of the faces that were
+then so full of smiles and gladness. My grand-father went to the grave
+first, but he died in a good old age; and though we mourned to lose him
+whom we had all loved so much, we could not help feeling that it was a
+happy change for him, as he could hardly see or hear. Next to him, my
+poor little brother Tom fell ill of the typhus fever, and God took him
+to heaven in the budding of his child-hood. Only a year or two ago, my
+father gave me his dying blessing, and was then a very old man. My
+mother now survives, though very old; and my two sisters, Mary and
+Elizabeth, who were then lively girls, are living, and are the mothers
+of families. My brother John, a middle-aged man, is the Captain of a
+ship, being now far away on a voyage; and he has left behind him a wife
+and two boys, the youngest of whom is as old as he was at the time I
+have spoken of. I am almost an old woman; though on these happy evenings
+that I was speaking of, I was the youngest but one.
+
+You, my little friends, will, perhaps, some day have to look back upon
+such changes as I have seen. The thought that they will come upon you
+need not make you sad, but it should make you good, and cause you to
+resolve to do your duty and to serve God. If you do so, when you get as
+old as I am, you will find that if age brings its cares and sorrows, it
+also brings surer and even brighter hopes of a life beyond the grave.
+
+[Illustration: SUNDAY EVENING]
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTMENT.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+John Davis and his wife were very poor people, but as they worked very
+hard, they could just get a living for themselves. John worked for a
+farmer in the parish, and his wife took in needle-work.
+
+They did pretty well, when John had work; but for nearly two years
+John's master could not employ him always, and he was brought almost to
+distress. But his wife always used to keep up his spirits by saying, "Be
+content, and thank God if you can but live; brighter hours will come."
+
+Sometimes John was quite spirit-broken, and said he should leave home
+and try to get work somewhere else. He was forced to sell some of his
+goods to buy food, and did not know which way to turn. But his wife
+never failed to wear a cheerful face, and used to be always saying to
+him, "Do your best, and be content to take what God appoints."
+
+John loved his wife very much; but he was sometimes half vexed because
+she was never sad like he was. He would tell her that it was a very good
+thing to be cheerful and happy when they could get a good living. She
+then used to say to him, that there was no virtue in being content when
+all was going on well; and that the proper time to try to be cheerful
+was, when things were going amiss.
+
+At last, better times came. John got into work on the estate of a rich
+man who lived near; and as he was a very honest man and knew his work,
+his master soon put him in a place of trust, raised his wages, and gave
+him a good house to live in.
+
+John had by this time got five children, and he could no longer deny
+that he had reason enough to be a happy man. You may see him and his
+wife and children in the picture, enjoying a fine Summer's evening in
+front of their house.
+
+I knew John when I was young, and he was always ready to say how much
+was due to his good wife. He told me that he owed all his good fortune
+to her cheerful spirits and good advice to him; and added, that now he
+was well off he found the truth of what she had told him, that the
+proper time to try to be cheerful was, when things were going amiss. I
+have never forgot that lesson, and I hope I never shall; and I beg my
+young friends to keep in mind that 'Contentment is a constant feast.'
+
+[Illustration: CONTENTMENT]
+
+
+
+
+INDUSTRY.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"There is work enough in the world for every one to do something. There
+is no proper place for idle people." This is what old Michael the basket
+maker used to say to his children; and as they grew up, they found
+reason enough to thank him for the lesson.
+
+Michael had been a sailor in his youth, but when he married, he settled
+in a country place, and took up the trade of a basket maker. At first,
+he could hardly get money enough to buy rods: but by working very hard,
+he soon got money and credit too. No one in the village was now up
+before Michael, and most people went to bed before he left off work.
+
+Small as was the sum of money that he could earn in a week, he would
+always put by something, if it was but a penny. Every month he put these
+savings into the savings' bank; and in the course of the first six
+years, he found he had got twenty-five pounds.
+
+By this time he had got two children, and the eldest was old enough to
+learn to read. She used to sit by him with her book as he worked, and he
+taught her when she wanted help. His wife was in the mean time doing
+something in the house, or working for some of the farmers who lived
+near.
+
+Michael now bought a cow and two pigs, and made some profit by them. In
+six years more he bought the cottage he lived in; and twelve years after
+this, that is twenty-four years after he was married, he rented a little
+farm. By this time he had seven children; and as he had made his cottage
+larger, they all lived at home and helped him. His eldest boys worked at
+the farm, and the girls milked the cows and made the butter, under the
+care of their mother, and kept the poultry.
+
+As for Michael himself, though he was well off, he kept on his old
+trade, and went on in his old habits. The last time I saw him before I
+left the place in which he lived, he was teaching his youngest child to
+read while he was at work, just as he had taught his eldest.
+
+I have often thought of Michael's words, "There is no place in the world
+for idle people."
+
+[Illustration: INDUSTRY]
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Moral Picture Book, by Anonymous
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13344 ***