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THE PEARL BOX

Containing One Hundred Beautiful Stories for Young People.

By A Pastor.

1851.

[Illustration]

PREFACE.

In preparing this volume of stories for young readers, the writer has had in view their instruction, by presenting to them the duties of their station in a familiar and instructive story.  Each story contains a moral, and teaches principles by which the youth should be governed in their private, social and public relations in life.  In the perusal of these stories, we hope to accomplish our great object, of aiding young persons to pursue the peaceful and pleasant path of duty—­to render them more useful in the world, and to grow wiser and happier in the path of life.

THE DYING BOY.

A little boy, by the name of Bertie, was taken very ill, and for sometime continued to grow weaker until he died.  A few hours before his death he revived up, and his first request was, to be bathed in the river; but his mother persuaded him to be sponged only, as the river water would be too cold for his weak frame.  After his mother had sponged him with water, he desired to be dressed; when his mother dressed him in his green coat and white collar, and seated him at the table with all his books and worldly treasures around him.  As he sat there, one would have thought that he was about to commence a course of study; and yet in the marble paleness of his features, and in the listless and languid eye, there was evidence that life in the boy was like an expiring taper, flickering in the socket.  He soon asked to go out in his little carriage.  His grandfather, whom he very much loved, placed him in it, and carefully avoiding