CHAltAffiKIt.
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'el
Miis, and it Is another cause of uneasiness
to them. I luivo for some time been seri
ously thinking of exposing him, niul when
I saw you to-day I knew almost intuitive
ly who you were. I hesitated but a few
moments, and then wrote n letter aud gave
it to you. I will now do all I can to en
lighten Mr. Bcnnct, secure the release of
your brother, and, In short, set you both
to rights."
The two friends then grasped hands ov.
er the compact.
" What will bo the best mode of proced
ure?" inquired Stephen.
" We had better go to Mr. Bonnet's
home to-morrow at a time when all will
be there: say, about two o'clock in the af
ternoon, and seel? tin interview. We must
not in the meantime alarm Kelly and
Jack. I am confident that this course
will be successful, for Mr. Bonnet is not
well satistled cither with Kelly or my
brother. Besides, taking the latter by sur
prise, will give thent no chance to deceive
him by putting on n brazen front You
may think it strange for me to expose my
brother, but the truth is he lias very little
brotherly feeling toward me."
They discussed ninny more details that
evening, and Stephen stayed with his new
friend over night. The next day they
went to Mr. Bonnet's residence and sought
and obtained an audience with Kelly, his
grandfather, and his accomplice, Jack
Slack.
Wo have not space to describe the ex
posure tlmt followed. The matter was ex
plained to the satisfaction of Mr. Bun net,
who welcomed Stephen to his heart and
home, and commanded Kelly to go forth
from his sight forever, after heaping his
indignation upon him.
This sudden change of fortune proved
too much for John, who sought his old
haunts in Boston, and soon after died in a
hospital, from fever and chagrin. Jack
Slack died a drunken sot not long after,
but Sam mended his ways and became a
better and happier person. He could not
endure the thought of returning to Mr.
Bonnet's home, the scene of his career of
mis-doing, but remained in tho village,
and was assisted by his friends to a lucra
tive position.
Richard was promptly released from
prison, and the two brothers, having tri
umphantly emerged from the meshes of
John's plot, now enjoy the esteem and con
fidence of their grandfather, who makes
up for his tyrannical behavior toward his
children by a marked change in his char
acter. X. Y. Z.
THE EKD.
CHARACTER.
What is character? is a question asked
with far more ease than it can
be answered. But it is sulllcient,
and answers our purpose, to know that it
is the moral mark by which one mtm is
distinguished from another. We have of
ten thought, and wondered at what time
of life the character of an individual was
formed, and when we give our opinion
that character is never formed, that it is
ever changing, express not surprise, but
thank your God, observe yourself, and
you cannot but believe us right.
lie that is satisfied with his character
knows not what character is, nntl posses,
ses not the faintest spark of manhood and
personal respect, while he who is unsatis
fied comes nearer the attainment of true
aud noble manhood. The man who has
character must be independent fearless,
and discriminating in his judgment. If
tiiis is true, as we obsirve the political
status of onr country, the persons in whose
hands the government is trusted, as wo
notice the complicated combinations of
our political world, we see that there char
acter is unknown. Character is to a cer
tain extent a manufactured article, one
must have character or the world will
know it, man is unable to conceal his in
ward being, nature revolts immediately,
upon the attempt.
Do not understand us to mean that man
among his fellow men always receives his