whose three boys were near contemporaries of Coley, and two of them
already in the school.

From first to last his letters to his parents show no symptom of
carelessness; they are full of ease and confidence, outpourings of
whatever interested him, whether small or great, but always
respectful as well as affectionate, and written with care and pains,
being evidently his very best; nor does the good old formula, 'Your
affectionate and dutiful son,' ever fail or ever produce stiffness.

The shrinking from rough companions, and the desire to be with the
homelike relatives around, proved a temptation, and the little boy
was guilty of making false excuses to obtain leave of absence. We
cannot refrain from giving his letter of penitence, chiefly for the
sake of the good sense and kindness of his uncle's treatment:--


'April 26, 1836.

'My dear Papa,--I am very sorry for having told so many falsehoods,
which Uncle Frank has told mamma of. I am very sorry for having done
so many bad things, I mean falsehoods, and I heartily beg your
pardon; and Uncle Frank says that he thinks, if I stay, in a month's
time Mr. Cornish will begin to trust me again. Uncle Frank to-day
had me into his house and told me to reflect upon what I had done.
He also lectured me in the Bible, and asked me different questions
about it. He told me that if I ever told another falsehood he should
that instant march into the school and ask Mr. Cornish to strip and
birch me; and if I followed the same course I did now and did not
amend it, if the birching did not do, he should not let me go home