“It is good!” Ned exclaimed.  “Give us some more, Johnnie Jones, your mother won’t care.”

Johnnie Jones was afraid Mother would care, but he liked the preserves very much, and besides, he enjoyed giving it to the children, so he gave them each a little more and again took some for himself.  It was curious that the more they had the more they wanted, and after each one had been given “just a little more,” several times, the large jar was nearly empty.

“We may as well finish it,” said Ned, So they did.  Then the children went home and left Johnnie Jones alone in the kitchen with the empty jar.

Johnnie Jones was unable to eat his supper that evening.  Mother asked him what was the matter, and he told her.  She was very sorry.

“Oh! little son,” she said, “all your life I have been able to trust you, and I did not think you would touch the preserves, when I left the jars on the table.  Say you are sorry, dear, and that such a thing shall never happen again.  For wouldn’t it be dreadful if I should be obliged to lock up everything I can’t let you have?”

Johnnie Jones was very sorry indeed, but he answered:  “You said that one jar was mine.”

“So I did,” Mother answered; “but I had no idea that you would want to use it all at one time, or between meals, or before the winter-time.  Since you have had all your share to-day, you will, of course, expect no more next winter, when Father and I have ours.”

Just then, Johnnie Jones thought he would never wish for peach preserves again, for he had eaten too much and felt uncomfortable; but probably he changed his mind in the winter, and regretted that his share was all gone.

Sammy Smith, Elizabeth and Ned came to see Mrs. Jones next day, told her they were sorry they had begged for the preserves, and asked her to excuse them, which of course she did.

Mother was glad to find that it would be unnecessary to lock up forbidden things after all, for Johnnie Jones liked to have her trust him, and showed her that she could.

* * * * *

How the Children Helped Tom and Sarah

Most of the houses on Park street, where the Jones family lived, were large and pretty, but there was one house that was very small and ugly.  It had been unoccupied for a long time, when one day, Sarah and Tom Watson, with their father and mother, moved in.  The little brother and sister were such agreeable children, that they were soon known and loved by all their small neighbors.

One morning, when Johnnie Jones was passing the ugly little house, he saw Sarah and Tom standing at the gate with an unhappy expression on their faces, usually so bright.  Johnnie Jones stopped and asked them what was the trouble.