depends on the example you set him.  What an awful thing it would be, if it pleased God to take him away from you now, and a fit of measles, scarlatina, or any such illness, may do it any day!  Remember that you are responsible to a very great extent for your child; that unless it sees you watchful over your thoughts, words, and actions; unless it sees you regular and devout in prayer at home (I don’t believe they ever think of such a thing—­ God forgive me, if I am wrong); unless it sees you habitually in your place in God’s house, you are not doing your duty to yourselves or your child, you are not laying up any hope or comfort whatever for the day of your sickness and death.  Now I hope you clearly understand me.  I have spoken plainly—­exactly what I think, and what I mean to act upon.  You know now the sort of person you have to deal with.  Good morning,”—­and thereupon I marched out, amazed at my own pluck, and heartily glad that I had said what I wished, and felt I ought to say.

’But I need hardly tell you that this left me in a state of no slight excitement, and that I should be much comforted by hearing what you and Father and Joan think of my behaviour.

’Meanwhile, there are some very nice people; I dearly love some of the boys and girls; and I do pray that this plan of a boys’ home may save some from contamination.  I, seated with Sanders last night, found him and his wife very hearty about it.  I have only mentioned it to three people, but I rather wish it to be talked about a little now, that they may be curious, &c., to know exactly what I mean to do.  The two cottages, with plenty of room for the Fley’s family and eight boys, with half an acre of garden at £11. 5s. the year.  I shall of course begin with only one or two boys—­the thing may not answer at all; but everyone, Gardiner, several farmers, and two or three others, quite poor, in different places, all say it must work well, with God’s blessing.  I do not really wish to be scheming away, working a favourite hobby, &c., but I do believe this to be absolutely essential.  The profligacy and impurity of the poor is beyond all belief.  Every mother of a family answers (I mean every honest respectable mother of a family):  “Oh sir, God will bless such a work, and it is for want of this that so much misery and wretchedness abound.”  I believe that for a year or so it will exhaust most of my money, but then it is one of the best uses to which I can apply it; for my theory is, that help and assistance is wanted in this way, and I would wish to make most of these things self-supporting.  Half an acre more of garden, thoroughly well worked, will yield an astonishing return, and I look to Mary as a person of really economical habits.  It is a great relief to have poured all this out.  It is no easy task that I am preparing for myself.  I know that I fully expect to be very much disappointed, but I am determined to try it.  I am determined to try and make the people see that I am not going to give way to everybody that asks; but that I am going to set on foot and help on all useful industrial schemes of every kind, for people of every age.  I am hard at work, studying spade husbandry, inspectors’ reports of industrial schools, &c.  I am glad you are all so happy.  I am so busy.  Best love to all.