150 John Bachman. 



it were an accident, when a child was late at prayers, 

 the study door was left a little ajar, and the lazy 

 little sinner often slipped in softly, and knelt at 

 mother's or father's side, knowing well, that if the 

 " Amen " had not been said, all was safe the 

 morning kiss was still secure, and the hated seat at 

 the side-table left vacant. Father, with a twinkle in 

 his eye, would say, " Escaped by the skin of your 

 teeth." Later, mother gave her gentle admonition, 

 " Child, did you remember when you were lying in 

 bed this morning, that your father was up and hard 

 at work ? don't be late again." Who could resist 

 such an appeal ? Father would take the children 

 to his bee-hives and repeat to them from " Watts' 

 Songs, 



"How doth the little busy bee, 

 Improve each shining hour." 



He would tell the interested group, how the lazy 

 drones were stung to death by the busy working- 

 bees, and show us how the instinct of animals 

 amounted almost to reason. When the children 

 asked if the working-bees were not excessively cruel, 

 he would smile and quote : " If a man will not work 

 neither shall he eat," and counsel the little people to 

 take the busy ant and not the lazy drone, as a 

 model. 



In the flower garden there were two large aviaries 

 connected by a covered way. A daughter remem- 

 bers that when she was a little child, something had 

 sorely ruffled her temper ; her father snatched her 



