my entrance, but has left a surplus which will last me throughout the term. Believe me, my dear father, Your affectionate son, ARTHUR GARDNER. TO GERALD GARDNER, Esq., Tremont Street, Boston, Mass. From a Father to his Son at School. WALNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22d, 18—. MY DEAR SON,-I am delighted to hear of your progress, and send you a little remittance of pocket-money, to prove to you that I am ever ready to give encouragement where it is deserved. You must always bear in mind that upon your career at school much of your future life must depend. To waste the precious hours of youth is to make preparation for a useless and dishonorable old age; whereas by steady industry, care of that health with which God has happily blessed you, and submission to those who have the best right, as well as the best inclination, to advise you for your good, you may hope to ripen into a respectable and useful member of society, and to render yourself fit to encounter those responsibilities which fall to every man's lot. Your mother unites in hearty wishes that you may go on as you have begun, and that your whole life may prove a credit to yourself, and a comfort to us. Give our best respects to your excellent preceptor, and believe me, MY DEAR FATHER,-Many thanks for your kind present and valuable advice. I sincerely hope that your good opinion of me will long remain unchanged, and that I may be able to do justice to the strenuous exertions and kindly attention of my excellent preceptor. I am at present working very hard, and hope to gain one step higher in the school before the end of the quarter. My schoolfellows are, generally speaking, very agreeable and well disposed boys, and we are so well treated, that I feel almost as happy as if I were at home. Nevertheless, I often think of the coming vacation with eagerness, and long to meet you and my dear mother, brothers, and sisters, and to enjoy the Christmas festivities in the way we have always been accustomed. Your affectionate and grateful son, WALTER MCALLISTER. TO WILLIAM MCALLISTER, Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. From the same, to both Parents. NAZARETH, Oct. 1st, 18-. MY DEAR PARENTS,-It will doubtless give you much pleasure to learn that, owing to the unremitting attention of the Rev. Mr. Cox, I have made so satisfactory a progress, that I have not only been removed one class higher in the school, but have carried off the second prize for Latin verse. I sincerely hope that I may continue sufficiently industrious to keep up all the expectations you have formed of me, and which you have spared no pains or expense to realize. With mingled feelings of regret at leaving my kind preceptor, and of delight at the prospect of our speedy meeting for the holidays, I remain, my dearest parents, With kindest love to all at home, TO MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM MCALLISTER, Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. From the same, announcing the coming Vacation. NAZARETH, Dec. 3d, 18— DEAR FATHER (or MOTHER),—It is with mingled feelings of regret and pleasure that I announce to you the conclusion of this term at school. On the 24th inst. I shall hope to return home, and, if I may judge by the opinion Dr. Fisk has expressed of my conduct, I trust you will not be dissatisfied with my progress during the last season. I remain, dear parents, Your affectionate and dutiful son, TO MR. (or MRS.) WILLIAM MCALLISTER, WALTER MCALLISTER. Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. From a Young Lady at School, to her Mother. OAKLAND ACADEMY, April 17th, 18-. MY DEAREST MAMMA, -Although I was almost heartbroken at parting from you for the first time in my life, I felt that you would never have let me quit home but for my own good; and I hope I am not ungrateful enough to prefer mere selfish gratification to future welfare. I find school much less disagreeable than I had expected. There are, of course, many varieties of disposition—for a school is like a little world-but, for the most part, the girls make themselves very pleasant to me. Mrs. Vane is kindness itself, and sets an example of mutual good will te all of us. My studies are, I think, progressing satisfactorily, though I am, of course, in the background as yet, especially in my French. The music-master is rather passionate, particularly if we play out of time, which you know, dear mamma, used to be an unfortunate fault of your Julia's. But he takes great pains, and I think you will have less to complain of in my playing when I return. How I long to kiss and embrace you again! God bless you, dear mamma, and believe me, Your ever affectionate child, JULIA DARTON. TO ME. LIONEL DARTON, St. Mark's Place, New York. Answer of the Mother. ST. MARK'S PLACE, NEW YORK, April 22d, 18—. MY DEAREST CHILD,-I was delighted to receive your affectionate and gratifying letter. Believe me, that for a widowed mother to be parted from her only darling is a sad trial, especially when the elasticity of youth and health is so much diminished. I shall look forward with joy to the summer vacation, when I intend to take you with me on a trip to Niagara Falls and the White Mountains. You will then have an opportunity of seeing many of those wonders of scenery of which you have only read in books, as well as of improving your health, and returning to school with greater aptitude and relish for study. Write to me from time to time, and let me know all the news of your "little world; " for, believe me, everything that pertains to the welfare and progress of my darling child, is of consequence in the eyes of your mother. Pray present my kind respects to Mrs. Vane, and thank her for her kindly care of you. That God may bless you, and make you all that I could wish, is the constant prayer of Your affectionate mother, MARGARET DARTON. TO MISS JULIA DARTON, Oakland Academy, Springfield, Mass. Announcing Vacation. MOUNT VERNON FEMALE INSTITUTE, June 1st, 18MY DEAR PARENTS, -It is with mingled feelings of regret and pleasure. that I announce that the termination of this half year's work is fixed for the 10th instant. I sincerely hope that I shall not only find you both in excellent health, but that you will be satisfied with my improvement since I left home. No pains have been spared by any of my teachers to render me worthy of your good opinion; and I must ever feel grateful, both to them and to yourselves, for the pains bestowed upon my education. Miss Martin desires me to present her best compliments; and, with my best love to my sisters and brothers, believe me to remain, My dear parents, Your ever dutiful and affectionate daughter, GRACE HARKAWAY. To MR. AND MRS. HERBERT HARKAWAY, Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. Acknowledging a Present. ANANDALE SEMINARY, April 4th, 18 MY DEAR FATHER,-How kind of you to think of me immediately after your return from Europe! The trinkets you sent me are so very beautiful that I should have been afraid of exciting the envy of my schoolfellows, had it not been for the liberal supply of French confectionery (of which, I assure you, very little now remains) by which they were accompanied. I assure you, I spare no trouble to win the good opinion of my school-mistress and teachers; and, if I may judge from their kindness toward me, I am not altogether unsuccessful. I am enjoying excellent health and spirits; but I hope, now you are in New York, you will sometimes come and |