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2 past; and as she thought of the pre sent and the future, the tears would roll down her sunken cheek. All was sold, save a few books; and the mo ney left, after satisfying the crcdi tors, was used by Mr. Head in pur*, chasing the humble home, first pre sented to our readers. Mrs. Moore had occupied this home three years at the time our story opens. Walter was nineteen, and the beautiful conceptions of his mother’s mind had been imparted to his, as he had been capable of receiving and re taining them; and they had moulds ed it in strength, beauty and piety. Reverence for truth seemed to bo an inherent part of his being. It was early in Juno. Walter and Robert had reaped from toil on the small farm, means sufficient to sup ply the family with the necessaries, and many of tho luxurios of life,— Mrs. Moore’s parents having died in the meantime, left ber a small prop erty, which she hoped would enable her sons, by economy, to acquire an education. Walter was anxious to enter college the ensuing winter. The year passed swiftly. Robert and Nora, W’th the assistance of Walter and their mother, made rapid progress. Walter having advanced beyond his mother’s capacity to teach him, sought instruction from Hr. Head; and when the time was ap proaching for him to leave home, he had advanced remarkably well in his studies. The Christmas holidays were spent by Walter in arranging everything for his departure. His mother, packing his trunk, deposited in the tray, a bible, having written on the fly-leaf, “ Read often , care fully and prayerfully.” She trembled as She thought of tho temptations to which he would be liable, away from tho sacred influences of home, and prayed God to strengthen birr, for temptation, shield him when in dan f ger, and savo him from sin. The day had been one of trial; she had reverted to the past —tho ravage of death, the loss of property, coldness and neglect of friends. To refloct upon this, was enough to sudden her heart; but time, that cures every wound, had taken the acuteness from her former pangs Walter’s leaving home was her present, and bitter sor row. She had learned to lean upon bim, arid rely on bis sound judgment; and she realized in his dutiful affec tion and provident earn tho happi ness which only the mother of such a son can know. She closed the trunk, and before leaving the room bathed her face to hide the traces of tears; for she did not wish to shadow with grief, the last evening her son would be at home for months. \\ alter, Robert and Nora, were seated round a cheerful fire in the sitting-room. Nora was perched on Walter’s knee, while she played with THE GEORGIA COLLEGIAN. his jetty hair; and the trio were building aircastles. Walter drew his mother’s easy chair to his side, when she entered the room, and clasped her hand within his own. Mrs. M.’s lips trembled, and teais glittered on her drooping lashes; but she soon wore a cheerful face and participated ir. the bright hopes of her children. The evening glided rapidly away, till the small clock on tho mantle an nounced the hour for repose. Walter, before handing his mother the Bible for evening prayer, stood a moment as if struggling with some inward conviction. He at length asked if be might read and pray that evening.— With a heart too full for utterance she motioned him to proceed. When they arose from their knees, Mrs. Moore clasped Walter to her breast and said, “My son, you will soon leave your mother to be thrown among strangers; and you will be exposed to temptations of which you never dreamed ; but be prayerful, be firm, be sincere, and you will be for tified against all. Bo careful with whem you associate, avoiding as you would the deadliest reptile, those who are profane or obscene. Let the Bible be your guide, and I have no fears for your future, either in time or eternity.” When she had ended, Walter kiss ed her good night, and retired, re solving to remember her counsels.' Mr. Head called for him early the next morning, to take him to the nearest railway station. His fare wells were uttered, and with his mother’s kiss as a talisman on his lips went out into tho world, with untar nished purity, and a trusting heart. ciiap. ir. Mr. Head had given Walter a let ter of introduction to the Faculty, all of whom he knew ; and the morning after his arrival, he entered the pre sence of Professors and students. For a moment he thought of the diff'er ence between his plain garb and the rich suits of some students present; but his mind was of too high a caste to entertain such thoughts long. The kindness of the Professors who ex amined him, won his heart; and he was overjoyed when he found he could enter Sophomore half advanc ed. Walter’s face recommended him highly to the President; and the lat ter, having at his house a nephew, young Ernest Doe, who wanted a chum, introduced Walter, and re marked, “ Mr. Moore’s face bespeaks him a good boy, such as 1 would se led to share the bed of my relative.” Ernest greeted Walter cordially, and insisted that he should accept the offer of the President. In yielding his a.-sent, Walter thanked the Pres ident for the unexpected compliment and kind offer; and ho and Ernest returned to the hotel to lock after his baggage. Walter had not been at College long, ere he become a favorite with the Faculty and most of the students. The manual labor on tho farm, and the avidity with which he devoted every spare moment of his youth to the acquisition of knowledge, prepar ed him physically and mentally for the ascent of the “ Hill He stood first in his clae%; but his retiring nature drew back from the position he had so honestly earned. He was very sensitive, and his feel ings had been deeply wounded by tho jestsof careless, thoughtless hoys, who aroto be found at every College. Some gave him the name of “stu dious plow boy.” While he exulted in the thought that toil was honora ble, and that his strenuous efforts gave him tho advantages he enjoyed, yet ho could not feel indifferent to the thrusts of others. ’Tis at College perhaps, that every boy, raised as Walter was, learns his first lessons of the world. Human nature in the boy is human nature in the man ; the disposition of the boy is the disposition of the man ; and in doed tho true character of the boy at College is seen in the man of after iife. It would bo well for a sensitive spirit like Walter’s, to blunt its keen ness in its younger days. His letters to his mother, breathed a spirit of hope arid confidence. He always omitted the little annoyances that would trouble him ; indeed, he never spoke of these except to Ernest, who, like himself —a Righ-toned, spirited youth —was struggling with “ chill penury,” t# obtain an education. Ernest Doo’s mother died when he was very young. His only recollec tions of her, were her daily devo tions; her descriptions of the angels and heaven ; and the sad hour when she was borno from tho darkened home to the grave. Ilis father, who had by a life of dissipation, spent the property that rightfully belonged to his son, died two years before Ernest came to College. He had boasted of his infidelity and left the seed of it in the soul of his child. This child was the room-mate and intimate friend of Walter Moore ; and with his almost faultless moral conduct, gen tlemanly manners, and superior intel lect, he was the boy to win admira tion from any one. Notwithstanding Ernest professed the infidelity of his father, “the pleasing hope, the fond desire, the longing after immortality, the secret dread, and the inward horror of fall ning into nought,” ail made his soul “ shrink back on itself, and startle at destruction.” There were times when the divinity stirred within him; hut when he one day, took from his trunk several infidel works, and invi ted Walter’s attention to them, he had but too faint a conception of the dark poison he was about tw pour in to the soul of his friend. Walter laid tho books asido then, however; but promised to read them during his summer vacation. Not long before Commencement, a little circumstance occurred, which showed much of Walter’s true moral worth, and presents him to us, a type of true manhood. The citizens in the neighborhood of the College were greatly annoyed on account of the depredations on their orchards. As no other rogue could be found, of course students were suspected. Two of Walter’s class, who had not the disposition nor ability to compete with him, were envious of his posi tion, and determined to degrade him. Accordingly they devised a plan by which they could make a most hell ish use of stolen fruit. One rainy night they robbed the fruit trees of a man whom, they knew, would spare neither time nor money, in de tecting the theif, and went to the room of Moore and Doe. (leaving as many tracks in their path as possi ble,) noiselessly depositing two filled sacks between a trunk and the wall; and then going away in such a man ner that their tracks could not be seen. Early next morning, Walter and Ernest, as was their habit, were up to review their morning recitation before prayers. Ernest had taken his book and gone to walk in the grove, and Walter was alone in their room, when he heard a knock at the door. He answered the knock with a “Come in,” thinking it was a'ser vant; and was much surprised to see an old man with several police offi cers enter. When told their errand, he winced at the foul suspicion, but proudly bade them search the room. In the meantime, the President was made aware who were in his house, and Ernest also told that policemen were in his room. Just as the Pre sident entered to know the cause of their mission, a man raised the fruit from its lurking place, near tho win* dow. All eyes were turned to Wal ter; and he, instead of being as pale as a convict, exhibited the indignant fire of his soul on his burning cheek. He sought the eyes of the man who had been as kind to him as his fa ther; but when he read in the large gray eyes, doubt, suspicion—yea, and a confirmed belief of guilt, he sank into a chair, and murmured through the tears which streamed from his eyes, “ God help m«.” Bitter were the thoughts thatsurged in his breast. He knew he was innocent; though there was the mud on tho window sill ; tracks outside, which had led the men to his room ; there the sacks of fruit; and all appearances against him. Ho thought of his mother— could she bear to hear ho was accus ed of theft ? How it would distress