[Illustration: "He said it made a very soft seat."] "Yes, but it is his misfortune, rather than his fault," replied Jonas. "His misfortune?" repeated Oliver. "Yes," said Jonas; "his father's situation is such, that it is very unfortunate for him. I expect he is very unhappily situated at home, in many respects." "How?" said Oliver. "Why, in the first place," said Jonas, "he lives, I'm told, in a large and handsome house." "Yes," said Oliver. "And then," continued Jonas, "your aunt, I have heard, is a very fine woman, and has a great deal of company." "Well," said Oliver. "And then," continued Jonas, "they can buy Josey any thing he wants, for playthings." "Yes," said Oliver; "he told me he had got a rocking-horse. But I don't call that being unfortunate." "It is very fortunate for the father and mother, but such a kind of life is generally unfortunate for the child. You see, if a man has been industrious himself, when he was a boy, and has grown up to be a good business man, and to acquire a great deal of property, and builds a good house, and has plenty of books, and journeys, it is all very well for him. He can bear it, but it very often spoils his children." "Why does it spoil his children?" asked Oliver. "In the first place, it makes them conceited and vain,--not always, but often. The children of wealthy men are very often conceited. They wear better clothes than some other boys, and have more books and prettier playthings; and so they become vain, and think that they are very important, when, in fact, they owe every thing to their fathers. "Then, besides," continued Jonas, "they don't form good habits of industry. Their fathers don't make them work, and so they don't acquire any habits of industry, and patience, and perseverance." "If I was a man, and had ever so much money," said Oliver, "I would make my boys work." "That is very doubtful," said Jonas.