At last a way occurred to him. He would write a letter, and place it in the hands of some one going to Philadelphia, to be posted in the latter city. This would give no clue to his present home, and would answer the purpose of relieving his mother's anxiety. Late in the afternoon, Ben went into a stationery store on Nassau Street. "Will you give me a sheet of paper, and an envelope?" he asked, depositing two cents on the counter. The articles called for were handed him. "Can I write a letter here?" inquired Ben. "You can go round to that desk," said the clerk; "you will find pen and ink there." Ben, with some difficulty, composed and wrote the following letter, for it was the first he had ever had occasion to write:-- "DEAR MOTHER,--I hope you will not feel very bad because I have left home. Father punished me for what I did not do, and after that I was not willing to stay; but I wish I could see you. Don't feel anxious about me, for I am getting along very well, and earning my own living. I cannot tell you where I am, for father might find out, and I do not want to come back, especially after that advertisement. I don't think my going will make much difference to father, as he has only offered one dollar reward for me. You need not show this letter to him. I send you my love, and I also send my love to Mary, though she used to tease me sometimes. And now I must bid you good-by. "From your affectionate son, "BEN." After completing this letter Ben put it in the envelope, and directed it to "MRS. RUTH BRANDON, "_Cedarville,_ "_Pennsylvania._" It may be explained that the Mary referred to was an elder sister, ten years older than Ben, against whom he felt somewhat aggrieved, on account of his sister's having interfered with him more than he thought she had any right to do. She and Ben were the only children. If I were to express my opinion of this letter of Ben's, I should say that it was wanting in proper feeling for the mother who had always been kind and gentle to him, and whose heart, he must have known, would be deeply grieved by his running away from home. But Ben's besetting sin was pride, mingled with obstinacy, and pride prevailed over his love for his mother. If he could have known of the bitter tears which his mother was even now shedding over her lost boy, I think he would have found it difficult to maintain his resolution.