Never was experiment more happy for subject and object: Abel Snipe was made an honest and useful man; and Zachariah Longstraw obtained a friend and servant without price. The gratitude of Abel was equal to his ability; humility, fidelity, and religion, were the least of his virtues--he became a philanthropist, like his master. He managed his affairs with such skill, that Zachariah had always pennies at hand for the unfortunate; which, it seems, had not always happened before; and, what was equally charming, the zealous Abel dived into every lane, alley, and gutter, to discover new objects of charity for his patron. To crown all, he felt moved in the spirit to profess the faith so greatly adorned by his protector; and, after due preparation and probation, appeared in the garb of peace and humility, and even went so far as to hold forth once at meeting. In a word, Abel Snipe was a jewel of the first water, who supplied the place of the idle Jonathan in all matters of business, and almost in the affections of his kinsman. If not equally beloved, he was more highly esteemed; and his shining worth consoled the philanthropist for many of the derelictions of his nephew. He became the confidant, the coadjutor, and the adviser of Zachariah; and Zachariah never found occasion to lament the be nevolence that had redounded so much to his own advantage. 3. CHAPTER III. IN WHICH THE YOUNG MAN JONATHAN ARGUES SEVERAL CASES OF CONSCIENCE, WHICH ARE RECOMMENDED TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE YEARLY MEETING. My nephew Jonathan had no great love for poor Abel; and he did not tell me his story without passing sundry sarcasms on him, as well as myself, for bestowing so much confidence on the poor unfortunate man. I rebuked the youth for his freedom and uncharitableness, and remembering what Abel had told me of his own idle and trifling course of life, I felt impelled by the new spirit of virtue that possessed me to take him to task; which I did in the following manner; and it is wondrous how completely and how soon (for I was yet lying on my back, groaning with my unhealed wounds and bruises) my spirit assumed and acted upon all that was peculiar in the nature of Zachariah Longstraw. "Nevvy Jonathan," said I, "the uncharitableness of thy spirit afflicts me. Trouble not thyself to censure the worthy Abel Snipe; but think how thou shalt amend thine own crying faults. It has been said to me, Jonathan, my son, and verily I fear it is true, that thou squeakest upon flutes, and that thou makest profane noises with fiddles; and, furthermore, that thou runnest after, and dost buy, the vanity of pictures, and triest thy hand at painting the same." "I do," said Jonathan; "and I find nothing against them in the Scripture." "Verily," said I, "but dost thou find nothing against them in thine own spirit?"