"Ray Branford, as the recipient of the silver medal, our highest honor, was debarred from receiving this, though his progress in his studies, his high scholarship, and perfect deportment, would otherwise have entitled him to it. It is also no more than just to Edward Lawton to state that his scholarship entitled him, as the next in rank, to this gift, had there not been, through circumstances I need not repeat here, an imperfect record in his deportment. This fact alone carries the prize to the next in rank, who is, I am glad to say, one of our corporation scholars, Mr. John Bacon." And he laid the handsome volume in the bewildered boy's hands, who stammered out his thanks, and then returned to his seat. "Edward Lawton!" said Mr. Wardwell. The boy, who had been nodding pleasantly to John, rose suddenly to his feet, and with some hesitation went down the platform. Could it be there was a third prize? Yes; for a package had just been handed to Mr. Wardwell, and rapidly undoing it, he held another beautiful book in his hand. As Edward reached him, Mr. Wardwell, turning to the audience, said: "I have stated that the imperfect deportment of Master Lawton prevented him, in the judgment of the committee, from receiving the second prize. But when he so nobly confessed his wrong, and manifested such marked penitence, the committee decided to give a third prize. This copy of Milton's works, of equal value with the copy of Shakespeare, was purchased, and I now present it to Master Edward Lawton in recognition of his high scholarship, and of the manly acknowledgment of his faults which he has made." With glad, happy tears filling his eyes and coursing down his cheeks, Edward received the volumes. He felt that the honors conferred upon him had been greater than he had deserved, and in his intense emotion he could only bow his thanks. The diplomas were now presented, and with that act the senior class ceased to be, while the other seven departments of the school each advanced a grade, and gave place for a new primary. There was another event shortly after that brought deep joy to many interested ones. Edward Lawton united with the First Church. In the relation of his experience he alluded to the night that he had clung so desperately to the overturned boat in the storm. "I saw my sins, then," he said, "as I never saw them before; and when on recovering consciousness some hours later I found the one I had most injured had been my rescuer, it brought forcibly to my mind my relations to the great Saviour. All my life I had been wronging him, yet he had given himself for me. In gratitude, then, I hastened to him, and placed myself, I believe, in his protecting arms forever."