from our village. She did not like to go to service, to be snubbed

about, after being her own mistress. To put her children out to
nurse was impossible: how far would her wages go? and to send them

to her husband's parish, a distant one, was to lose her husband
twice over.

"I had heard all from Mary, and made my uncle furnish a little
cottage for her, to enable her to sell--so sacred was poor Daniel's

advice, now he was dead and gone a little fruit, toys and cakes.
The minding of the shop did not require her whole time, nor even

the keeping her children clean, and she loved to see them clean;
so she took in washing, and altogether made a shift to earn bread

for her children, still weeping for Daniel, when Jacky's arch looks
made her think of his father.--It was pleasant to work for her

children.--'Yes; from morning till night, could she have had a kiss
from their father, God rest his soul! Yes; had it pleased Providence

to have let him come back without a leg or an arm, it would have
been the same thing to her--for she did not love him because he

maintained them--no; she had hands of her own.'
"The country people were honest, and Peggy left her linen out

to dry very late. A recruiting party, as she supposed, passing
through, made free with a large wash; for it was all swept away,

including her own and her children's little stock.
"This was a dreadful blow; two dozen of shirts, stocks and

handkerchiefs. She gave the money which she had laid by for half
a year's rent, and promised to pay two shillings a week till all

was cleared; so she did not lose her employment. This two shillings
a week, and the buying a few necessaries for the children, drove

her so hard, that she had not a penny to pay her rent with,
when a twelvemonth's became due.

"She was now with Mary, and had just told her tale, which Mary
instantly repeated--it was intended for my ear. Many houses in

this town, producing a borough-interest, were included in the estate
purchased by Mr. Venables, and the attorney with whom my brother

lived, was appointed his agent, to collect and raise the rents.
"He demanded Peggy's, and, in spite of her intreaties, her

poor goods had been seized and sold. So that she had not, and what
was worse her children, 'for she had known sorrow enough,' a bed

to lie on. She knew that I was good-natured--right charitable,
yet not liking to ask for more than needs must, she scorned to

petition while people could any how be made to wait. But now,
should she be turned out of doors, she must expect nothing less

than to lose all her customers, and then she must beg or starve--
and what would become of her children?--'had Daniel not been pressed--

but God knows best--all this could not have happened.'
"I had two mattrasses on my bed; what did I want with two,

when such a worthy creature must lie on the ground? My mother would
be angry, but I could conceal it till my uncle came down;

and then I would tell him all the whole truth,
and if he absolved me, heaven would.

"I begged the house-maid to come up stairs with me (servants
always feel for the distresses of poverty, and so would the rich

if they knew what it was). She assisted me to tie up the mattrass;
I discovering, at the same time, that one blanket would serve me

till winter, could I persuade my sister, who slept with me, to keep
my secret. She entering in the midst of the package, I gave her

some new feathers, to silence her. We got the mattrass down the
back stairs, unperceived, and I helped to carry it, taking with me

all the money I had, and what I could borrow from my sister.
"When I got to the cottage, Peggy declared that she would not

take what I had brought secretly; but, when, with all the eager
eloquence inspired by a decided purpose, I grasped her hand with

weeping eyes, assuring her that my uncle would screen me from blame,
when he was once more in the country, describing, at the same time,

what she would suffer in parting with her children, after keeping
them so long from being thrown on the parish,

she reluctantly consented.
"My project of usefulness ended not here; I determined to

speak to the attorney; he frequently paid me compliments. His
character did not intimidate me; but, imagining that Peggy must be

mistaken, and that no man could turn a deaf ear to such a tale of
complicated distress, I determined to walk to the town with Mary

the next morning, and request him to wait for the rent, and keep
my secret, till my uncle's return.

"My repose was sweet; and, waking with the first dawn of day,
I bounded to Mary's cottage. What charms do not a light heart

spread over nature! Every bird that twittered in a bush, every
flower that enlivened the hedge, seemed placed there to awaken me

to rapture--yes; to rapture. The present moment was full fraught
with happiness; and on futurity I bestowed not a thought, excepting

to anticipate my success with the attorney.
"This man of the world, with rosy face and simpering features,

received me politely, nay kindly; listened with complacency to my
remonstrances, though he scarcely heeded Mary's tears. I did not

then suspect, that my eloquence was in my complexion, the blush of
seventeen, or that, in a world where humanity to women is the

characteristic of advancing civilization, the beauty of a young
girl was so much more interesting than the distress of an old one.

Pressing my hand, he promised to let Peggy remain in the house as
long as I wished.--I more than returned the pressure--I was so

grateful and so happy. Emboldened by my innocentwarmth, he then
kissed me--and I did not draw back--I took it for a kiss of charity.

"Gay as a lark, I went to dine at Mr. Venables'. I had
previously obtained five shillings from my father, towards re-clothing

the poor children of my care, and prevailed on my mother to take
one of the girls into the house, whom I determined to teach to work

and read.
"After dinner, when the younger part of the circleretired to

the music room, I recounted with energy my tale; that is, I mentioned
Peggy's distress, without hinting at the steps I had taken to

relieve her. Miss Venables gave me half-a-crown; the heir five
shillings; but George sat unmoved. I was cruellydistressed by

the disappointment--I scarcely could remain on my chair; and, could
I have got out of the room unperceived, I should have flown home,

as if to run away from myself. After several vain attempts to
rise, I leaned my head against the marble chimney-piece, and gazing

on the evergreens that filled the fire-place, moralized on the
vanity of human expectations; regardless of the company. I was

roused by a gentle tap on my shoulder from behind Charlotte's chair.
I turned my head, and George slid a guinea into my hand, putting

his finger to his mouth, to enjoin me silence.
"What a revolution took place, not only in my train of thoughts,

but feelings! I trembled with emotion--now, indeed, I was in love.
Such delicacy too, to enhance his benevolence! I felt in my pocket

every five minutes, only to feel the guinea; and its magic touch
invested my hero with more than mortal beauty. My fancy had found

a basis to erect its model of perfection on; and quickly went to
work, with all the happy credulity of youth, to consider that heart

as devoted to virtue, which had only obeyed a virtuous impulse.
The bitter experience was yet to come, that has taught me how very

distinct are the principles of virtue, from the casual feelings
from which they germinate.

CHAPTER 8
"I HAVE perhaps dwelt too long on a circumstance, which is only of

importance as it marks the progress of a deception that has been
so fatal to my peace; and introduces to your notice a poor girl,

whom, intending to serve, I led to ruin. Still it is probable that
I was not entirely the victim of mistake; and that your father,

gradually fashioned by the world, did not quickly become what I
hesitate to call him--out of respect to my daughter.

"But, to hasten to the more busy scenes of my life. Mr.
Venables and my mother died the same summer; and, wholly engrossed

by my attention to her, I thought of little else. The neglect of
her darling, my brother Robert, had a violent effect on her weakened

mind; for, though boys may be reckoned the pillars of the house
without doors, girls are often the only comfort within. They but

too frequently waste their health and spirits attending a dying
parent, who leaves them in comparativepoverty. After closing,