forgotten, and went to reft in charity with the whole world, and at peace in our own fouls.

Oh my forgiving child! interrupted Mr. Bragwell, fobbing, and didft thou really pray for thy unnatural father, and lie down in reft and peace? Then, let me tell thee, thou waft better off than thy mother and I were.--But no more of this; go on.

Whether my father-in-law had worked beyond his ftrength, in order to support me and my child, I know not, but he was taken dangerously ill. While he lay in this state, we received an account that my husband was dead in the Weft-Indies of the yellow-fever, which has carried off fuch numbers of our country-men; we all wept together, and prayed that his awful death might quicken us in preparing for our own. This fhock, joined to the fatigue of nurfing her fick husband, foon brought my poor mother to death's door. I nurfed them both, and felt a fatisfaction in giving them all I had to beftow, my attendance, my tears, and my prayers. I, who was once fo nice and so proud, fo difdainful in the midft of plenty, and fo impatient under the smalleft inconvenience, was now enabled to glorify God by my activity and my fubmiffion. Though the forrows of my heart were enlarged, I caft my burthen on him who cares for the weary and heavy laden. After having watched by these poor people the whole night, I fat down to breakfaft on my dry cruft and coarfe difh of tea, without a murmur; my

greatest grief was, left I should bring away the infection to my dear boy. I prayed to know what it was my duty to do between my dying parents, and my helpless child. To take care of the fick and aged, feemed to be my duty. So I offered up my child to him who is the father of the fatherlefs, and he fpared him to me.

The chearful piety with which these good people breathed their laft, proved to me, that the temper of mind with which the pious poor commonly meet death, is the grand compenfa tion made them by Providence for all the hardfhips of their inferior condition. If they have had few joys and comforts in life already, and have still fewer hopes in ftore, is not all fully made up to them by their being enabled to leave this world with ftronger defires of heaven, and without those bitter regrets after the good things of this life, which add to the dying tortures of the worldly rich? To the forlorn and deftitute death is not terrible, as it is to him who fits at eafe in his poffeffions, and who fears that this night his foul fhall be required of him.

Mr. Bragwell felt this remark more deeply than his daughter meant he fhould. He wept and bade her proceed.

I followed my departed parents to the fame grave, and wept over them, but not as one who had no hope. They had neither houses nor lands to leave me, but they left me their bible, their bleffing, and their example, of which I humbly truft I fhall feel the benefits when all the riches

of this world fhall have an end. Their few effects, confifting of fome poor houfehold goods, and fome working-tools, hardly fufficed to pay their funeral expences. I was foon attacked with the fame fever, and faw myfelf, as I thought, dying the second time; my danger was the fame, but my views were changed. I now faw eternity in a more awful light than I had done before, when I wickedly thought death might be gloomily called upon as a refuge from every common trouble. Though I had ftill reason to be humbled on account of my fin, yet, through the grace of God, I faw Death ftripped of his fting, and robbed of his terrors through him, who loved me, and had given himself for me; and in the extremity of pain, my foul rejoiced in God my Saviour.

I recovered, however, and was chiefly fupported by the kind clergyman's charity. When I felt myself nourished and cheered by a little tea or broth, which he daily fent me from his own flender provision, my heart smote me, to think how I had daily fat down at home to a plentiful dinner, without any fenfe of thankfulnefs for my own abundance, or without enquiring whether my poor fick neighbours were starving; and I forrowfully remembered, that what my poor fifter and I used to wafte through daintinefs, would now have comfortably fed myself and child. Believe me, my dear mother, a laboring man who has been brought low by a fever, might often be restored to his work fome

weeks fooner, if on his recovery he was nourished and ftrengthened by a good bit from a farmer's table. Lefs than is often thrown to a favorite spaniel would fuffice, so that the expence would be almost nothing to the giver, while to the receiver it would bring health, and ftrength, and comfort.

By the time I was tolerably recovered, I was forced to leave the houfe. I had no human

profpect of fubfiftence. I humbly afked of God to direct my steps, and to give me entire obedience to his will. I then caft my eyes mournfully on my child, and though prayer had relieved my heart of a load which without it would have been intolerable; my tears flowed faft, while I cried out in the bitterness of my foul, How many hired fervants of my father have bread enough and to fpare, and I perish with hunger. This text appeared a kind of answer to my prayer, and gave me courage to make one more attempt to foften you in my favor. I refolved to fet out directly to find you, to confefs my difobedience, and to beg a fcanty pittance, with which I and my child might be meanly fupported in fome diftant country, where we fhould not dif grace our more happy relations. We fet out and travelled as fast as my weak health and poor George's little feet and ragged fhoes would permit. I brought a little bundle of fuch work and neceffaries as I had left, by felling which we fubfifted on the road. I hope, interrupted Bragwell, there were no cabbage-nets in it ?-At

;

least said her mother, I hope you did not fell them near home. No; I had none left, faid Mrs. Incle or I fhould have done it. I got many a lift in a waggon for my child and my bundie, which was a great relief to me. And here I cannot help faying, I wifh drivers would not be too hard in their demands, if they help a poor fick traveller on a mile or two; it proves a great relief to weary bodies and naked feet and fuch little cheap charities may be confidered as "the cup of cold water," which, if given on right grounds, "fhall not lofe its reward." Here Bragwell fighed, to think that when mounted on his fine bay mare, or driving his neat chaife, it had never once croffed his mind that the poor way-worn foot traveller was not equally at his eafe, or that fhoes were a neceffary accommodation. Thofe who want nothing are apt to forget how many there are who want every thing. Mrs. Incle went on: I got to this village about seven this evening, and while I fat on the church-yard wall to reft and meditate how I fhould make myself known at home, I faw a funeral; I enquired whofe it was, and learnt it was my fifler's. This was too much for me. I funk down in a fit, and knew nothing that happened to me from that moment, till I found myfelf in the workhoufe with my father and Mr. Worthy.

Here Mrs. Incle ftopped. Grief, fhame, pride and remorse, had quite overcome Mr. Bragwell. He wept like a child; and faid he hoped his