I never spend an

and lie down with the lamb. idle penny, or an idle moment; though my fa. mily is numerous, my children were never a burden to me. That good woman there, .fir," pointing to his wife, "puts her hand to, the laboring oar: fhe brings up our children at home in fuch a fober induftrious manner, that our neighbors, as foon as they are capable of earning a penny, are glad to take them off our hands. I am proud to fay, fir, they have no little pilfering tricks, as many children have. 'Train up a child in the way he fhould go,' Is our way, fir, and I am certain both my wife and I have felt the benefit of the text, for our children are kind and affectionate towards each other, dutiful to us their parents, and obliging and civil to their employers. Ah, fir, the richest man in England is not happier than I am, when I return home of an evening, wearied by the heat and labor of the day, to be received with looks of kindness by my wife, as fhe is preparing our frugal fupper, whilft two or three of my little babies climb my knees to fondle me round the neck." Again the traveller groaned piteously; but Rogers went on. "I was born to a pretty fortune, fir; but by the villainy of my father's brother I lost my inheritance. My uncle, Charles Rogers, through the indulgence of his mother, proved to be a very malicious child, and as he grew up to man's eftate, the faults of the child became hardened vices in the man, infomuch that his wicked behavior broke his mother's

heart. My own dear mother, fir, like the parents of Samuel, taught me betimes to fear the Lord; yet my grandfather was fo much of fended at my father's marrying her, that he made his will, and cut him off with a fhilling. He and my poor mother died within a twelvemonth of each other, and left me pennylefs by the time all their debts were paid. I was then about twelve years of age, and my Betty's father kindly took me to live with him. He foon received a meffage from my grandfather, with a prefent of twenty guineas to pay for my board, faying, he was very ill, and that he would fend for me when he was better. The next news I heard of him was that he was dead; and though he had promised to make a will in my favor, yet none was to be found, although one of his old fervants declared he had figned a great sheet of parchment, which a lawyer had been writing by my grandfather's bed fide. Every body now judged my uncle Charles very hardly, as having made away with this laft will, because he brought forward the old one, wherein my grandfather had left his whole property to him. Some kind friends of my father wifhing to fee justice done by me, commenced an action against both him and the lawyer, who was known to be a rogue, and ready to do any dirty work for money.

"The trial was brought on at the next affizes, when my uncle employed fuch arts in fecuring the witneffes, that a verdi was given againit

me.

After fome months, however, my uncle fent me twenty guineas, that I might be put apprentice to a carpenter; but defired he might never be troubled about me again. Accordingly I was bound out; but my mafter proved one of thofe negligent tradesmen who loved his eafe better than his work: by neglecting his bufinefs, his bufinefs began to neglect him. He broke at length for a confiderable fum' of money, and was thrown into prifon, where he died foon after of the jail diftemper; fo at the end of the third year of my apprenticeship, I was once more left to feek for bread. I returned again to my Betty's father, who got me employment under his mafter. I was about one and twenty when I married, and then I and my wife followed my mafter's fon into this country, who had an eftate left him and with him I have worked ever fince, and with truth I can say, I have never received an unkind, word from him, for he never faw me drunk, not even at sheepfheering or at harveft-home. My Betty's pious meeknefs, fir, has fweetened all my toil, whilft the dutiful behavior of my children has fulfilled every wifh of my heart. Whether my cruel uncle be dead or living I know not; but be it as it may, I do not envy him his ill-gotten. wealth, and I can only pray that he may repent him of his fins, before fickness brings him to a death bed; for it is a horrible thing, fir, to have the confcience racked with despair when the body is afflicted with pain."

"Look, Richard," cried Betty Rogers, 66 you are talking on, and on, whilft I am fure the poor gentleman is going into a fit." The gentleman at that inftant gave a deep groan, and would have fallen from his chair if Rogers had not caught him in his arms; his wife fnatching up the little mug of tea, which she ftill kept warm in the afhes, the put it to the ftranger's lips, begging him to take a fip, as fhe was fure it would do him good; whilst her husband, on the other hand, begged him to cat a bit of the toaft. The gentleman could but just make shift to fay, you are too kind to me." faid Rogers, "we do no we would for our worst enemy." cried the traveller, "what will become of me? My fight fails me, my flesh trembles, and my joints ach; I freeze and burn at the fame moment."

"My good people "Not at all, fir," more for you, than "O God,"

Poor dear gentleman !" faid Betty Rogers, wiping her eyes, "I am afraid he is going lightheaded; do pray, fir, drink a drop more of the tea," "and eat a bit of the toaft alfo," anfwered Richard. "I dare not tafte it, my good friends," replied the gentleman, "for I feel as if it would choak me were I to attempt it; but tell me, I pray, is there not fomewhere a text of Scripture which fays, "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirft, give him drink; for, in fo doing, thou fhalt heap coals of fire on his head?'-O Rogers, Rogers, thou wilt

fay indeed thou art heaping coals of fire on my head, when thou art told I am thy wicked uncle Charles !"

Here Roger and his wife had nearly fwooned away with astonishment. "Then I am heartily glad to fee you, uncle," cried Rogers," and if you have already done me wrong I forgive you with all my foul, as I hope to be forgiven myself." Here Mr. Rogers's grief appeared fo great, he feemed almost beside himfelf. "But do not be surprised," cried he, as foon as he could fpeak, "to fee me here; it is not by accident; this is the fecond attempt I have made, Rogers, to vifit thy humble dwelling; but more of that hereafter." In about a quarter of an. hour, Mr. Rogers, after fhedding bitter tears, fpoke as follows:

66

My neighbors, Richard, have long believed me to be a very happy man, seeing that I poffeffed an abundance of the good things of this world, but what man ever yet was happy, who carried fecret guilt in his bofom? Thy grandfather, on his death-bed, became duly fenfible of his unforgiving spirit towards thy poor father, for no other crime had he committed than having married a woman who brought him no money; he therefore refolved that the laft bufinefs of his life fhould be doing an act of justice towards thee, his only fon; accordingly he fent for his attorney, made a new will, bequeathing thee that property which he would have given thy father had he been living; he alfo defired