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SECTION 13.

The good daughter.

THE following pleasing account of an excellent servant and daughter, was written, by a clergyman, in the year 1806.

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The daughter of an old day-labourer, residing in my parish, lived many years as a servant of all-work, with a tradesman in our county town. During the former part of her service, her wages were only forty shillings a year. They were advanced five shillings, on her undertaking the whole washing and ironing, without assistance and for the last nine years, her master gave her four pounds a year; which were her highest wages. An old female relation of her master's passed a good deal of her time with him: but her temper was so very bad, that no one made any great effort to please her, except this young woman; whose constant and unwearied endeavour it was, to bear with her frowardness, and to comply with her wishes. The old gentlewoman, was, at length, so won by her assiduity, that she rewarded her with several small sums of money, to the amount of four or five guineas. On receiving the first guinea, she determined not to spend any part of it, but to save it against a time of need, though her wages were still at the lowest rate. She even then contrived to add something to her treasure; till, at length, after her wages had been increased, she became mistress of twenty pounds.

Application was made to her for this sum, to be lent out on interest. But while she was deliberating upon the proposal, it came into her mind, that she ought ra

ther to bestow it on her parents, who were then, through age, becoming infirm. She proposed to give them the whole sum at once. But her brother-in-law prudently

advised her to send them only half of it, to buy them a cow; and to save the remainder for a future occasion: which she did. A short time after, her father was afflicted with a disorder, which brought him to such a state, that he could expect no relief but from a surgical operation. Even this, a country surgeon had pronounced hopeless; a mortification having, in his opinion, already taken place. The affectionate daughter determined, nevertheless, to be at the expense of taking the advice of a surgeon from the infirmary, which was ten miles distant; and he was of a different opinion. I saw the operation performed. It succeeded, though the patient was then seventy years old; he is still living, and is now in his eighty-seventh year. The surgeon, for the operation and many attendances, required only ten guineas. This was thankfully paid him by the good daughter, being all the money that she possessed.

A few years after she had made this laudable use of her hard-earned savings, her master intending to make his will, proposed to his executer and residuary legatee, to bequeath fifty pounds to his old servant. The executer, dissatisfied with this bequest, reminded him of the strong proofs which she had given of the strictest honesty and of her long and faithful services, not only in the house, but in the shop; by which she had helped him to gain, and had also preserved, much of his property. On these grounds, he persuaded her master, to leave her a hundred pounds instead of fifty; and to add to that sum the interest of three hundred pounds, during her life, together with a quantity of household

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furniture. After his decease, the executer further requested her, to take, as a present from him, any other article of furniture which she wished.

A few months after this, a farmer in comfortable circumstances, next neighbour to her aged parents, paid his addresses to her; and afterwards married her. I have reason to hope, that both she and her husband, as well as her aged parents, are pious persons; and that her marriage has been the means of greatly promoting her spiritual welfare.

Thus, has this child honoured her father and mother, as God commands; and thus, it has been, and it still is, well with her, according to his gracious promise *.

Ephesians vi. 2, 3.

CHAPTER III.

DESCRIPTION S.

SECTION 1.

The diligent scholar.

WHO is he that comes along so briskly, with a small basket on his arm? His limbs are strong, and active; his cheeks are ruddy; and his countenance is cheerful and good-humoured.

It is the diligent scholar. He is hastening to school, that he may be there in time. It is very seldom, indeed, that he is a minute after the time, either in the morning, or in the afternoon. He never misses going to school, when his parents give him leave to go. He is not afraid of summer's heat, or winter's cold, or of a little snow, or rain: he wants to grow up strong and hardy; and to be able to bear all weathers. His master tells him that he should be very regular in attending school, in order that he may learn well, and quickly; and he always likes to please, and oblige, his master, and to do as he desires. He never goes to school with a dirty face, or neck; or with dirty hands, or nails; or long, uncombed hair. His clothes are well mended; and he keeps them as neat and clean as he

can.

During school-time, he always sits, or stands, in his own place; and he never goes out of the school, without his master's leave. He reads no books at school, but such as his master tells him to read: nor does he

take any thing out of his pocket, either to play with, or to eat. He is very careful not to bring dirt into the school; or to spoil, or hurt, any thing, or put any thing out of its proper place. When there are strangers in the school, he does not stare at them: he minds his business; and if they speak to him, answers them very civilly. He never talks, or whispers, to his schoolfellows: for that, he knows, would prevent both them and him from doing the business they have to do; and he has plenty of time to talk, when he is not at school. When the scholars, in his class, are reading, or spelling, or repeating their tables, or any thing which they have learned, he is very attentive; and learns a great deal by hearing them, and what they are taught. He is always ready to answer any question that his master asks him; and when he reads, or speaks, pronounces his words so distinctly, that he can easily be heard, and understood. When he does not understand any thing that he has to learn, or that is said to him, he asks his master, in a very respectful manner, to explain it to him; but he never interrupts his master, when he is speaking, or is very busy.

The diligent scholar is desirous to learn something useful every day; and to remember what he has learned: and he is scarcely satisfied with himself, if he does not find that he improves every day he lives. He wants to learn, as quickly as possible, all that he can learn at school, in order that he may go to work, to get his own living; and not be a burthen to his parents, any longer than he can help.

He honours and respects his master; and pays great attention to all he says, not giving him the trouble to repeat the same thing over and over again. He minds

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