and I may queftion, if upon earth there lives fo miferable a father as this poor worn out old man! To find thee in a place the very fink of wretchedness, unaided, unaffifted, left to pine and die alone in extreme misery! a room fit only for the raving madman, cold, bleak, dark and dreadful! ftretch'd too on ftraw, my child upon a bed of ftraw, with scarce a covering to conceal her nakedness: perifhing with fickness, cold, and hungar! Oh fate accurft, oh miserable hour!" Thus was he proceeding to vent his griefs, and give utterance to the bitter forrows of his heart, when Mr. Jaison, soothing him to the utmost of his power, defir'd his permiffion to go and procure fome proper affistance, that they might remove his daughter from that place, and try all due methods to reftore her again to health and peace. "Ay, prithee do it, fir, faid the old man, I wou'd to God, we had a friend: but all mankind are falfe: do not trust them : they'll rob you of your children, cruel monsters, they'll rob your children too of innocence and virtue and then what griefs await them! I had a daughter once, but now I'm old, and every one contemns old age! Oh were my child but with me, fhe would comfort me, fhe would footh all my forrows; now fhe's loft, I care not what may follow!" The air with which he fpoke this fufficiently declar'd the situation of his 1 his mind and therefore Mr. Jaison waited not for any reply, but haftened away with all expedition to procure fome affiftance, that Lucy might be removed from this distressful ftate, to a place where her friends might be able to vifit and relieve her. Mrs. Cox hearing that fome ftir was made about this wretched object, whom she had abfolutely given up, according to custom; was willing to make her own bargain and advantage therefrom, and on that account betook herself to the place where Lucy and her father were, just after Mr. Jaison was departed from thence. She enter'd in her usual free manner, and as her heart was an abfolute ftranger to pity or compaffion, fhe address'd the old man without any regard to affliction or distress informing him, that if he wanted that woman, he must expect to pay her debts, for she was pretty deep in her accounts: Mr. Sanfon rofe from the ground, alarmed by the loud and hoarfe found of her man-like voice, and advancing towards her, fixed his eyes fteadfastly upon her, and faid "Lookee woman fhe's my child-if you can give us comfort, don't delay it: for in fad truth we want it very greatly but if you only come, ill neighbour, to fpy out and triumph o'er my mifery, look, fill your eyes and heart, fee it in all its pomp - behold child my -- behold her father M 3 look look and be fatisfied-get home and tell your children on't; fhake your fad head and figh; bless your own hap, and go to bed in thankfulness." Mother Cox did not at all understand him, and esteeming it abuse and mockery, began to be exceeding choleric, and pronouncing a hearty ban or two, declar'd, fhe did not care a ftraw for his words; her money fhe would have, and if he did not pay her it by fair means, she knew how to get it by foul : for she was not used to be choused by such old grey-headed fools as he was, fhe had lived long enough to know better." "Tis true, good woman, replied Mr. Sanfon, I am old, and very foolish but do not mock me for these old white locks: they speak my age, and used to challenge reverence: but age and reverence all are loft to me. There lies my daughter: can you affist oh be not too hardhearted; indeed fhe once was all that's fair and lovely! Look at that bed of ftraw, fee those thin coverings, ragged, and base do you not hear her groans ? fhe has a mother: it wou'd break her heart, yea in a moment stop each throbbing pulse, and lay her lifeless at her feet, to see her child, her lovely loving child, her Lucy, her firft born, to see her in fo piteous a condition! You are a woman — have a woman's heart, and don't deny your fex: weep with me, and la ment : ment a fate fo dreadful!" "You may think perhaps to put me off with thefe fine words, replied the beldam, and by finding fault with my things, hope to pay nothing for them but you are mistaken, man: I know better things, I have feen too much of life to be fo tricked and deceived and as to your pity, and compaffion, and nonfenfe, I fee enough of this fort of fport every day of my life to deliver me, thank God, from all that: No, no, your daughter, if she is your daughter, old master, has been the cause of all her misfortunes as you call them: she has no body to thank for them but herself; and fo wants no body to pity her: however bad as her bed and covering may be, if you don't think proper to pay me, she must e'en lye on the ground, and rot if she likes it." The old man, as one wou'd reasonably expect, was astonish'd and terrified at this speech, deliver'd, as it was, with all the malignity of tone and gesture, all the fury of voice and action, which this wretch was capable of fhewing. In the utmost agony of mind, on her pronouncing these words, he trembled in every limb, and throwing himself again on the ground by Lucy's fide, clasp'd her in his arms, and bursting into a flood of tears- cried out" She shall not lye and rot-she shall not, fhall not, perifh in cold and nakednefs: I'll warm her in this bofom I'll cloath her tho I am naked, my Lucy fhall not want a covering." Upon faying which he was about to ftrip himself, when Mr. Jaifon return'd with proper affiftance to remove these unhappy objects to a more decent and convenient place, where if all aid fhou'd prove unavailing, they might at least die in peace. His mind had been already fufficiently shock'd and alarm'd, but human nature cou'd not behold fuch a scene unmov'd! The poor weeping father was endeavouring to get off his cloaths, crying out, "I'll cover thee, my child- thou fhalt not be nakedI'll cover thee, and keep thee from the cold :” while the feeble daughter fcarce able to lift up her hand, was with tears entreating him to forbear, and ftriving to hold and prevent him! "Suffer me, faid fhe, to die, and do not further disturb me: give me up, my father, leave me and do not on my account thus diftract yourself and me: I am undone beyond all relief: there is no hopes of me: but do not for such a worthlefs wretch as I am, do not plange yourself into fuch forrow, do not add new afflictions to my mother, to whom I am now alas a stranger: do not distress your other poor children, but referve yourself for their advantage, and leave me to the fate I well deferve." In fuch a fituation Mr. Jaifon found these unhappy people; and fcarcely was he enter'd into the room, before mother |