"No, sir," replied the Shepherd, "it pleases "God to give me two ways of bearing up under "them. I pray that they may be either removed 66 or sanctified to me. Besides, if my road be right "I am contented, though it be rough and uneven. "I do not so much stagger at hardships in the right 66 way, as I dread a false security, and a hollow "peace, while I may be walking in a more smooth, "but less safe way. Besides, sir, I strengthen my "faith by recollecting what the best men have suf_ “fered, and my hope, with the view of the short

ness of all suffering. It is a good hint, sir, of "the vanity of all earthly possessions, that though "the whole Land of Promise was his, yet the first "bit of ground which Abraham, the father of the "faithful, got possession of, in the land of Canaan, was a grave."

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"Are you in any distress at present?" said Mr. Johnson. "No, sir, thank God," replied the Shepherd. "I get my shilling a-day, and most of my "children will soon be able to earn something; for "we have only three under five years old."-Only!" said the gentleman," that is a heavy burden.”"Not at all; God fits the back to it. Though my "wife is not able to do any out-of-door work, yet "she breeds up our children to such habits of indus"try, that our little maids, before they are six years "old, can first get a halfpenny, and then a penny "a day by knitting. The boys who are too little to "do hard work, get a trifle by keeping the birds off "the corn; for this the farmers will give them a

66

penny or two-pence, and now and then a bit of

bread and cheese into the bargain. When the "season of crow-keeping is over, then they glean "or pick stones; any thing is better than idleness,

sir, and if they did not get a farthing by it, I "would make them do it just the same, for the sake "of giving them early habits of labour.

« So

66

"So you see, sir, I am not so badly off as many

are; nay, if it were not that it costs me so much "in 'pothecary's stuff for my poor wife, I should "reckon myself well off, nay I do reckon myself "well off, for blessed be God, he has granted her "life to my prayers, and I would work myself to a "'natomy, and live on one meal a-day, to add any "comfort to her valuable life; indeed I have often "done the last, and thought it no great matter "neither."

While they were in this part of the discourse, a fine plump cherry-cheek little girl ran up out of breath, with a smile on her young happy face, and without taking any notice of the gentleman, cried out with great joy" Look here, father, only see "how much I have got!" Mr. Johnson was much struck with her simplicity, but puzzled to know what was the occasion of this great joy. On looking at her he perceived a small quantity of coarse wool, some of which had found its way through the holes of her clean, but scanty and ragged woollen apron. The father said, "this has been a success"ful day indeed, Molly, but don't you sce the gen"tleman?" Molly now made a curtsey down to the very ground; while Mr. Johnson inquired into the cause of the mutual satisfaction which both father and daughter had expressed, at the unusual good fortune of the day.

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Sir," said the Shepherd, " poverty is a great sharpener of the wits.-My wife and I cannot en"dure to see our children (poor as they are) with"out shoes and stockings, not only on account of "the pinching cold which cramps their poor little "limbs, but because it degrades and debases them }; "and poor people who have but little regard to appearances, will seldom be found to have any great "regard for honesty and goodness; I don't say this

is

and

"is always the case; but I am sure it is so too often. "Now shoes and stockings being very dear, we "could never afford to get them without a little con"trivance. I must shew you how I manage about "the shoes when you condescend to call at our cot"tage, sir; as to stockings, this is one way we take "to help to get them. My young ones, who are "too little to do much work, sometimes wander at "odd hours over the hills for the chance of finding "what little wool the sheep may drop when they "rub themselves, as they are apt to do, against the "bushes*. These scattered bits of wool the chil"dren pick out of the brambles, which I see have "torn sad holes in Molly's apron to-day; they carry "this wool home, and when they have got a pretty "parcel together, their mother cards it; for she "can sit and card in the chimney corner, when she "is not able to wash, or work about the house. "The biggest girl then spins it; it does very well "for us without dying, for poor people must not "stand for the colour of their stockings. After this "our little boys knit it for themselves, while they "are employed in keeping cows in the fields, and "after they get home at night. As for the knitting "which the girls, and their mother do, that is chief"ly for sale, which helps to pay our rent."

Mr. Johnson lifted up his eyes in silent astonishment at the shifts which honest poverty can make rather than beg or steal; and was surprised to think how many ways of subsisting there are, which those who live at their ease little suspect. He secretly resolved to be more attentive to his own petty expences than he had hitherto been; and to be more watchful that nothing was wasted in his family.

*This piece of frugal industry is not imaginary, but a real fact, as is the character of the Shepherd, and his uncommon knowledge of the scrip

tures.

But

But to return to the Shepherd. Mr. Johnson told him, that as he must needs be at his friend's house, who lived many miles off, that night, he could not, as he wished to do, make a visit to his cottage at present. "But I will certainly do it," said he, " on "my return, for I long to see your wife and her "nice little family, and to be an eye-witness of her "neatness and good management." The poor man's tears started into his eyes on hearing the commendation bestowed on his wife; and wiping them off, with the sleeve of his coat, for he was not worth a handkerchief in the world, he said-"Oh, sir, "you just now, I am afraid, called me an humble "man, but indeed I am a very proud one.""Proud!" exclaimed Mr. Johnson, "I hope not "Pride is a great sin, and as the poor are liable to it as well as the rich, so good a man as you

66

seem to be, ought to guard against it."—" Sir," "said he, you are right, but I am not proud of my"self, God knows, I have nothing to be proud of. "I am a poor sinner, but indeed, sir, I am proud "of my wife: she is not only the most tidy, notable woman on the plain, but she is the kindest wife and mother, and the most contented, thankful christsan that I know. Last year I thought I "should have lost her in a violent fit of the rheumatism, caught by going to work too soon after her lying-in, I fear; for 'tis but a bleak coldish place, as you may see, sir, in winter, and sometimes "the snow lies so long under the hill, that I can "hardly make myself a path to get out and buy a "few necessaries in the next village; and we are "afraid to send out the children, for fear they "should be lost when the snow is deep. So, as I

66

was saying, the poor soul was very bad indeed, "and for several weeks lost the use of all her limbs "except her hands; a merciful Providence spared

"her

"her the use of these, so that when she could not "turn in her bed, she could contrive to patch a rag "or two for her family. She was always saying, "had it not been for the great goodness of God, she 66 might have had her hands lame as well as her feet, "or the palsy instead of the rheumatism, and then "she could have done nothing-but, nobody had so 66 many mercies as she had.

"I will not tell you what we suffered during that "bitter weather, sir, but my wife's faith and patience "during that trying time, were as good a lesson to

66

me as any sermon I could hear, and yet Mr. Jen"kins gave us very comfortable ones too, that help❝ed to keep up my spirits."

"I fear, Shepherd," said Mr. Johnson, "you have "found this to be but a bad world."

"Yes, sir," replied the Shepherd, "but it is go"verned by a good God. And tho' my trials have "now and then been sharp, why then, sir, as the "saying is, if the pain be violent, it is seldom lasting, "and if it be but moderate, why then we can bear it "the longer, and when it is quite taken away, ease "is the more precious, and gratitude is quickened by "the remembrance; thus every way and in every "case I can always find out a reason for vindicating "Providence."

"But," said Mr. Johnson, "how do you do to "support yourself under the pressure of actual want. "Is not hunger a great weakener of your faith ?" Sir," replied the Shepherd, "I endeavour to "live upon the promises. You who abound in the "good things of this world are apt to set too high "a value on them. Suppose, sir, the king, seeing

me hard at work, were to say to me, that, if I "would patiently work on till Christmas, a fine pa"lace and a great estate should be the reward of my

labours. Do you think, sir, that a little hunger, or

a little

.