employment, expofed to the menaces of a beadle, or the infults of the rabble: fhe was in hafte to fecure her good fortune, and felt fome degree of pain left she fhould lose it by the earlier application of another; the therefore went immediately with the maid to her fifter, with whom it was soon agreed that Melissa should work for her board and lodging; for fhe would not confent to accept as a gift that which she could by any means deferve as a payment.

While Meliffa was a journeywoman to a perfon, who, but a few weeks before, would have regarded her with envy, and approached her with confufion; it happened that a fuit of linen was brought from the milliner's wrapped up in a newspaper: the linen was put into the work-basket, and the paper being thrown carelessly about, Meliffa at laft catched it up, and was about to read it; but perceiving that it had been published a fortnight, was just going to put it into the fire, when by an accidental glance, she saw her father's name: this immediately engaged her attention, and with great perturbation of mind she read an advertisement, in which her father, faid to have left his friends about eighteen years before, and to have entered either into the army or the navy, was directed to apply to a person in StaplesInn, who could inform him of something greatly to his advantage. To this perfon Meliffa applied with all the ardour of curiofity, and all the tumult of expectation: fhe was informed that the elder brother of the perfon mentioned in the advertisement was lately dead, unmarried; that he was poffeffed of fifteen hundred a-year, five hundred of which had defcended to him from his father, and one thousand had been left him by an uncle, which, upon his death, there being no male heir, had been claimed by his fifters; but that a mistress, who had lived with him many years, and who had been treated by the fuppofed heireffes with too much severity and contempt, had, in the bitterness of her refentment, published the advertisement, having heard in the family that there was a younger brother abroad.

The

The conflict of different paffions that were at once excited with uncommon violence in the breast of Meliffa, deprived her for a time of the power of reflection} and when the became more calm, fhe knew not by what method to attempt the recovery of her right: her mind was bewildered amidst a thousand poffibilities, and distreffed by the apprehenfion that all might prove ineffectual. After much thought and many projects, fhe recollected that the captain, whofe fervant brought her to England, could probably afford her more affistance than any other perfon: as he had been often pointed out to her in public places by the 'fquire, to whom her ftory was well known, fhe was acquainted with his perfon, and knew that within a few months he was alive: fhe foon obtained directions to his houfe, and being readily admitted to a conference, fhe told him, with as much prefence of mind as fhe could, that fhe was the perfon whom his compaffion had contributed to preserve when an infant, in confirmation of which the produced his letter, and the certificate which it inclosed; that by the death of her father's elder brother, whofe family fhe had never known, fhe was become entitled to a very confiderable eftate; but that the knew not what evidence would be neceffary to fupport her claim, how fuch evidence was to be produced, nor with whom to entrust the management of an affair in which wealth and influence would be employed against her. The old captain received her with that eafy politenefs which is almost peculiar to his profeffion, and with a warmth of benevolence that is feldom found in any: he congratulated her upon fo happy and unexpected an event; and without the parade of oftentatious liberality, without extorting an explicit confeffion of her indigence, he gave her a letter to his lawyer, in whom he faid fhe might with the utmost fecurity confide, and with whom the would have nothing more to do than to tell her story: "And do not," faid he, " doubt of fuccefs, for I will be ready to teftify what I know of the affair, when"ever I fhall be called upon; and the woman who was "present

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"prefent at your birth, and brought you over, ftill lives "with me, and upon this occafion may do you fignal "fervice."

Meliffa departed, melted with gratitude and elated with hope. The gentleman, to whom the captain's letter was a recommendation, profecuted her claim with fo much skill and affiduity, that within a few months The was put into the poffeffion of her eftate.-Her first care was to wait upon the captain, to whom the now owed not only life, but a fortune: he received her acknowledgements with a pleasure which only thofe who merit it can enjoy; and infifted that she should draw upon him for fuch fums as fhe fhould want before her rents became due. She then took very handsome readyfurnished lodgings, and determined immediately to juftify her conduct to the 'fquire, whose kindness the still remembered, and whose resentment she had forgiven. With this view she fet out in a chariot and fix, attended by two fervants in livery on horfeback, and proceeded to his country-feat, from whence the family was not returned: fhe had lain at an inn within fix miles of the place, and when the chariot drove up to the door, as it was early in the morning, fhe could perceive the fervants run to and fro in a hurry, and the young lady and her brother gazing through the window to fee if they knew the livery: fhe remarked every circumstance which denoted her own importance with exultation; and enjoyed the folicitude which her prefence produced among thofe, from whose society she had fo lately been driven with difdain and indignation.

She now increased their wonder, by fending in a fervant to acquaint the old gentleman, that a lady defired to fpeak with him about urgent bufinefs, which would not, however, long detain him: he courteously invited the lady to honour him with her commands, hafted into his best parlour, adjufted his wig, and put himfelf in the best order to receive her: the alighted, and displayed a very rich undress, which correfponded with the elegance of her chariot, and the modifh appearance

pearance of her fervants. She contrived to hide her face as fhe went up the walk, that he might not be known too foon; and was immediately introduced to her old friend, to whom she foon difcovered herself to his great aftonishment, and before he had recovered his prefence of mind, fhe addreffed him to this effect,"You fee, Sir, an orphan who is under the greatest "obligations to your bounty, but who has been equal"ly injured by your fufpicions. When I was a de"pendent upon your liberality, I would not affert my "innocence, because I could not bear to be fufpected "of falfehood; but I affert it now I am the poffeffor of "a paternal estate, because I cannot bear to be suspect"ed of ingratitude; that your fon preffed me to marry

him, is true; but it is also true that I refused him, "because I would not disappoint your hopes and im"poverish your pofterity." The old gentleman's confufion was increased by the wonders that crowded upon him he first made fome attempts to apologize for his fufpicions with aukwardness and hesitation; then, doubting the truth of appearance, he broke off abruptly and remained filent; then, reproaching himself, he began to congratulate her upon her good fortune, and again defifted before he had finished the compliment. Meliffa perceived his perplexity, and gueffed the caufe; fhe was, therefore, about to account more particularly for the fudden change of her circumftances, but Mifs, whofe maid had brought her intelligence from the fervants, that the lady's name who was with her papa was Meliffa, and that she was lately come to a great eftate by the death of her uncle, could no longer reftrain the impatience of her affection and joy: fhe rushed into the room, and fell upon her neck, with a tranfport that can only be felt by friendship, and expreffed by tears.When this tender filence was paft, the fcruples of doubt were foon obviated; the reconciliation was reciprocal and fincere; the father led out his guest, and prefented her to his fon, with an apology for his conduct to them both.

Meliffa had befpoke a dinner and beds at the inn, but fhe was not fuffered to return. Within a few weeks fhe became the daughter of her friend, who gave her hand to his fon, with whom fhe fhared many years that happiness which is the reward of virtue.They had feveral children, but none furvived them; and Meliffa, upon the death of her husband, which happened about feven years ago, retired wholly from town to her estate in the country, where the lived beloved, and died in peace.