6

Oh no,

comes.”

upon us; if it was God's, surely we should bend under; that resistance was vain. What said our Saviour to Saul, it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.' Do not you remember, madam,” turning to Mrs. Jennings,“ what a fine sermon Mr. Lascelles gave us upon that text ?" Sir," said Mrs. Jennings, I never had a good memory, and since my troubles, what I have suffered has quite darkened it; I can hardly remember when churning day

Well, madam, he said, these afflictions might be compared to the goad which drove the oxen to the path of duty; that if resisted, they only became more painful; if yielded to, we learned wisdom

; by what we suffered

" Dear me, said Miss Tiny,

“ what a fine memory you have, Sir,” glancing slightly at her sister. Michael had but one end in view, Esther the same, to be useful to these people. Not all their sneers, their stupidity and ingratitude, awakened any sensation but of pity; and as the nice young creatures walked home together, they only observed to each other, “ they feared, they greatly feared that they should not be able to be of much use to them.” “The only quiet one among them seems Amelia. “So I think,” said Esther; “ she never has been taken much notice of, she

66

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seemed attentive when you spoke." I observed she did.” Perhaps she would not object to take a service ? Suppose you were to speak to her aside.” This was done, and the despised daughter of Mr. Jennings, and the only one which the smart Mr. Henry had predicted would not be good for any thing, accepted a service in the family of a friend of Mrs. Lascelles ; she was only house-maid, for at first she had nothing but her good-will to recommend her, but this good-will, as it always does, enabled her to perform cheerful service : she rose every day in the good opinion of her employers, who had no objection to her but her fine name; and this was done away as soon as she informed them she had another; and though at first she found it difficult to remember that her name was Jane, she soon became accustomed to it, and we are happy to say, during the first year of her service, sent her poor mother a nice straw bonnet made in the village school where she resided, had it neatly lined and trimmed with white; and when the mother got it, and found folded in one of the strings a sovereign, with these words, “ Accept this trifle from your dutiful child, Jane Jennings,” she could only walk about and cry. But Miss Tiny, who never could let

a

and saucy;

in.

an opportunity slip when she might be pert

" Jane Jennings, dear me, said this flippant young lady, " I suppose they think it a sin to call her by her first name;" then, taking up the bonnet in her hand, Why, it is a tidy little concern; why, you will look almost as good as Margaret Beal, when you go to church with your bow just straight. Well, I must say Jane Jennings is greatly improved.” The meek mother could only sit and cry for joy and vexation, when the father came

Why, wife, what is the matter ?” Why, nothing, only I have a letter and a bonnet from poor Mely.”

Why, Jane, you should say,” said this pert miss. " I do wish you would let me speak.” hold that tongue of yours, girl,” said her father. The mother told her tale, and shewed the letter, the bonnet, and the sovereign ; the father's heart was touched, and the parents wept together, and he faintly articulated, “ These Methodists have very good methods, that I will say for them. Pray how long,” said the father, “ do you girls intend to be idle here?”

said Miss Tiny, "we only wait orders, the things Mrs. Lascelles sent us are done, and gone home.” “Well, that is a beginning,” said her father; “ but I should think there is a good deal to

" Oh pa,

و

do in our own house, children; I am sure I have not a wristband that fits me." This was an old story, and was sure to stir up disagreeable sensations; but times were altered, and these spoiled children saw they must either work at home or go out. Mrs. Lascelles, who had considered the subject in every form, had heard that some of the warehouses in town cut out their linen, and sent dozens of different articles into the country to make ; and she thought this would be a certainty, if another employment did not come in, and she commissioned a friend in London to manage this for them. At first this was very disagreeable, but when the money came in they began to be in some degree reconciled. The

poor father had no resources, and the idle brother was lounging about, waiting for an exciseman's place, which their goodnatured landlord was endeavouring to procure for him. At length he succeeded, and the overbearing young farmer went off to his new destination; but poor old Jennings was in great danger of losing his spirits for want of some regular employment. Mr. Lascelles saw this, and was very eager, if possible, to remove it: he wrote to his landlord, asking him what he intended to do, as the farm was not yet

z

let. “Are you going to take it in hand, Sir ? If you are, I think some employment might be found for your poor old tenant, for whatever his faults may have been, he has certainly suffered very deeply.” The landlord was a good-natured man, and in former days having passed some time in the sporting season at his own estate, knew the whole family well; he considered Mr. Lascelles's kindness in the right light, and for a time made the old man his bailiff; and though he now lived in a corner of the large house, his furniture being all sold, his girls being obliged to work, and his overbearing son out of the way, his life was really happier than it ever had been; he had an active servant under him, and he made Ellen put every thing down at night, so that, though slowly and

reluctantly, these young people began to do something. At first, Mrs. Lascelles found it difficult to put up with the very ordinary work of these ladies. Miss Lascelles, who was singularly delicate in all she did, would frequently unpick and new make those articles in which they had been employed. This she did quietly and good-humouredly, without any irritable feelings; but after having two or three times borne it patiently and silently, the hem of a cambric muslin dress came