Anonymous

“ A man brought into the house a strange dog, who had been taught to worry all the cats that came in his way. My mother slunk away at his entrance; but I thinking that I was able to protect myself, stayed on the floor, growling, and setting up my back by way of defence. The dog instantly ran at me; and, before I could get my claws ready, seized me with his mouth, and began to gripe and shake me most terribly. I screamed out, and, by good luck, my mistress was within hearing. ”

“ But may I ask how is my poor Amelia, and my little ones?"—"They are well and happy, my good friend,” said the captain; "and I hope you will soon be so along with them." The apothecary came up, and felt his patient's pulse. "You are a lucky doctor, indeed, Sir," said he to Captain Cornish: "you have cured the poor man of his fever. His pulse is as calm as my own." The captain consulted him about the safety of removing him; and the apothecary thought that there would be no hazard in doing it that very day. The captain waited the arrival of the physician, who confirmed the same opinion. ”

“ My pride, however, soon met with a check; for seeing one day a large rat, I courageously flew at him; but, instead of turning tail, he gave me such a bite on the nose, that I ran away to my mother, mewing piteously, with my face all bloody and swelled. For some time, I did not meddle with rats again; but at length, growing stronger, and more skilful, I feared neither rats nor any other vermin, and acquired the reputation of an excellent hunter. ”

“ Let my double danger be a warning to you, my children, to control your appetites, and on no account to do harm to those creatures which, like ourselves, are under the protection of man.
“Well—but my breath begins to fail me, and I must hasten to a conclusion. I still lived in the same family, when our present kind mistress, Mrs. Petlove, having lost a favourite tabby, advertised a very handsome price for another that should as nearly as possible resemble her dead darling. ”

“ I was allowed a piece of waste ground behind the house for a garden; and I spent a good deal of labour in bringing it into order. My old master sent me down, for a present, some choice young trees and flower roots; which I planted; and they throve wonderfully. Things went on almost as well as I could desire. The situation being dry and healthy, my wife recovered her lost bloom, and the children sprung up like my plants. I began to hope that I was almost out of the reach of further misfortune ”

“ I did not choose to trust to the sea again, but preferred my other new trade of gardening; so I applied to a nurseryman near town, and was received as a day-labourer. I set myself cheerfully to work, taking care to be in the grounds the first man in the morning, and the last at night. I acquainted my employer with all the practices I had observed in Morocco: and got him, in return, to instruct me in his own. In time, I came to be considered as a skilful workman, and was advanced to higher wages. ”

“ Not only the farm-house, but the farm itself, was gone.
"I was now again a ruined man; and, what was worse, I had three partners in my ruin. My wife and I looked at one another, and then at our little ones, and wept. Neither of us had a word of comfort to say. At last, thought I, this country is not Morocco, however. Here are good souls that will pity our case, and perhaps relieve us. Then I have a character, and a pair of hands. Things are bad, but they might have been worse. ”

“ But I was too much used to misfortune to be easily disheartened; and my way always was to set about repairing them in the best manner I could, and leave the rest to heaven. This method seems to have answered at last. I have now gone on many years in a course of continued prosperity, adding field to field, increasing my stock, and bringing up a numerous family with credit. My dear wife, who was my faithful partner through so much distress, continues to share my prosperous state; and few couples in the kingdom, I believe, have more cause to be thankful for their lot. ”

“ He was a very able and honest man, and had been engaged by another nobleman to superintend a large improvable estate in a distant part of the kingdom. He told me, if I would try my fortune with him once more, he would endeavour to procure me a new settlement. I had nothing to lose, and therefore was willing enough to run any hazard; but I was destitute of means to convey my family to such a distance. My good friend, who was much provoked at the injustice of the new steward, said so much to him, that he brought him to make me an allowance for my garden ”

“ My mother brought five of us at a litter; and as the people of the house only kept cats to be useful, and were already sufficiently stocked, we were immediately doomed to be drowned; and accordingly a boy was ordered to take us all, and throw us into the horse-pond. This he did, with the pleasure boys often take in acts of cruelty, and we were presently set a-swimming. While we were struggling for life, a little girl came running to the pond-side, and begged that she might save one of us, and bring it up for her own. ”

“ Amidst the allurements of pleasure and the incitements of passion, it will be an incorruptible monitor, that will never suffer thee to err without warning thee of thy error. It will render thee a blessing to thy people, and blessed in thyself; for what sovereign can be the one without the other? ”

“ To be sure, when we married, we did not know how a family was to be maintained. His was a poor employment; and sickness and other accidents soon brought us to a state of poverty, from which we could never retrieve ourselves. ”

“ The farm-yard was stocked with pigs and poultry. A herd of cows with full udders was just coming home to be milked. Every thing wore the aspect of plenty and good management. The charms of the scene struck Theodore very forcibly, and he expressed his pleasure in the warmest terms. "This place," said his father," belongs to a man who is the greatest example I know of patient fortitude bearing up against misfortune, and all that you see is the reward of his own perseverance. ”

“ All my leisure time I spent upon my piece of ground, which I made very productive; and the profits of my cow, with my wages, supported us very well. No mortal, I think, could be happier than I was after a hard day's work, by my own fireside, with my wife beside me, and our little infant on my knee.
"After this way of life had lasted two or three years, a gentleman who had dealt largely with my master for young plants, asked if he could recommend an honest industrious man for a tenant upon some land that he had lately taken in from the sea. My master, willing to do me a kindness, mentioned me. ”

“ I employed my leisure time in learning to make mats and flag-baskets, in which I soon became so expert, as to have a good many for sale, and thereby got a little money to purchase better food, and several small conveniences. We were afterwards set to work in the emperor's gardens; and here I showed so much good-will and attention, that I got into favour with the overseer. He had a large garden of his own; and he made interest for me to be suffered to work for him alone, on the condition of paying a man to do my duty. ”

“ The captain then drove to the lodgings he had taken, and which he had directed to be put in thorough order. He led Amelia up stairs, who knew not whither she was going. He brought her into a handsome parlour, and seated her in a chair. "This, my dear," said he, "is your house. I hope you will let me, now and then, come and see you in it." Amelia turned pale, and could not speak. At length, a flood of tears came to her relief, and she suddenly threw herself at her uncle's feet, and poured out thanks and blessings in a broken voice. He raised her ”

“ Others have given what may afford pleasure to thine eyes—here is what will nourish a source of never failing pleasure within thy breast. Others have furnished thee with preservatives against bodily contagion—here is what will preserve thy better parts uncontaminated. Others have heaped round thee the riches of a temporal kingdom-—his will secure thee the treasures of an eternal one. ”

“ A sedan chair was procured; and, full directions being obtained for the future treatment, with the physician's promise to look after him, the captain walked before the chair to the new lodging. On the knock at the door, Amelia looked out of the window; and, seeing the chair, ran down, and met her uncle and husband in the passage. The poor man, not knowing where be was, and gazing wildly around him, was carried up stairs, and placed upon a good bed, while his wife and children assembled round it. ”

“ We sat by a hole, and presently out came a mouse with a brood of young ones. My mother darted among them, and first demolished the old one, and then pursued the little ones, who ran about squeaking in dreadful perplexity. ”

“ By Amelia's constant attention, assisted by proper help, Mr. Bland shortly recovered; and the whole family lost their sickly emaciated appearance, and became healthy and happy. The kind uncle was never long absent from them, and was always received with looks of pleasure and gratitude that penetrated his very soul. He obtained for Mr. Bland a good situation in the exercise of his profession, and took Amelia and her children into his special care. ”

“ And pray what is become of her at last; where is she now?"—"Really, she and her husband lave shifted their lodgings so often, that it is some time since we heard any thing about them."—“Some time! how long?"—"Perhaps half a-year or more."—"Poor outcast!" cried the captain, in a sort of half-muttered voices "I have made no promise, however, to renounce thee. Be pleased, madam," he continued, addressing himself gravely to the married niece, "to favour me with the last direction you had to this unfortunate sister. ”

“ He immediately repaired to London, and went to the house of an only brother whom he had left possessed of a genteel place in a public office. He found that his brother was dead, and the family broken up; and he was directed to the house of one of his nieces, who was married and settled at a small distance from town. On making himself known, he was received with great respect and affection by the married niece, and a single sister who resided with her ”