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g all I held dearest upon earth. But the ght coming on, I put up at a little publicuse by the road-side, and asked for the ndlord's company over a pint of wine. le sat beside his kitchen fire, which was e best room in the house, and chatted politics and the news of the country. We happened, among other topics, to talk young Squire Thornhill, who, the host sured me, was hated as much as his uncle, ir Willam, who sometimes came down the country, was loved. He went on ⚫ observe, that he made it his whole udy to betray the daughters of such as eceived him to their houses, and, after fortnight or three weeks' possession, ared them out unrewarded and abanconed to the world. As we continued our iscourse in this manner, his wife, who ad been out to get change, returned, and ving that her husband was enjoying pleasure in which she was not a sharer, he asked him, in an angry tone, what he lid there? to which he only replied, in an ronical way, by drinking her health. Mr. Symonds," cried she, "you use me ery ill, and I'll bear it no longer. Here three parts of the business is left for me to 3o, and the fourth left unfinished, while you do nothing but soak with the guests all day long; whereas, if a spoonful of quor were to cure me of a fever, I never teach a drop." I now found what she wald be at, and immediately poured her a glass, which she received with a Courtesy; and, drinking towards my good heath, "Sir," resumed she, "it is not so much for the value of the liquor I am angry, but one cannot help it when the hose is going out of the windows. If the stomers or guests are to be dunned, all the burden lies upon my back: he'd as lief at that glass as budge after them himself. There, now, above stairs, we have a young woman who has come to take up her lodgng here, and I don't believe she has got Lay money, by her over-civility. I am certain she is very slow of payment, and I vich she were put in mind of it."—"What ignifies minding her?" cried the host; "if he be slow, she is sure."-"I don't know hat," replied the wife; "but I know that am sure she has been here a fortnight, nd we have not yet seen the cross of her

money."-"I suppose, my dear," cried he, "we shall have it all in a lump."-"In a lump!" cried the other: "I hope we may get it any way; and that I am resolved we will this very night, or out she tramps, bag and baggage.' -"Consider, my dear,' cried the husband, "she is a gentlewoman, and deserves more respect.' As for the matter of that," returned the hostess, "gentle or simple, out she shall pack with a sussarara. Gentry may be good things where they take; but, for my part, I never saw much good of them at the sign of the Harrow." Thus saying, she ran up a narrow flight of stairs that went from the kitchen to a room overhead; and I soon perceived, by the loudness of her voice, and the bitterness of her reproaches, that no money was to be had from her lodger. I could hear her remonstrances very distinctly: "Out, I say; pack out this mo. ment! tramp, thou infamous strumpet, or I'll give thee a mark thou won't be the better for this three months. What! you trumpery, to come and take up an honest house without cross or coin to bless your self with! Come along, I say!". 'Oh, dear madam," cried the stranger, "pity me

pity a poor abandoned creature, for one night, and death will soon do the rest!" I instantly knew the voice of my poor ruined child Olivia. I flew to her rescue, while the woman was dragging her along by her hair, and I caught the dear forlorn wretch in my arms. "Welcome, any way welcome, my dearest lost one-my trea sure-to your poor old father's bosom! Though the vicious forsake thee, there is yet one in the world that will never forsake thee; though thou hadst ten thousand crimes to answer for, he will forget them all!""Oh, my own dear-" for minutes she could say no more— 'my own dearest good papa! Could angels be kinder? How do I deserve so much? The villain, I hate him and myself, to be a reproach to so much goodness! You can't forgive me, I know you cannot.' ."-"Yes, my child, from my heart I do forgive thee: only repent, and we both shall yet be happy. We shall see many pleasant days yet, my Olivia."-" Ah! never, sir, never. The rest of my wretched life must be infamy abroad, and shame at home. But, alas!

"The very next morning," continued she, "I found what little expectation I was to have from his sincerity. That very noming he introduced me to two unhappy women more, whom, like me, he had deceived, but who lived in contented prostitution. I loved him too tenderly to bear such rivals in his affections, and strove to forget my infamy in a tumult of pleasures. With this view I danced, dressed, and talked; but still was unhappy. The gentlemen who visited there told me every mancat of the power of my charms, and this only contributed to increase my melancholy, as I had thrown all their power une away. Thus cach day I grew more pensive, and he more insolent, till at last the monster had the assurance to offer me 10 a young baronet of his acquaintance. Need I describe, sir, how his ingratitude stang me? My answer to this proposal was almost madness. I desired to part. As I was going, he offered me a purse; bc I flung it at him with indignation, and best from him in a rage, that for a while kept me insensible of the miseries of my sitaation. But I soon looked round me, and saw myself a vile, abject, guilty thing, without one friend in the world to apply to. Jast in that interval, a stage coach happening to pass by, I took a place, it being my only aim to be driven at a distance from awretch I despised and detested. I was set down here, where, since my arrival, my own anxiety and this woman's unkindness have been my only companions. The hours of pleasure that I have passed with my mamma and sister now grow painful to me. Their sorrows are much; but mine ure greater than theirs, for mine are mixed hguilt and infamy."

“Have patience, my child," cried I," and I hope things will yet be better. Take some repose to-night, and to-morrow I'll carry you home to your mother and the rest of the family, from whom you will receive a kind reception. Poor woman! his has gone to her heart; but she loves you still, Olivia, and will forget it.'

CHAPTER XXII.

Offences are easily pardoned, where there is Love at bottom.

THE next morning I took my daughter behind me, and set out on my return home. As we travelled along, I strove, by every persuasion, to calm her sorrows and fears, and to arm her with resolution to bear the presence of her offended mother. I took every opportunity, from the prospect of a fine country, through which we passed, to observe how much kinder Heaven was to us than we to each other; and that the misfortunes of Nature's making were very few. I assured her, that she should never perceive any change in my affections, and that, during my life, which yet might be long, she might depend upon a guardian and an instructor. I armed her against the censure of the world, showed her that books were sweet unreproaching companions to the miserable, and that, if they could not bring us to enjoy life, they would at least teach us to endure it.

The hired horse that we rode was to be put up that night at an inn by the way, within about five miles from my house; and as I was willing to prepare my family for my daughter's reception, I determined to leave her that night at the inn, and to return for her, accompanied by my daughter Sophia, early the next morning. It was night before we reached our appointed stage; however, after seeing her provided with a decent apartment, and having ordered the hostess to prepare proper refreshments, I kissed her, and proceeded towards home. And now my heart caught new sensations of pleasure, the nearer I approached that peaceful mansion. a bird that had been frighted from its nest, my affections outwent my haste, and hovered round my little fireside with all the rapture of expectation. I called up the many fond things I had to say, and anticipated the welcome I was to receive. I already felt my wife's tender embrace, and smiled at the joy of my little ones. As I walked but slowly, the night waned apace. The labourers of the day were all retired to rest; the lights were out in every cottage; no sounds were heard but of the shrilling cock, and the deep-mouthed

As

watch-dog, at hollow distance. I approached my little abode of pleasure, and, before I was within a furlong of the place, our honest mastiff came running to wel

come me.

:

It was now near midnight that I came to knock at my door: all was still and silent my heart dilated with unutterable happiness, when, to my amazement, I saw the house bursting out in a blaze of fire, and every aperture red with conflagration. I gave a loud convulsive outcry, and fell upon the pavement, insensible. This alarmed my son, who had, till this, been asleep; and he, perceiving the flames, instantly waked my wife and daughter; and all running out, naked, and wild with apprehension, recalled me to life with their anguish. But it was only to objects of new terror; for the flames had, by this time, caught the roof of our dwelling, part after part continuing to fall in, while the family stood, with silent agony, looking on, as if they enjoyed the blaze. I gazed upon them and upon it by turns, and then looked round me for my two little ones; but they were not to be seen. O misery! Where," cried I, where are my little ones?""They are burnt to death in the flames," said my wife, calmly, “" and I will die with them." That moment I heard the cry of the babes within, who were just awaked by the fire, and nothing could have stopped me. Where, where are my children?" cried I, rushing through the flames, and bursting the door of the chamber in which they were confined !"Where are my little ones?"-"Here, dear papa, here we are," cried they together, while the flames were just catching the bed where they lay. I caught them both in my arms, and snatched them through the fire as fast as possible, while, just as I was got out, the roof sunk in. Now," cried I, holding up my children, now let the flames burn on, and all my possessions perish. Here they are; I have saved my treasure. Here, my dearest, here are our treasures, and we shall yet be happy." We kissed our little darlings a thousand times; they clasped us round the neck, and seemed to share our transports, while their mother laughed and wept by turns.

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I now stood a calm spectator of the

flames; and, after some time, begara perceive that my arm to the shoulder a scorched in a terrible manner. It wa therefore, out of my power to give mys any assistance, either in attempting to s our goods, or preventing the flames spre ing to our corn. By this time the ne bours were alarmed, and came running our assistance; but all they could do was stand, like us-spectators of the calami

My goods, among which were the no I had reserved for my daughters' fortung were entirely consumed, except a box w some papers that stood in the kitchen, at two or three things more of little cons quence, which my son brought away in th beginning. The neighbours contribute however, what they could to lights our distress. They brought us clothe and furnished one of our outhouses wi kitchen utensils; so that by daylight had another, though a wretched dwellin to retire to. My honest next neighbo and his children were not the least ass duous in providing us with everythin necessary, and offering whatever consol tion untutored benevolence could sugges

When the fears of my family had su sided, curiosity to know the cause of r long stay began to take place: havi therefore informed them of every part cular, I proceeded to prepare them for th reception of our lost one; and though v had nothing but wretchedness now to in part, I was willing to procure her a w come to what we had. This task wou have been more difficult but for our rece calamity, which had humbled my wife pride, and blunted it by more poigna afflictions. Being unable to go for poor child myself, as my arm grew ve painful, I sent my son and daughter, w soon returned, supporting the wretch delinquent, who had not the courage look up at her mother, whom no instru tions of mine could persuade to a perfe reconciliation; for women have a mu stronger sense of female error than me "Ah, madam," cried her mother, "this but a poor place you are come to after much finery. My daughter Sophy and can afford but little entertainment to p sons who have kept company only wi people of distinction. Yes, Miss Liv

our poor father and I have suffered very uch of late; but I hope Heaven will forIve you" During this reception, the nhappy victim stood pale and trembling, nable to weep or to reply: but I could ot continue a silent spectator of her disress; wherefore, assuming a degree of seerity in my voice and manner, which was ver followed with instant submission, "I treat, woman, that my words may be how marked once for all: I have here brought you back a poor deluded wanlerer; her return to duty demands the revival of our tenderness. The real hardships of life are now coming fast upon us; let's not, therefore, increase them by dissension among each other. If we live harmoniously together, we may yet be contented, as there are enough of us to shut out the censuring world, and keep each other in countenance. The kindness of Heaven is promised to the penitent, and let ours be directed by the example. Heaven, we are assured, is much more pleased to view a repentant sinner, than nety-nine persons who have supported a course of undeviating rectitude. And this night; for that single effort by which we stop short in the down-hill path to perdition, is itself a greater exertion of virtue than a hundred acts of justice."

CHAPTER XXIII.

Nove but the Guilty can be long and completely miserable.

SOME assiduity was now required to make our present abode as convenient as possible, and we were soon again qualified to enjoy our former serenity. Being disabled myself from assisting my son in our asual occupations, I read to my family from the few books that were saved, and particularly from such as, by amusing the imagination, contributed to ease the heart. Our good neighbours, too, came every day, with the kindest condolence, and fixed a time in which they were all to assist at repairing my former dwelling. Honest Farmer Williams was not last among these Visitors; but heartily offered his friendship. He would even have renewed his addresses to my daughter; but she rejected him in such a manner, as totally repressed his future solicitations. Her grief seemed

formed for continuing, and she was the only person of our little society that a week did not restore to cheerfulness. She now lost that unblushing innocence which once taught her to respect herself, and to seek pleasure by pleasing. Anxiety now had taken strong possession of her mind; her beauty began to be impaired with her constitution, and neglect still more contributed to diminish it. Every tender epithet bestowed on her sister brought a pang to her heart, and a tear to her eye; and as one vice, though cured, ever plants others where it has been, so her former guilt, though driven out by repentance, left jealousy and envy behind. I strove a thousand ways to lessen her care, and even forgot my own pain in a concern for hers, collecting such amusing passages of history as a strong memory and some reading could suggest. "Our happiness, my dear,' I would say, "is in the power of One who can bring it about a thousand unforeseen ways, that mock our foresight. If example be necessary to prove this, I'll give you a story, my child, told us by a grave though sometimes a romancing historian.

"Matilda was married very young to a Neapolitan nobleman of the first quality, and found herself a widow and a mother at the age of fifteen. As she stood one day caressing her infant son in the open window of an apartment which hung over the river Volturna, the child with a sudden spring leaped from her arms into the flood below, and disappeared in a moment. The mother, struck with instant surprise, and making an effort to save him, plunged in after; but far from being able to assist the infant, she herself with great difficulty escaped to the opposite shore, just when some French soldiers were plundering the country on that side, who immediately made her their prisoner.

"As the war was then carried on between the French and Italians with the utmost inhumanity, they were going at once to perpetrate those two extremes suggested by appetite and cruelty. This base resolution, however, was opposed by a young officer, who, though their retreat required the utmost expedition, placed her behind him, and brought her in safety to his native city. Her beauty at first caught his eye;