"I was," said he "one of a very numerous family, my father was a labourer, who worked a good deal for the Squire, but, though an industrious man when he did work, my father was too fond of the ale-house for his own good, or for that of his children. My mother was a hard-working woman, and did all in her power towards the support of the family; but, having married very young, without either my father or herself having a half-peuny beforehand, and a family increasing fast upon them, she began to find, when too late, how small are the comforts of married life when thoughtlessly entered upon. "It very often happens that when people expe rience troubles which they might have prevented, the recollection only makes them grumble and complain the more. This was the case with my mother; she was always finding fault with us, because there was no keeping so many of us in clothes and victuals; and, when my father came home late at night, having wasted part, and often the whole, of his earnings in drink, he might be sure of a good scolding from her, which generally ended with their both wishing they had never married, The ale-house is the sure road to the work-house; so the Squire finding how very irregularly my father came to his work, threatened to dismiss him, if he did not give up frequenting the public-house; but though my father knew that if he was not employed by the Squire, he most likely would not get work any where else, he had become so callous by the bad life he led, and company he associated with, as to prefer running the chance of the work-house, to giving up the great pleasure of wasting that money which might have been useful to his family. In a short time the Squire finding him no better for his reproofs, turned him away, and took in his place a sober man who would mind his business. As my father was unable to get work any where else, he and all his family were shortly after removed to the work-house, and some of my brothers and myself were bound apprentices to different farmers in the neighbourhood. The one to whom I was so fortunate as to be bound, was a very pious and good man, who thought it his duty not only to instruct the young persons under his care, in the business they were to follow, but, knowing that he who serves his heavenly Master ill, will make but a bad servant to his earthly one, used to devote the Sunday evening in particular to religious instruction. It may be supposed from the account I have given of the early part of my life, that I knew but little of the doctrines or practice of our excellent religion, but, though an ignorant, I was not an unwilling scholar. I soon began to feel great respect and affection for this worthy man, which continually increased the more I knew of him. "My master was always extremely careful that all the animals belonging to him were properly attended to and kindly treated, and used often to quote our Saviour's words, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. And I remember his turning away one of his men for ill-treating an old horse. I led a very happy life. at this farmhouse, as indeed did all the other servants of so good a master. It was always his practice to board several of the lads in his house, which was a good plan both for himself and them, as he could keep a better eye over them. "Year after year passed away, and at last my apprenticeship expired, but I still continued to live at the same place as a hired servant. During this time, I had, with the assistance of some of my more learned companions, improved myself, or I might almost say, taught myself to read, and my master was so kind as sometimes to give us all instructions in reading, writing, and arithmetic; he also kept a good many instructive books on purpose for us to read when we were at leisure. Among these was Bloomfield's Farmer's Boy, which I was very fond of, as I thought my master was like the description there given of the Suffolk farmer, and used to fancy myself like Giles. I learnt many parts, both of it and of other books and hymns, by heart, which was a great amusement to me when I was about any thing which did not take up my attention; and though I found it rather difficult to learn them at first, by taking pains I soon got into the way of it *. "When I was about three-and-twenty, there was a servant maid at the house, who was a very tidy well-conducted girl, whom I took a great fancy to; and, as she liked me also, I made her an offer of marriage, which she accepted; but, as I thought it would be very wrong to carry on such a thing underhand, without letting my kind master know, to whom I owed so much, I went to ask his consent the next time I found him alone. When I had done speaking, he said to me in a very kind manner, 'It is now two years, Thomas, that you have lived with me since your apprenticeship was out, and during that time you have regularly received your wages: now, tell me, what have you saved out of them?' I replied that I had not saved much, in fact that I had then only two pounds and a few odd shillings left in my box, of the last money I received. Well,' said he, "and, if you were to marry, you would have a cottage to hire, or at least a lodging, and various other expences, now do you suppose that I shall give you higher wages because you are married? No, Sir, certainly not. Then, how can Perhaps what Farmer Simpson here recommends may be thought too difficult for plough-boys and other farming men, but they can learn foolish and immoral songs without any difficulty, and why may they not' learn what is of more worth? besides, if one ploughboy could write the Farmer's Boy, surely another can learn it. you afford to fake your cottage and furnish it comthe fortably? Why, Sir, I must be more careful, and 12 spend less in clothes and amusements. Now for your wife, do you suppose that the little she could make if she were married, by washing, needlehat work, or the like, would be half the value of her wages while she is in service?' No, Sir, I do not suppose it would. And yet, I dare say, Mary has not saved more of her wages than you have?'" No, indeed, Sir, I don't believe she has. Then you would, when married, have a less income between you, than you have now, and much more demand for your money,-without reckoning illness. You must have seen in early life the consequences of having nothing beforehand, the broken windows. filled with dirty rags, the miserable fence to the garden, half hedge, half paling, some of the many gaps filled with old pieces of iron and tin, but enough left for your neighbour's pigs to come in ha and grub up the half dozen cabbages before the door. Have you so soon forgotten all this, that you wish to suffer and to make your family suffer the same things for the rest of your life?-But suppose that you were able to live comfortably, do you forget that you have a mother?' (My father had been dead some years.) Can you think it the part of an honest man to follow your own inclinations, while your mother is the inhabitant of a workhouse?' The truth of this struck me so much that I could not answer; and, after a little pause, he continued, Now, Thomas, as you have asked my advice, I will tell you what I think you had best do: you are very young, and need not be in such haste about marrying; you told me a few minutes ago, that, in order to support your family, you would spend less on your clothes and amusements; now you certainly could, if you chose, lay by as much of your wages as would have been spent in that manner; and I think you will give a proof of your sense by determining to lay by a certain part of your wages as soon as you receive them, and placing the money in the Savings' bank, and also by delaying your marriage till you have ac quired a sufficient sum to enable you to provide proper comforts for your wife and self, and a little beforehand against illness or an increasing family; and if Mary is a sensible girl, she will agree with you to lay by part of her wages in the same manner, which, with yours, will in a few years, make a pretty sum, and you will then be able to take your mother home with you and provide for her old age in a creditable manner.'-I then thanked him for his advice, saying I would consider about what he had said. I could hardly sleep all night for thinking over in my mind all I had heard, but the more I considered my own situation, the more reasonable did that conduct appear, which my master had pointed out to me; and I determined the next morning to tell Mary of my plan, saying to myself, "I think she is a sensible girl, I hope she will prove herself so. At first, she did not much like the idea of putting off our marriage in that manner, but, after talking a little to her, she began to think it would be better to do so, and at last entered very heartily into my plan. "In a short time, Mary was recommended as dairy-maid to a family that lived in another part of the country, she therefore quitted the farm where I lived, after our mutually promising to lay by as much as we could possibly spare for our future use. "I shall now pass more quicklycover some years, only mentioning that I still continued to live at the same place, and, though my wages were not large, I saw with pleasure my little store, which I had placed in a Savings' Bank, increase faster than I had expected. In the mean time I heard occasion. ally from Mary, who still continued at the same |