fell on their knees, devoutly blessing and praising God for his mercies. Never were more hearty prayers presented, than this grateful couple offered up for their benefactors. The warmth of their gratitude could only be equalled by the earnestness with which they besought the blessing of GoD on the work in which they were going to engage.

The two gentlemen now left this happy family, and walked to the minister's house, where the evening was spent in a manner very edifying to Mr. Johnson, who next day took all proper measures for putting the shepherd in immediate possession of his new comfortable habitation. Mr. Jenkins' fatherin-law, the worthy gentleman who gave the shepherd's wife the blankets, in the first part of this history, arrived at the house before Mr. Johnson left it, and assisted in fitting up the cottage.

Mr. Johnson took his leave, promising to call on the worthy minister and the shepherd once a year, in his summer's journey over the plain, as long as it should please God to

spare his life. He had every reason to be satisfied with the objects of his bounty. The shepherd's zeal and piety made him a blessing to the rising generation. The old resorted to his school for the benefit of hearing the young instructed, and the clergyman had the pleasure of seeing that he was rewarded for the protection he gave the school, by the great increase in his congregation. The shepherd not only exhorted both parents and children to the indispensable duty of a regular attendance at church, but by his pious counsels he drew them thither, and by his plain and prudent instructions enabled them to understand, and of course to delight in the public worship of God.

F 2

THE

AFFECTIONATE DAUGHTER.

You have now read the pretty history of the good "Shepherd of Salisbury Plain,” and perhaps you would like to read the story of an "Affectionate Daughter," who, when very young, maintained her afflicted mother, and one of her brothers, by working in a coal pit.

People that work in coal pits are called colliers, and Mary's father was a collier. While he was at work, his wife took care of the family, and attended to their little farm. When Mary was nine years old, the honest collier, finding he had but little employment for her about the house, took her to work with him down in the coal-pit, together with one of the boys, (for he had six children,) not more than seven years old. These two children worked very hard, but they earned seven shillings a week for their parents. Now Mary and her brothers and sisters, instead of being idle as many children are, helped their parents forward, and their worldly comforts were increasing on every side.

But, alas! in the midst of this cheerful diligence, one day, while the good man was in the act of fixing a basket, in order to its being wound up, the children standing near him in the coal-pit, some stones fell from the top of the pit, one of which fell on the father's head, and killed him on the spot. What a melancholy event was this! but the most grievous afflictions are appointed by Providence for wise ends.

The mother, on hearing this sad news, became crazy, the family was broken up, and the children were put out to different places.

Mary having been already trained in industry, was by no means disposed to seek help from the parish; being now between eleven and twelve years old, she determined to maintain herself like a little independent woman, by her usual work in the coal-pit, where she now earned a shilling a day; and in three or four years afterwards, two shillings. And now, I would ask my young female readers, what they think was the manner in which she employed all this fruit of her industry? Do you imagine that she laid it out in vanity of dress, in nice eating and drinking, or other needless expense? Or do you suppose that she would now indulge herself in idleness on one or two days in the week, because she had got enough for herself to live upon during the four or five working days? No:

she, in the first place, released the parish from the burden of maintaining her mother which she did as soon as she had arrived at the age of sixteen; she then relieved the parish officers from the charge of one of her brothers, and she continued to provide for him until he died. Having been taught never to consider her duty as done, while any part of it seemed to be left undone, she afterwards undertook the maintenance of one of her other brothers, who remained with her during sixteen weeks illness, when he died, and she buried him at her own expense. After about seven years, the mother died also, and was buried in like manner by this dutiful child, without any assistance from the parish.

If any of my readers should here inquire, how it could be possible for so young a child to do all this? the answer is, that she used, on these occasions, to betake herself to extraordinary labour, sometimes earning no less than three shillings and sixpence in the four-and-twenty hours, by taking what is called "a double turn" in the coal-pits.

The ready submission of Mary to her parents, in early life, was a pleasing part of her character. Let my young readers recollect that, in submission to the command of her father, or rather to that law of God which enjoins parental obedience, she cheerfully