TALEIV.Nearto Jenny Bunney lived Nancy Thoughtless. She too, sometimes, had halfpence given her; but they soon went at the apple-woman’s in cakes, gingerbread, nuts, &c. Sometimes she would save several in her little box; but she did not think of laying them out in any thing useful, and they soon followed the rest. One very sharp winter, in which they found it hard work to get victuals, her father had a very long illness: this was a great trial; however, the poor woman, his wife, kept up her spirits pretty well. All worked who were able, and they just managed to live, every day hoping the father would get better. One day, said her mother to Nancy, my dear, I wish I had a little wine to give your father, he is very weak, and I think it might do him good; but it is dear, and I have no money to buy any with.You know that I never go, nor send you a begging, for it is generally the idle and wasteful who beg; and, as I am not one of them, I do not choose to follow their example. I think I have seen you take the halfpence which were given you to your little box. Perhaps you have as much as six-pence, this would buy a little wine for your poor father; and, I dare say, you will be glad to put it to such a use. Money, my dear child, is of no more value than stones or dirt, any further than as it is useful; and, it is every body’s duty to make the best use he can of all he has. I dare say you feel that you can do nothing better with yours, than buy your father a little wine. I need say no more, you will run up stairs and fetch it. Nancy hung down her head, and did not stir. Her mother waited: at last she burst out a crying, O, mother, said she, I have no six-pence, I have not even a half-penny. How haveyou laid it out, said her mother? O I have wasted it all in gingerbread and nuts, and now I have none to buy my poor father a drop of wine with. What shall I do! What shall I do! Her mother told her, as crying could not bring back her money, she had better give over. I am very sorry, said she, you have lost all the pleasure you would now have had in doing good to your father, and helping the family; but, perhaps, you like the remembrance of your nuts and your gingerbread better. O, mother, do not say so; I would rather have never tasted them if I could but now buy the wine. My dear, said she, I hope you will be wiser then for the future, and always remember, that those things which please the longest, are the best.She, who in trifles, spends her gain,Will lose all lasting pleasure;And when she would do good, in vainLaments her wasted treasure.
Nearto Jenny Bunney lived Nancy Thoughtless. She too, sometimes, had halfpence given her; but they soon went at the apple-woman’s in cakes, gingerbread, nuts, &c. Sometimes she would save several in her little box; but she did not think of laying them out in any thing useful, and they soon followed the rest. One very sharp winter, in which they found it hard work to get victuals, her father had a very long illness: this was a great trial; however, the poor woman, his wife, kept up her spirits pretty well. All worked who were able, and they just managed to live, every day hoping the father would get better. One day, said her mother to Nancy, my dear, I wish I had a little wine to give your father, he is very weak, and I think it might do him good; but it is dear, and I have no money to buy any with.You know that I never go, nor send you a begging, for it is generally the idle and wasteful who beg; and, as I am not one of them, I do not choose to follow their example. I think I have seen you take the halfpence which were given you to your little box. Perhaps you have as much as six-pence, this would buy a little wine for your poor father; and, I dare say, you will be glad to put it to such a use. Money, my dear child, is of no more value than stones or dirt, any further than as it is useful; and, it is every body’s duty to make the best use he can of all he has. I dare say you feel that you can do nothing better with yours, than buy your father a little wine. I need say no more, you will run up stairs and fetch it. Nancy hung down her head, and did not stir. Her mother waited: at last she burst out a crying, O, mother, said she, I have no six-pence, I have not even a half-penny. How haveyou laid it out, said her mother? O I have wasted it all in gingerbread and nuts, and now I have none to buy my poor father a drop of wine with. What shall I do! What shall I do! Her mother told her, as crying could not bring back her money, she had better give over. I am very sorry, said she, you have lost all the pleasure you would now have had in doing good to your father, and helping the family; but, perhaps, you like the remembrance of your nuts and your gingerbread better. O, mother, do not say so; I would rather have never tasted them if I could but now buy the wine. My dear, said she, I hope you will be wiser then for the future, and always remember, that those things which please the longest, are the best.
She, who in trifles, spends her gain,Will lose all lasting pleasure;And when she would do good, in vainLaments her wasted treasure.
She, who in trifles, spends her gain,Will lose all lasting pleasure;And when she would do good, in vainLaments her wasted treasure.
She, who in trifles, spends her gain,
Will lose all lasting pleasure;
And when she would do good, in vain
Laments her wasted treasure.