CHAP. XII.
I mustnow beg leave to introduce my young readers to Frank, for his amiable and grateful conduct deserves to be recorded, as an example to those who may have the power of imitating it. He was an orphan, about two years older than Henry. His father, who was a sailor, had been lost at sea, and his poor mother, overcome with grief at this melancholy event, survived him only a few months, leaving her little boy to the care of her sister. The latter was a kind, good-hearted woman, who, though she had five children of her own, received the boy (then only two years old) and reared him with the greatest tenderness. She, however, was unfortunate also, for when Frank wasabout six years old, she lost her husband, on whose industrious exertions the family chiefly depended for support. Her own children were yet too young to go to service, and it was with the greatest difficulty that she procured them a scanty supply of the coarsest provisions. Her neighbours, knowing her distressed condition, advised her to send Frank to the workhouse, and thus rid herself of one incumbrance. This, however, she strenuously refused to do, saying, that while they had a morsel of bread, he should share it with them.
Her kindness was not lost on the grateful heart of Frank: it made so deep an impression, that he strove, on all occasions, to evince his affection to her and his cousins, all of whom, except the youngest, were girls.
For nearly two years the poor widow had to contend with all the hardships of poverty, when Providence, as if to reward her kindness to the little boy, made himthe instrument of future comfort to her. Frank’s quiet and obliging conduct had attracted the notice of Henry’s father, who, finding that his morals corresponded with the idea he had formed of them, fixed on him, as a proper assistant to his little boy in the before-mentioned employments. Frank was a diligent and good-natured boy, and Henry proved an indulgent and generous master to him; so that the poor little boy was enabled to assist his aunt a little with his weekly earnings, which Henry paid out of his own pocket-money. Nor was this all, for Frank’s good behaviour induced Henry’s mother to enquire into the circumstances of the family, which she greatly ameliorated, by affording the poor woman employment suited to her abilities. My little friend Mary, also, contributed to the comforts of the poor children, by making for them, in the holidays, such little articles of dress as she could afford to purchase. Yet the greatest benefit conferred on this poor family, was reservedto my young master. He contrived, every evening, to devote a small portion of time in teaching Frank to read, write, and cipher; and the poor boy took so much pains to learn, that it was rather a pleasure than a trouble to teach him. But what most of all delighted Henry was, that Frank never failed teaching his cousins the lesson he had learned the preceding day; so that six children, instead of one, profited by Henry’s instructions. My young master did not discover this for some time, but when he did, he procured the good boy books, and other things necessary for this laudable undertaking, in which he succeeded so well, that the three eldest girls were able to read fluently, and to repeat and understand their catechism. And now Frank’s only ambition was to see them neatly dressed, and fit to appear at church, whither they constantly went, though in very mean attire; for their mother was sensible that the want of good clothes wasnot a sufficient excuse for the neglect of any part of their duty.
The poor woman’s circumstances were so much improved since she had been employed by Henry’s mother, that she had refused to receive Frank’s wages, desiring him to lay them by, to procure decent apparel for himself. Frank did not urge her to use his little stock, but he did not reserve it for himself: he now saw, in idea, the accomplishment of his favourite project. Think then, my young readers, how delighted he must have been, when he had, for many weeks, saved his wages, without making known the purpose to which he intended applying them, to receive, at once, the means of gratifying a wish so dear to his heart. This, then, was the use Frank made of his guinea. His cousins appeared the following Sunday, in neat, plain clothes of his purchasing, while he accompanied them in habiliments no otherwise distinguished than by the industry which had been displayed inpatching them: a garb, however, in which, under these circumstances, he certainly appeared to greater advantage than he could have done in the richest clothing.
Henry’s father, who was informed of Frank’s generous conduct, did not fail to reward it. Perhaps it may be imagined that he gave him new clothes: no, he rewarded him in a manner more congenial to his own sentiments and the boy’s disposition, by taking the widow’s eldest daughter into his family; where, under the superintendance of his housekeeper, she was likely to become a good servant, and consequently a useful member of society.