my eyes open, and yet with lefs remorfe than before.

As I was fitting with her one evening, a bailiff entered fuddenly, and laid an action upon her for fifteen pounds, which, he faid, the promised to pay for her mother in her laft illnefs. Whether the debt was feigned, and the caption preconcerted between them, I know not; but I afterward recollected, that she did not feem to be fo alarmed, as one would have expected on fuch an occafion. On the other hand, my foul was filled with bitter and diftracting thoughts. I could not think of fuffering my love to be confined among fellows in a common prison; and yet how to come by the money, I knew not. I offered the man my note payable when my falary fhould be due; but he refused to depart without inftant payment. Hereupon I hurried home, and taking out 151. of my master's money, I returned and discharged the action."

From this time my fair one began to extend her appetites, and to rife in her paffions. Under colour of being with child, her longings and fits came frequent upon her, and I was in a manner conftrained to indulge her, till I had taken of my mafter's money to the amount of fifty pounds.

D 2

Dayid,

David, faid fhe one day, it is time to tell you that I muft foon quit my mantuamaking bufinefs, for I am growing too big to appear with decency among my customers. So you must take other ledgings for me, and provide a fufficient fund to defray the many neceffary expences of child-birth. And where, my deareft Sally! may fuch a fund be provided? I have already gone lengths for you that may bring me to the gallows. If you had not been a poor-fpirited fellow, fays fhe, you could not bear to live in the fears that haunt you fo; you would long fince have made away with that old fcoundrel your mafter. Here, throw this little duft into his broth, or his poffet, and then you may wallow in money without fear of account.

Here I looked her full in the face, when every beauty that had once enchanted me, fuddenly vanished from my fight, and I faw nothing but the dire head of a fnaky Medusa. However, I fuppreffed my horror as well as I could; and putting back the paper, No, no, no, no, Sally, faid I, I would rather die the worft of deaths myfelf, than have a hand in making away with my kind old mafter. And die you fhall then, the cried, for I will not perish alone. She

then

then dropped on her knees, and vowed, with fearful imprecations, that she would go directly to Mr Felton, and make a dif covery of my robberies; that fhe would alfo go to the next magiftrate, and fwear a rape against me; and that he would poifon herself, and the baflard within ker, that he might not bring into the world any part of fuch a villain.

While the spoke, her afpect looked livid and deadly, and wrath and defperation flashed in fire from her eyes.

My dear Sally, faid I, lower your paffions a little, give me that paper again; we shall see what may be done. And here I leave you my watch as a pledge of my return by to-morrow at noon. This I did, however, not with the fmalleft intention of keeping my promife; for I determined never more to look her in the face. But I bequeathed to her, as it were, the only ftake of value which remained to me, that the wretch whom 1.had ruined might not be left altogether without means of life.

When I got into the ftreet, I haftened homeward, without deliberating a moment on what I was about, or on the confequences that might enfue. My mafter was in a back chamber, looking over D 3 fome

fome letters, when I rushed in precipi tately, and fhut the door behind me. What is the matter, child, fays he; are you not well? You look pale and af frighted; what is the matter, David? O Sir! O Sir! and I funk upon my knees, I bring to you a villain, a reprobate, a thief, a robber, a betrayer of trusts, allo the vileft finner that ever finned against God and againft man. I got in league with a bad woman who feduced me by her beauty, and then prevailed upon me to defraud and rob you, and would have perfuaded me to murder you; but there Iftopt fhort; I could not be prevailed upon to murder you, my mafter! Pray then, faid he fomewhat fternly, to what intent are you come? To demand juftice, Sir! I cried, and to appeafe my own con. fcience by feffering for my faults. Tell me them, faid he mildly, and tell me truly, of how much money have you de frauded me? Of fifty pounds, Sir! I anfwered, a few fhillings under or over. Rife then, pray rife, my David! he cried; I would not bring you to fhame, and much less to punishment, for five times the value of fifty pounds. I owe you, for your fervices very nearly that fum, and I forgive you the remainder with all my heart. No, Sir! I cried

aloud,

áloud, and burst into tears, you do not forgive me, you cannot forgive me, for this your goodness does but heap the heavier guilt upon my foul.

He then got up and came to me, and raifing me to his bofom, he embraced me, and cried, I rejoice over thee, my David, I rejoice over thee, my child, as Heaven rejoiceth over the one finner that repenteth, more than over the ninety and nine that have no need of repentance. You now know your own frailties; you are fenfible of your lapfes, you will be cautious of future falls; and you ftand upon firmer ground than ever.

You know me not, I exclaimed! You know me not, my good master. I am wholly irreclaimable. The devil has taken poffeffion of me, and reigns through all my members. I find it quite in vain to ftrive or ftruggle against him. I have no more strength than a midge against temptation; no more power than a weak and fainting man against a torrent that already has borne him far away.

I will pray for you, my fon, faid the good man vehemently! I will wrestle with my God for you! and his grace thall be fufficient. No, Sir, I replied, after that which has happened, I never fhall be able to look you in the face, I will not

truft