nded, but the distemper settled on his limbs, so that he seemed
likely to be a poor, weakly cripple the rest of his life. But as he
spent much of his time in prayer, and in reading such parts of the
Bible as Mr. Thomas directed, he improved every day in knowledge and
piety, and of course grew more resigned to pain and infirmity.

Some months after this, the hard-hearted father, who had never been
prevailed upon to see him, or offer him the least relief, was taken
off suddenly by a fit of apoplexy; and, after all his threatenings,
he died without a will. He was one of those silly, superstitious
men, who fancy they shall die the sooner for having made one; and
who love the world and the things that are in the world so dearly,
that they dread to set about any business which may put them in mind
that they are not always to live in it. As, by this neglect, his
father had not fulfilled his threat of cutting him off with a
shilling, Jack, of course, went shares with his brothers in what
their father left. What fell to him proved to be just enough to
discharge him from prison, and to pay all his debts, but he had
nothing left. His joy at being thus enabled to make restitution was
so great that he thought little of his own wants. He did not desire
to conceal the most trifling debt, nor to keep a shilling for
himself.

Mr. Stock undertook to settle all his affairs. There did not remain
money enough after every creditor was satisfied, even to pay for his
removal home. Mr. Stock kindly sent his own cart for him with a bed
in it, made as comfortable as possible, for he was too weak and lame
to be removed any other way, and Mrs. Stock gave the driver
particular charge to be tender and careful of him, and not to drive
hard, nor to leave the cart a moment.

Mr. Stock would fain have taken him into his own house, at least for
a time, so convinced was he of the sincere reformation both of
heart and life; but Brown would not be prevailed on to be further
burdensome to this generous friend. He insisted on being carried to
the parish work-house, which he said was a far better place than he
deserved. In this house Mr. Stock furnished a small room for him,
and sent him every day a morsel of meat from his own dinner. Tommy
Williams begged that he might always be allowed to carry it, as some
atonement for his having for a moment so far forgotten his duty, as
rather to rejoice than sympathize in Brown's misfortunes. He never
thought of the f