they did not get a farthing by it, I would
make them do it just the same, for the sake of giving them early
habits of labor.

"So you see sir, I am not so badly off as many are; nay, if it were
not that it costs me so much in 'pothecary's stuff for my poor wife,
I should reckon myself well off; nay I do reckon myself well off,
for blessed be God, he has granted her life to my prayers, and I
would work myself to a 'natomy, and live on one meal a day, to add
any comfort to her valuable life; indeed I have often done the last,
and thought it no great matter neither."

While they were in this part of the discourse, a fine plump
cherry-cheek little girl ran up out of breath, with a smile on her
young happy face, and without taking any notice of the gentleman,
cried out with great joy--"Look here, father, only see how much I
have got!" Mr. Johnson was much struck with her simplicity, but
puzzled to know what was the occasion of this great joy. On looking
at her he perceived a small quantity of coarse wool, some of which
had found its way through the holes of her clean, but scanty and
ragged woolen apron. The father said, "This has been a successful
day indeed, Molly, but don't you see the gentleman?" Molly now made
a courtesy down to the very ground; while Mr. Johnson inquired into
the cause of mutual satisfaction which both father and daughter had
expressed, at the unusual good fortune of the day.

"Sir," said the shepherd, "poverty is a great sharpener of the wits.
My wife and I can not endure to see our children (poor as they are)
without shoes and stockings, not only on account of the pinching
cold which cramps their poor little limbs, but because it degrades
and debases them; and poor people who have but little regard to
appearances, will seldom be found to have any great regard for
honesty and goodness; I don't say this is always the case; but I am
sure it is too often. Now shoes and stockings being very dear, we
could never afford to get them without a little contrivance. I must
show you how I manage about the shoes when you condescend to call at
our cottage, sir; as to stockings, this is one way we take to help
to get them. My young ones, who are too little to do much work,
sometimes wander at odd hours over the hills for the chance of
finding what little wool the sheep may drop when they rub
themselves, as they are apt to do, against the bushes.[1] These
scattered bits of wool the children pick out of the bramble