ure, and put John in prison. Their house was now a picture
of melancholy and patient distress. How often have I lamented my
inability to assist the distresses of this honest couple!

"I went myself to their landlord, and begged of him, for God's sake, to
have some compassion on these unfortunate people, and even offered to
pawn to him all I was possessed of in the world; but he treated me with
contempt, and told me I was as bad as they were. I was obliged, however,
being only a poor widow, to bear the insult with patience, and contented
myself by easing my heart with a flood of tears.

"I advised poor Margaret to make her distresses known to the worthy
clergyman, with whom she had so long lived with an unblemished
character, and to beg of him to advance them a little money. Margaret
replied, that she supposed her husband would not like that proposal,
fearing that their friend might suspect their necessities proceeded
from mismanagement.

"It is but a few days ago since she brought me her two children, and
begged me to take care of them till the evening. Her intention was to go
to a village at a little distance, and endeavour to get some hemp from
the weaver to spin, with a view to get something towards the debt. As
she could not persuade herself to wait upon the clergyman, her husband
had undertaken it, and had accordingly set off on that business. As
Margaret was going, she clasped her two children to her breast and
kissed them, little thinking it was to be the last time she should ever
see them.

"Soon after she was gone, I heard some noise in her house, but supposed
it might be only the flapping of the door. However, the evening came on,
and my neighbour did not come to fetch her children as usual. I
therefore determined to go to her house, and see if she was come home. I
found the door open and went in; but how shall I express my horror and
astonishment, when I found poor Margaret lying dead at the foot of the
stairs!

"After trying in vain to recover her, I fetched the surgeon, who shook
his head, and said all was over. The coroner's inquest brought in their
verdict accidental death; but, as her husband was missing, ill-natured
people raised suspicious reports. Her death, however, was easily to be
accounted for; she had returned to her house, to go up to the loft for a
bag to hold her hemp, and as her eyes were still dimmed with tears, she
had missed her step in coming down, and fallen from the top of the
sta