,
and produced the money necessary for the purchase of the mangle.

The following day was pleasantly employed in arranging the poor woman's
new acquisition; and when Matilda saw her grateful, happy countenance, and
learned the manner in which the machine would be worked, and its usefulness
in smoothing linen, she felt the value of a useful life, and a sense of her
own importance, distinct from the idle consequence which is the result of
vanity and pride, but perfectly compatible with the self-distrust and true
humility which was now happily taking a deep root in her young mind.

Mrs. Harewood was gratified in perceiving such results of her maternal care
for Matilda: still she did not relax in her vigilance; for she well knew,
that along with corn will spring up tares in every young mind, and that the
virtue of one day does not exempt from the vice of another, during the
years of early life; and there were still many points in which the errors
of her Barbadoes education were but too visible, and which called for the
pruning hand of a sensible and pious friend.

CHAPTER IX.

The foolish indulgence of Mr. Hanson had in no respect been more injurious
to his only daughter, than in the unrestrained permission to eat whatever
she liked, and as much of it as she could swallow.

On arriving at Mr. Harewood's, she found herself at a loss for many of the
sweet and rich dishes she had been accustomed to eat of at her father's
luxurious table; for although theirs was very well served, it consisted
generally of plain and wholesome viands. Under these circumstances, Matilda
made what she considered very poor dinners, and she endeavoured to supply
her loss by procuring sweet things and trash, through the medium of Zebby,
who, in this particular, was more liable to mislead her than any other
person, because she knew to what she had been used, having frequently
waited upon her, when the little gormandizer had eaten the whole of any
delicacy which happened to be provided for the company.

Mrs. Harewood took great pains to correct this evil, especially on Ellen's
account; for as Matilda was not covetous, she was ever ready to share with
her only companion the raisins and almonds, figs, gingerbread, biscuits,
or comfits, which she was continually munching; and this Mrs. Harewood had
a particular objection to, not only because it is bad for the health, and
lays the foundation for innumerable evils in the constitution, but because