se good ladies do;
we were half dead for want of victuals, and then people have not courage
to set about any thing. Nay, all the parish were so when they came into
it, young and old, there was not much to choose, few of us had rags to
cover us, or a morsel of bread to eat except the two Squires; they
indeed grew rich, because they had our work, and paid us not enough to
keep life and soul together, they live about a mile off, so perhaps they
did not know how poor we were, I must say that for them; the ladies tell
me I ought not to speak against them, for every one has faults, only we
see other people's, and are blind to our own; and certainly it is true
enough, for they are very wise ladies as well as good, and must know
such things.'

As my new acquaintance seemed as loquacious as her age promised, I hoped
for full satisfaction, and asked her how she and her neighbours employed
themselves.

'Not all alike,' replied the good woman, 'I will tell you all about it
There are twelve of us that live here. We have every one a house of two
rooms, as you may see, beside other conveniences, and each a little
garden, but though we are separate, we agree as well, perhaps better,
than if we lived together, and all help one another. Now, there is
neighbour Susan, and neighbour Rachel; Susan is lame, so she spins
clothes for Rachel; and Rachel cleans Susan's house, and does such
things for her as she cannot do for herself. The ladies settled all
these matters at first, and told us, that as they, to please God,
assisted us, we must in order to please him serve others; and that to
make us happy they would put us in a way, poor as we are, to do good to
many. Thus neighbour Jane who, poor woman, is almost stone deaf, they
thought would have a melancholy life if she was to be always spinning
and knitting, seeing other people around her talking, and not be able to
hear a word they said, so the ladies busy her in making broths and
caudles and such things, for all the sick poor in this and the next
parish, and two of us are fixed upon to carry what, they have made to
those that want them; to visit them often, and spend more or less time
with them every day according as they have, or have not relations to
take care of them; for though the ladies always hire nurses for those
who are very ill, yet they will not trust quite to them, but make us
overlook them, so that in a sickly time we shall be all day going from
one to another.'

'But,' sai