r tak ye from that swate place--ye that was
makin' an honest woman of yoursel'! Ach, God bless your honor! can ye
help her? She's a'most gone. Can't ye do somethin'?'
"'Well, how is she doing now?'
"'Och (in a whisper), your honor, she brought three bad fellers last
night, and she brake my own door in, and I tould 'em-says I, I'm an
honest woman, and I never had ony sich in my kin--and she was
drunk--yes, yer honor, she, my own darlint, strak me, and wanted to turn
me out--and now there she's been sleepin' all the mornin'. Ach, why did
I tak her out of her place!'
"Here the girl woke up, and sat up on the bed, covering her face in
shame. I said some few sober words to her, and then the mother threw
herself down on the floor, tears pouring down her cheeks.
"'Ach, darlint! my own swate darlint! will ye not list to the gintleman?
Sure an' ye wouldn't bring disgrace to yer ould mither and yer family!
We've had six generations of honest people, and niver wan like this!
Ach, to think of comin' to your ind on the Island, and be on the town!
For the love of the blessed Vargin, _do_ give them all up, and say ye
won't taste a drop--do, darlint!'
"The girl seemed obdurate; so I took up the sermon, and we both pleaded,
and pictured the shame and pain and wretched life and more wretched
death before her. There is no need of delicacy in such cases, and the
strongest old Bible Saxon words come home the deepest. At last, her
tears began to flow, and finally she gave her full assent to breaking
off from liquor and from her bad company (it should be remembered she
was only about sixteen); and she would show her repentance by going back
to the place where she was, if they would receive her. I hardly expected
she would do so; but in a day or two she was in the office, and started
for her old situation. Since that we have had a letter from her and her
mistress, and she seems to be getting on wonderfully well. May God
uphold her!
"The following is a letter we have received from her since:
"'B----, PENN., October 11.
"'MY DEAR MOTHER--I have the pleasure of writing a few lines to you, to
let you know that I am well. I got safe back to my place; kind friends
took me back again; I have got into the country, where there is plenty
of everything to live on. Dear mother, I would like very much to hear
from you. I hope you are all well; please write soon. I want you to show
this letter to
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