She did not like to go to service, to be snubbed about, after being her
own mistress. To put her children out to nurse was impossible: how far
would her wages go? and to send them to her husband's parish, a distant
one, was to lose her husband twice over.

"I had heard all from Mary, and made my uncle furnish a little cottage
for her, to enable her to sell--so sacred was poor Daniel's advice, now
he was dead and gone--a little fruit, toys and cakes. The minding of the
shop did not require her whole time, nor even the keeping her children
clean, and she loved to see them clean; so she took in washing, and
altogether made a shift to earn bread for her children, still weeping for
Daniel, when Jacky's arch looks made her think of his father.--It was
pleasant to work for her children.--'Yes; from morning till night, could
she have had a kiss from their father, God rest his soul! Yes; had it
pleased Providence to have let him come back without a leg or an arm, it
would have been the same thing to her--for she did not love him because
he maintained them--no; she had hands of her own.'

"The country people were honest, and Peggy left her linen out to dry very
late. A recruiting party, as she supposed, passing through, made free
with a large wash; for it was all swept away, including her own and her
children's little stock.

"This was a dreadful blow; two dozen of shirts, stocks and handkerchiefs.
She gave the money which she had laid by for half a year's rent, and
promised to pay two shillings a week till all was cleared; so she did not
lose her employment. This two shillings a week, and the buying a few
necessaries for the children, drove her so hard, that she had not a penny
to pay her rent with, when a twelvemonth's became due.

"She was now with Mary, and had just told her tale, which Mary instantly
repeated--it was intended for my ear. Many houses in this town, producing
a borough-interest, were included in the estate purchased by Mr.
Venables, and the attorney with whom my brother lived, was appointed his
agent, to collect and raise the rents.

"He demanded Peggy's, and, in spite of her intreaties, her poor goods had
been seized and sold. So that she had not, and what was worse her
children, 'for she had known sorrow enough,' a bed to lie on. She knew
that I was good-natured--right charitable, yet not liking to ask for more
than needs must, she scorned to petition while people could any how be
made to wait. But now, s