"were taken before the parish-officers to "fee what could be done with us. After "fome confideration, they faid I should "be fent to fea, and poor Patty, who was "not ten years old, put prentice to the

very man who feized our father's goods, "and kept a pot-house.---Patty cried, and "I cried to fee her cry; not that I dif"liked going to fea, but I could not bear "to leave her in fuch a service, and with "a master that I had feen myself beat his prentices worse than dogs.---Well, Sir, "the overfeers fcolded us, and faid we "fhould be bound the next week, when "I was to be fent off directly to go on fhip-board. Patty cried fadly all the " evening, and faid, that when I was gone "fhe fhould have no friend left. I wished "to fee the world, but could not tell what "to do on her account; until at last it "came into my head, that as it would foon "be hay-harveft, I might get employment "for the whole fummer, if we were but "once out of the reach of the parish. "Next day I told Patty what I had been

"thinking

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thinking of, and fhe was greatly delighted, and we agreed to run away that very night, while the people were at fupper, which we accordingly did; faving our "fhares, and taking nothing with us but my father's flagelet, and my mother's "prayer-book.

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"It was a fine moonlight night, and we got out eafy enough, and went for the laft time, to take leave of our good pa"rents grave: but, Sir, who should be laying on the fod, but our dog Shock, "as thin as a skeleton; the poor beaft got

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up on feeing us, wagged his tail, then "fcratched on the grave, and gave a dif "mal whine.-Indeed, Sir, it made both "Patty and I cry afresh; however, we "knelt down, and faid our prayers, beg

t

ging of God to guide and forgive us if .. we had done amifs. I then looked about " and found a piece of a broken grave"ftone, which I ftuck in the ground, that "if ever we came back we might know "the fpot. Our poor dog, who was al"most starved, we next fed with fome of

"the bred and cheese, and then fet off as "faft as our legs could carry us; Shock leaping before, as if he was glad we "were met again. We walked all night, "for fear of being caught, and the ħext morning found ourselves nine miles from "Warwick, when Patty was fo tired, fhe "could go no farther; fo I begged of a "man who was working in a barn, to let "us reft on the ftraw for an hour or two, "which he gave us leave to do; first ask"ing what we were, and from whence we "came? I answered him truly, that we came from Warwick, and were deftitute

orphans, but did not fay we run away, "for fear of being fent back.

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"We were fo tired that we slept late, "without once waking; which, when we did, we were very hungry; and were just going out of the barn, when we met the "farmer. Why,' said he, 'tis too late "to go on to-night, fo you had better lie "in the barn, and fet off early and I fup"6 pofe, though you are tight clothed, you "are not overstocked with money, fo come

"with me and get fome fupper.'-Well, Sir, we flept there that night, and, in "the morning, when we fet off, the far"mer's wife, who was as kind as himself,

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gave us a great lump of cheese, half a big loaf, and fome old ftockings, a shirt, and a fhift and apron.-God bless "her; and if ever her children want it, I << hope they will meet with as good a "friend. We wandered on all day, and "at night began to think we were pretty "fecure from the parifh-officers; and hav❝ing refreshed ourfelves, I began to play "on my flagelet, when two or three threshers came up and gave us a penny. This,

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Sir, firft put it into my head to play for <6 money, which I began the next day; "faying, that we were orphan-children, "and had nothing elfe to truft to until "the harvest, when I would work a-field. "Thus, Sir, we got on till hay-time, when "I was lucky enough to find work for "the whole fummer, and Patty used to

run of errands for the reapers; so that "we did very well indeed, until about fix D 2 "" weeks

"weeks ago, when there being no work "to be got, I was obliged to take my flagelet again; however, I hope foon, as "I am ftout and hearty, to be able to "maintain Patty without running a-beg

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ging; for I don't care, and please you, "how hard I work, fo I can but get an "honeft living, as my mother defired me.

Now, Sir, I have told the whole truth, "and I hope you will be kind enough not

to make us be fent back; for 1 am fure "it would kill poor Patty to be put pren"tice to that wicked man that fold my fa"ther's goods."

"Though you have acted very erroneoufly in running away," returned Mr. Richardfon, "I will not falfify the confi"dence you have repofed in me. Your "affection for your fifter, is praise worthy; but, as you have exerted it, fo highly imprudent, that it might have plunged you both in ruin;---but tell me, have you now any fettled destination ?”

I have lately heard, Sir, that there was "fome little work ftirring in the villages

"round