th, may easily be
conceived by the reader. For some years after this, Owen got on slowly
enough; his wages as a daily laborer being so miserable, that it
required him to exert every nerve to keep the house over their head.
What, however, will not carefulness and a virtuous determination, joined
to indefatigable industry, do?

After some time, backed as he was by his wife, and even by his youngest
children, he, found himself beginning to improve. In the mornings and
evenings he cultivated his garden and his rood of potato-ground. He also
collected with a wheelbarrow, which he borrowed, from an acquaintance,
compost from the neighboring road; scoured an old drain before his door;
dug rich earth, and tossed, it into the pool of rotten water beside the
house, and in fact adopted several other modes of collecting manure. By
this means he had, each spring, a large portion of rich stuff on which
to plant his potatoes. His landlord permitted him to spread this for
planting upon his land; and Owen, ere long, instead of a rood, was able
to plant half an acre, and ultimately, an acre of potatoes. The produce
of this, being more than sufficient for the consumption of his family,
he sold the surplus, and with the money gained by the sale was enabled
to sow half an acre of oats, of which, when made into meal, he disposed
of the greater share.

Industry is capital; for even when unaided by capital it creates it;
whereas, idleness with capital produces only poverty and ruin. Owen,
after selling his meal and as much potatoes as he could spare, found
himself able to purchase a cow. Here was the means of making more
manure; he had his cow, and he had also straw enough for her provender
during the winter. The cow by affording milk to his family, enabled them
to live more cheaply; her butter they sold, and this, in addition to his
surplus meal and potatoes every year, soon made him feel that he had a
few guineas to spare. He now bethought him of another mode of helping
himself forward in the world: after buying the best "slip" of a pig he
could find, a sty was built for her, and ere long he saw a fine litter
of young pigs within a snug shed. These he reared until they were about
two months old, when he sold them, and found that he had considerably
gained by the transaction. This, department, however, was under the
management of Kathleen, whose life was one of incessant activity and
employment. Owen's children, during the period of his stru