the women who were milking, she besought them in a moving
manner to give her a draught, as she was almost ready to perish. "For
pity's sake," said she, "have compassion upon a poor wretch, dying with
sickness, hunger, and thirst; it is a long time since I have tasted
a mouthful of wholesome victuals, my lips are now almost parched with
thirst, and I am so faint for want, that I can scarcely stand; my
sufferings are very great indeed, it would melt a heart of stone to hear
the story of my woes. Oh! have pity upon a fellow-creature then, and
give me one draught of that milk, which can never be missed out of so
vast a quantity as you have there, and may you never, never, know what
it is to suffer as I now do." To this piteous request, she received for
answer, the common one of "Go about your business, we have nothing for
you, so don't come here." "We should have enough to do indeed," said one
of the milkers, "if we were to give every idle beggar who would like a
draught of this delicious milk; but no, indeed, we shall not give you a
drop; so go about your business, and don't come plaguing us here." Mrs.
Flail, who happened to be in the yard, with one of her children who was
feeding the chickens, overheard enough of this to make her come
forward, and enquire what was the matter. "Nothing, ma'am," replied the
milk-maid, "only I was sending away this nasty dirty creature, who was
so bold as to come asking for milk indeed! But beggars grow so impudent
now-a-days there never was the like of it." "Oh fie!" returned Mrs.
Flail, shocked at her inhuman way of speaking, "fie upon you, to speak
in so unkind a manner of a poor creature in distress." Then turning to
the beggar, she inquired what she wanted, in so mild a tone of voice,
that it encouraged her to speak and tell her distress.

'Mrs. Flail listened with the greatest attention, and could not help
being struck with her speech and appearance; for though she was clothed
in rags (having parted with all her better clothes to pay for lodging
and food) still there was a something in her language and manner which
discovered that she was no common beggar. Betsy had stood all the time
with her eyes fixed upon the ground, scarcely once lifting them to
look at the face of Mrs. Flail; and she was so changed herself by her
troubles and sickness, that it was impossible for any one who had ever
seen Miss Speedgo, to recollect her in her present miserable state. Mrs.
Flail, however, wanted n