might be the cause of her extraordinary partiality. Peggy, Mary's
sister, lived with her, till her husband, becoming a mate in a West-India
trader, got a little before-hand in the world. He wrote to his wife from
the first port in the Channel, after his most successful voyage, to
request her to come to London to meet him; he even wished her to
determine on living there for the future, to save him the trouble of
coming to her the moment he came on shore; and to turn a penny by
keeping a green-stall. It was too much to set out on a journey the
moment he had finished a voyage, and fifty miles by land, was worse than
a thousand leagues by sea.

"She packed up her alls, and came to London--but did not meet honest
Daniel. A common misfortune prevented her, and the poor are bound to
suffer for the good of their country--he was pressed in the river--and
never came on shore.

"Peggy was miserable in London, not knowing, as she said, 'the face of
any living soul.' Besides, her imagination had been employed,
anticipating a month or six weeks' happiness with her husband. Daniel was
to have gone with her to Sadler's Wells, and Westminster Abbey, and to
many sights, which he knew she never heard of in the country. Peggy too
was thrifty, and how could she manage to put his plan in execution
alone? He had acquaintance; but she did not know the very name of their
places of abode. His letters were made up of--How do you does, and God
bless yous,--information was reserved for the hour of meeting.

"She too had her portion of information, near at heart. Molly and Jacky
were grown such little darlings, she was almost angry that daddy did not
see their tricks. She had not half the pleasure she should have had from
their prattle, could she have recounted to him each night the pretty
speeches of the day. Some stories, however, were stored up--and Jacky
could say papa with such a sweet voice, it must delight his heart. Yet
when she came, and found no Daniel to greet her, when Jacky called papa,
she wept, bidding 'God bless his innocent soul, that did not know what
sorrow was.'--But more sorrow was in store for Peggy, innocent as she
was.--Daniel was killed in the first engagement, and then the _papa_ was
agony, sounding to the heart.

"She had lived sparingly on his wages, while there was any hope of his
return; but, that gone, she returned with a breaking heart to the
country, to a little market town, nearly three miles from our village.