Tommy took
he sank almost to his knees in snow. The wind was bleak and cold, and it
was with much difficulty that Harry could prevail upon him to continue
his journey. At length, however, as they thus pursued their way with
infinite toil, they came to some lighted embers, which either some
labourers or some wandering passenger had lately quitted, and which were
yet unextinguished. "See," said Harry with joy, "see what a lucky
chance is this! here is a fire ready lighted for us, which needs only
the assistance of a little wood to make it burn." Harry again collected
all the dry pieces he could find, and piled them upon the embers, which
in a few minutes began to blaze, and diffused a cheerful warmth. Tommy
then began to warm and chafe his almost frozen limbs over the fire with
infinite delight. At length he could not help observing to Harry, that
he never could have believed that a few dried sticks could have been of
so much consequence to him. "Ah!" answered Harry, "Master Tommy, you
have been brought up in such a manner, that you never knew what it was
to want anything; but that is not the case with thousands and millions
of people. I have seen hundreds of poor children that have neither bread
to eat, fire to warm, nor clothes to cover them. Only think, then, what
a disagreeable situation they must be in; yet they are so accustomed to
hardship that they do not cry in a twelvemonth as much as you have done
within this quarter of an hour."

"Why," answered Tommy, a little disconcerted at the observation of his
crying, "it cannot be expected that gentlemen should be able to bear all
these inconveniences as well as the poor." "Why not," answered Harry,
"is not a gentleman as much a man as the poor can be? and if he is a
man, should he not accustom himself to support everything that his
fellow-creatures do?"

_Tommy._--That is very true; but he will have all the conveniences of
life provided for him; victuals to eat, a good warm bed, and a fire to
warm him.

_Harry._--But he is not sure of having all these things as long as he
lives. Besides, I have often observed the gentlemen and ladies in our
neighbourhood riding about in coaches, and covered from head to foot,
yet shaking with the least breath of air, as if they all had agues,
while the children of the poor run about barefooted upon the ice, and
divert themselves with making snow-balls.

_Tommy._--That is indeed true; for I have seen my mother's visitors
sitting o