of the society of which he
was a member--"Not to contract debt without at least a reasonable
prospect of discharging it"--he asked him whether freedom from these
liabilities would restore to him peace of mind. The question was
answered by a sort of sickly smile, which seemed to indicate a perfect
despair of such a consummation. "Well, come," said the master, "I
don't think things are quite so bad, ----, as they appear to be to
you. See here, my poor fellow, you owe ---- pounds: it's a very large
sum for a man like you, to be sure; and if you had run into debt to
anything like this amount through extravagance, or even
thoughtlessness, I should have regarded it as an act of dishonesty on
your part, and I _might_ have felt it right to discharge you. But you
are to be pitied, and not to be blamed. Cold pity alone goes for
nothing, so let us see how you can be helped out of your troubles.
Now, do you think your creditors, considering all the circumstances,
would take one-half, and be satisfied? Here's Dr Edwards--his bill is
the heaviest; if we can get him to take one-half"----

"One-half, master!" exclaimed the poor man, "but if they _would_ take
half, where's the money to come from? I 'arn't got a shilling in the
world but what's coming to me Friday night; and when I take my wages
now, I 'arn't any pleasure in looking at the money, because it 'arn't
my own; it should go to pay my debts, and I'm obliged to use it to buy
victuals. I think in my heart I shall ne'er be happy again."

'Still more sensibly affected by the poor man's manner the longer the
interview lasted, my kind-hearted relative begged him not to distress
himself any more; he said that a Friend of his had given him a sum
that was quite equal to one-half his debts, bade him return to his
work, order a horse to be put into harness as he passed through the
yard, and brought round in ten minutes; and told him to be sure to
make himself as happy as he could till he saw him again. He
immediately drove round to every creditor the poor man had, compounded
with them for their respective claims, and obtained their receipts in
full discharge. On his return, the poor man's stare of bewilderment
was indescribable. He watched his master unfold the receipts one by
one without uttering a syllable; and when they were put into his hand,
he clutched them with a sort of convulsive grasp, but still not a word
escaped him. At length he exclaimed: "But, master, where's the money
c