propofal was almost mádness. 'I defired to párt. As I was going hè óffered mè à púrfe; bút 'I flung ít át hím with indignation, and búrst fróm hím ín à rage, that for a while képt mè infénfible of the miferies of my fituàtion. But I foon looked round mè, `ánd fáw myfélf à vìle, ábject, guilty thing, without óne friend in the world to apply to. Jút ín thát interval, à ftage - coach ") happening to páfs by, I took à pláce, ít being my only áin to be dríven át à distance fróm à wretch I defpìfed ánd detéfted. I was fét down hère, where, fínce my arrival, my own anxiety, and this woman's unkindness, háve been my only compánions. The hours of pleafure that I háve páffed with my Mammá ánd filter, nów grow painful to me. Their fórrows are much; bút mine is greater thán théirs; fór mìne áre mixed with guilt and in amy." ,,Háve patience, my child," crìed 'I, „ánd I hope things will yet be better. Take fome repòse to-night, and to-morrow I'll carry you home to your mother and the réft of the family, from whom, you will receive à kìnd recéption. Poor woman, this has gone to her heart: bút fhè lóves yoù ftíll, Olivia, ánd will forget ít. r) Stage coaches oder fchlechthin Stages find Poftkutfchen, avelche hinten einen grofsen Korb haben, und deren Decke auch oft mit Palagieren befchwert ift. Sie find die wohlfeilften, aber, in der Regel auch die Schlechteften öffentlichen Fuhrwerke diefer Art. CHÁ CHAP. XXII. Offences are eafly pardoned where there is lov át, bottom. The next morning I took my daughter behin mè, and fet out on my return hòine. 'As w trávelled al'ng, 'I ftròve,' bỳ every perfuafion to calm hér f'rrows and fears, and to ár her with refolùtion to bear the prefence of he offended mother. 'I took every opportunit from the prófpect of a fine country, throug which we páfled, to observe hów múch kinde heaven was to ús, thán wè to each other, an that the misfórtunes óf nature's making wen véry few. I affùred hér, that she should never perceive any change in my afféctions, and th during my life, which yet might be lóng, might depend upón à guardian and an ftructor. I armed her against the cenfures the world, fhowed her thát books were fwe unreproaching compánions to the míferable, that if they could not bring us to enjoy they would át least tèach ús to endure ít. The hired horse that wè ròde was to put up that night át án ínn by the way, hín about five miles from my houfe, ánd ás was willing to prepare my family for daughter's reception, I determined to lea her thát night át the inn, ánd to return | hér, accompanied by my daughter Soph éarly the next morning. It was night belo we reached our appointed ftage; howeve áfter fèeing her provided with a decent apar ment, and having órdered the hostess to pre pare proper refréfhments, I kiffed hér, an proceeded towards home. And now my heart caught new fenfations of pleasure the nearer 'I approached that peaceful mánfion. 'As à bírd that had been frighted from its néft, my afféctions ontwént mỳ hàfte, and hovered r'und my little firefide, with áll the rápture of expectation. 'I called up the many fond things I had to fày, and anticipated the welcome T was to receive. I already félt my wife's ténder embrace, and fmiled at the joy of my little ones. As I walked bút flowly, the night wained apace. The labourers of the day were all retired to réft; the lights were out in every cóttage; no founds were heard but of the fhrilling cock, and the deep-mouthed witchdog, át hóllow distance. I approached my little abode of pleasure, and before I was within à furlong of the place, our honest mástiff came rúnning to welcome mè. 'It was now near mid-night that 'I came to knóck at my door: all was ftill and fìlent: mỳ heart dilated with unútterable háppinefs, whén, to my amazement, I faw the house búrfting but in à blaze of fire, ánd évery apérture réd with conflagration! I gave à loud convulfive outcry, ánd fell upon the pavement infénfible. This alármed my fón, whỏ hád till this been aflèep, ánd he perceiving the flames, ínftantly waked, my wife and daughter, and all running out, naked, and wild with apprehenfion, recalled me to life with their ánguifh. Bút ít was only to objects of new térror; fór the flames háď, by this time, caught the roof of our dwelling, párt áfter párt continuing to fall ín, while the family ftood, with filent ágony, looking ón, ás if they enjoyed the blaze. I gazed upon them, ánd upón ít by túrns, and then looked round mè fór my two little ones; but they were not to be feen. O mífery!,,Whére, crìed 'I, where áre my little ones?" They are burnt tỏ death in the flames," fays my wife cálmly, ,,ánd 'I will die with them." Thát moment -- I heard the crỳ of the babes within, who were júft awaked by the fire, and nothing could háve ftopped me.,,Where, where, áre my children?" cried I, rúfhing through the flames, ánd búrfting the door of the chamber in which they were confined. ,,Whére áre my little ones?" — „Hère, dèar Papá, hère wè áre,“ cried they together, while the flames wére juft catching the bed where they lay. I caught them both in my arms, and fnátched them through the fire ás fáft ás póffible, while júft ás I was gót out, the ròof fúnk ín. ,,Nów," cried 'I, holding up my children, ,,nów let the flames búrn ón, ánd all my poffeffions pérish. they áre, I have faved my treasure. my deareft, hère áre óur tréafures, and we fháll yet be happy." Wè kiffed our little dárdings à thousand times, they cláfped ús róund the neck, and feemed to fhare our tránsports, while their mother laughed and wept by túrns. Here Hère, 'I nów ftood à cálm fpectator of the flames, ánd áfter fóme time, began to perceive that my árm to thẻ fhoulder was fcórched ín à térrible mánner. 'It was therefore out of my power to give my fón ány affiftance, either in attempting to fave our goods, or preventing the flames Spreading to our córn. By this time, the neighbours were alarmed, ánd came rúnning to our affiftance; bút áll they could do was to ftánd, like ús, fpectators of the calamity. My goods, among which were the nòtes 'I hád referved fór my daughters fórtune, were entirely con fùmed, except à box, with fóme papers, thát ftood in the kitchen, ánd two or three things mòre of little cónfequence, which my fon brought away in the beginning, The neighbours contributed, however, what they could to ighten our diftréfs. They brought ús clòaths, and fúrnifhed one of our out- hóufes s) with itchin - ùtenfils; Cò thất bỳ dày - light we hád nother, though à wretched, dwelling to retire 6. My honeft next néighbour, and hís chílIren, were not the least affiduous ín providing is with every thing neceffary, and offering vhatéver confolation untutored t) benévolence ould fuggeft. When the fears of my family had fubfided, uriófity to know the cause of my lóng stay egán to take place; háving therefore informed hém óf every partícular,, I proceeded to prepare them for the reception óf óur lóft óne, nd though we had nothing but wretchedness ów to impárt, I was willing to procure hér i welcome to what we hád. This táfk would áve been more difficult bút fór óur récent caámity, which had humbled my wife's pride, ind plúnted it by more poignant afflictions. Being unable to go for my poor child myfélf, is my arm grew very painful, I fént my fón ind daughter, who foon returned, supporting the wretched delínquent, whó hád not the coúrage to look up át hér móther, whom nò intrúctions of mine could perfuáde to à pérfécreconciliation; fór women have à múch stronger fenfe of female error thán men. ,,Ah s) outhoufe, Nebengebäude. t) untutored, ungekünstelt, 1 |