CHAPTER IV.

IN little more than a month, Harry made himself perfect master of the system of the British constitution, and wrote comments upon it much more voluminous than the text. As he had lost his friend Ned, little Dicky Clement became the principal companion of his hours of amusement, and Dicky, with his good-will, would never be from his heels.

One morning as they strolled up the road, some distance from the town, Harry observed a crowd gathering fast on the way, and hastened like others to see what was the

matter.

As soon as he arrived, he perceived Mr. Gripe the constable at the head of the posse, with his painted staff of authority exalted in his hand. Pray, what are you about Mr. Constable? says Harry.-I am going, sir, to seize a robber who has taken shelter in yonder waste hovel.—And whom did he rob?-He robbed Mr. Niggards here, that is to say, his boy here, of a sixpenny loaf.-Perhaps the man was hungry, said Harry, and had not wherewithal to buy one. Pray tell me, my lad, how the affair was.

Why, master, you must know as how Mr. Niggards, my master here, sent me this morning to the town with a shilling to buy two sixpenny loaves. So, as I was coming back, I met an able-looking man, who made me afraid with his pale and meagre face.-My good boy, says he, will you give me one of those loaves in charity ?--I dare not, sir, says I; they are none of my own.-Here, says he, I will

give you my hat for one of them; but this I refused, as his hat, to my thinking, was not worth a groat.-Nay, says he, I must have one of the loaves, that is certain, for I have a wife and seven children all starving in yonder hovel, and while there is bread in the world I cannot but snatch a morsel for them. So, as I told you, I was frighted. I gave him one of the loaves without any more words, and away he run as fast as his legs could carry him; but I followed him with my eye till I saw him safe lodged.

Here Harry wiped his eye, and mused awhile. Tell me truly now, my good boy, continued he, if both those loaves had been your own, would you willingly have given one of them to keep the poor man and his family from perishing?

I would, sir, said the lad, with a very good will. And, had I a sixpence of my own, I would have gone back with all my heart and have bought another loaf. But my master is a hard man, and so I was forced to tell him the truth.

Here, my lad, says Harry; here is a crown. Go back, buy two loaves for your master in place of the one he has lost, and keep the remaining four shillings to yourself for your trouble. You see, Mr. Constable, continued he, you never can make anything like felony of this matter. The boy confesses that he gave the bread with a very good will, and that he would not have informed had it not been for fear of his master.

It is very true, please your honour, replied Mr. Gripe; I myself do pity the poor man from my heart, and will have nothing more to say in this business.

Stay a while, says Harry, perhaps we may find some further employment for you. I think I should know the face of yonder man. Is not that the Niggards whom you had in custody the other day, and for whose deliverance I

paid five-and-twenty pounds to his creditors ?—The very man, sir, says Gripe.

Harry then put his hand in his pocket, and taking out a small scrip of parchment, exclaimed-I am glad of what you tell me, with all my heart! Indeed, I did not like the looks of the man at the time, and that made me accept an assignment of this action. Here, Mr. Gripe, take your prisoner again into custody in my name. Away with him to jail directly! As the holy gospel has it: "He shall not depart thence till he has paid the utmost farthing." No, no, Mr. Niggards! I will not hear a word. Go and learn henceforward to be merciful yourself, if you would look for any mercy from God or man.

Dicky, my dear, go back again, says Harry; our neighbour Joseph here will see you safe home. I will not suffer any one to go in my company, for fear of putting the poor man or his family to shame.

Harry had not advanced fifty paces towards the hovel, when his ears were struck with the sound of sudden and joint lamentation; and turning, he perceived that the inquisitive crowd had gathered at his heels. My friends, says he, I entreat, I beseech you to leave me for the present. I would not choose any witnesses to what I am about. Pray, oblige me so far as to depart on your own occasions.

Hereupon, being loth to offend him, they retired a few steps, and stood together aloof, attentive to the event of this uncommon adventure.

Meanwhile the cry continued with a bitterness that thrilled through every nerve of our hero; and, as he now approached the place, he did his utmost to restrain himself, and quell the feelings within him, and he drew his hat over his eyes to prevent the parties from seeing the emotion that they caused.

The hovel was of mud walls, without any roofing; but,

as there was an opening where a door had once been, Harry stole to the entrance, casting an under eye of observation about him.

Hereupon a woman turned. She had been fearfully peering over the wall at the crowd which had not yet dispersed; but, having notice of Harry's entrance, she looked towards him, and dropped on her knees.

O sir! she cried, if you are the gentleman who owned the loaf, for Christ his sake I pray you to have mercy upon us! Money, indeed, we have not; but we have these shreds remaining, and we will strip ourselves of our covering to make you a recompense. Alas! alas! could we have guessed how my husband came by it, we would have famished a thousand times rather than touch a morsel. But he, dear good man, did it all for our sakes, for the sake of the heavy burden with which he is overladen. Ah, I would to heaven we were all dead, hanged, or drowned, out of his way! He might then walk the world at large, and be happy, as he deserves.

Here again she set up her wailing, which was accompanied by her seven children, in such a woful concert as the heart of Harry could not sustain, neither suffer him for a season to interrupt or appease.

At length he said with a faltering voice-Pray, be not alarmed, madam, for I discern that you are a gentlewoman, though in a very unhappy disguise. The affair of the loaf is settled to your satisfaction; and here are ten guineas, it is all that I have about me, and it is only to shew you for the present that you are not quite so friendless in the world as you thought. Mean time I request that you will all come with me to Hampstead, where we will try to do something better for you.

Here the woman looked with an earnest and eager rapture at him. May Jesus Christ, she cried, be your

portion, fair angel! and he is already your portion; he is seen in your sweet face, and breaks out at your eyes in pity to poor sinners.

Harry was now stepping forth, and the rest prepared to follow him; when the poor man, who for shame had not yet uttered a syllable, gently stayed him at the opening. -Turn, generous master, said he; pray turn, and hear a small apology for my transgression. I am a very unhappy man, I have seen better times; but I am driven by cruel usage from house, and home, and maintenance. I was going to London to apply to the law for relief, when my youngest child, who was on the breast, fell desperately sick about four days ago. As we had no money to hire lodging, and had begged the means of life for the two foregoing days, we were compelled to take up with this shelterless hovel. From hence I frequented the road, and for the three last days begged as much as sustained us in coarse bread and water. But this morning my boy died, and his brothers and I, with our sticks and our hands, dug his grave that you see yonder, and I placed that flag over him to preserve his tender limbs from the pigs and the hounds, till it may please heaven to allow me means to bury him according to the holy rites of our church. This melancholy office, sir, detained me so long, and exercise had made the appetites of my children so outrageous, that I was in a manner compelled to do what I did. As I had no coffin nor winding-sheet, I took the waistcoat from my body, and wrapped it about my babe, and would willingly have wrapped him with my flesh and my bones, that we might quietly have lain in one grave together.

Harry answered not a word, but walking onward before his company, plentifully watered the ground with his tears as he passed; while the poor man took his youngest son in his arms, and the woman her youngest daughter on her