The poor widow was at first in a
continual state of uneasiness; but several years had now pass'd, and
none of the impending evils had fallen upon the boy's head. His mother
seem'd to feel confident that he would live, and be a help and an
honor to her old age; and the two struggled on together, mutually
happy in each other, and enduring much of poverty and discomfort
without repining, each for the other's sake.
Tim's pleasant disposition had made him many friends in the village,
and among the rest a young fanner named Jones, who, with his elder
brother, work'd a large farm in the neighborhood on shares. Jones very
frequently made Tim a present of a bag of potatoes or corn, or some
garden vegetables, which he took from his own stock; but as his
partner was a parsimonious, high-tempered man, and had often said that
Tim was an idle fellow, and ought not to be help'd because he did not
work, Jones generally made his gifts in such a manner that no one knew
anything about them, except himself and the grateful objects of
his kindness. It might be, too, that the widow was both to have it
understood by the neighbors that she received food from anyone; for
there is often an excusable pride in people of her condition which
makes them shrink from being consider'd as objects of "charity" as
they would from the severest pains. On the night in question, Tim had
been told that Jones would send them a bag of potatoes, and the place
at which they were to be waiting for him was fixed at Mr.
Pages:
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577