Goody Two-Shoes Part 5

In the first Part of this Work, the young Student has read, and I hope with Pleasure and Improvement, the History of this Lady, while she was known and distinguished by the Name of _Little Two-Shoes_; we are now come to a Period of her Life when that Name was discarded, and a more eminent one bestowed upon her, I mean I mean that of Mrs.

_Margery Two-Shoes_: For as she was now President of the A, B, C College, it became necessary to exalt her in t.i.tle as well as in Place.

No sooner was she settled in this Office, but she laid every possible Scheme to promote the Welfare and Happiness of all her Neighbours, and especially of the Little Ones, in whom she took great Delight, and all those whose Parents could not afford to pay for their Education, she taught for nothing, but the Pleasure she had in their Company, for you are to observe, that they were very good, or were soon made so by her good Management.

CHAP. I.

_Of her School, her Ushers, or a.s.sistants, and her Manner of Teaching._

We have already informed the Reader, that the School where she taught, was that which was before kept by Mrs. _Williams_, whose Character you may find in my _New Year's Gift_. The Room was large, and as she knew, that Nature intended Children should be always in Action, she placed her different Letters, or Alphabets, all round the School, so that every one was obliged to get up to fetch a Letter, or to spell a Word, when it came to their Turn; which not only kept them in Health, but fixed the Letters and Points firmly in their Minds.

She had the following a.s.sistants or Ushers to help her, and I will tell you how she came by them. Mrs. _Margery_, you must know, was very humane and compa.s.sionate; and her Tenderness extended not only to all Mankind, but even to all Animals that were not noxious; as your's ought to do, if you would be happy here, and go to Heaven hereafter.

These are G.o.d Almighty's Creatures as well as we. He made both them and us; and for wise Purposes, best known to himself, placed them in this World to live among us; so that they are our fellow Tenants of the Globe. How then can People dare to torture and wantonly destroy G.o.d Almighty's Creatures? They as well as you are capable of feeling Pain, and of receiving Pleasure, and how can you, who want to be made happy yourself, delight in making your fellow Creatures miserable? Do you think the poor Birds, whose Nest and young ones that wicked Boy _d.i.c.k Wilson_ ran away with Yesterday, do not feel as much Pain, as your Father and Mother would have felt, had any one pulled down their House and ran away with you? To be sure they do. Mrs.

_Two-Shoes_ used to speak of those Things, and of naughty Boys throwing at c.o.c.ks, torturing Flies, and whipping Horses and Dogs, with Tears in her Eyes, and would never suffer any one to come to her School who did so.

One Day, as she was going through the next Village, she met with some wicked Boys who had got a young Raven, which they were going to throw at, she wanted to get the poor Creature out of their cruel Hands, and therefore gave them a Penny for him, and brought him home. She called his Name _Ralph_, and a fine Bird he is. Do look at him and remember what _Solomon_ says, _The Eye that despiseth his Father, and regardeth not the Distress of his Mother, the Ravens of the Valley shall peck it out, and the young Eagles eat it._ Now this Bird she taught to speak, to spell and to read; and as he was particularly fond of playing with the large Letters, the Children used to call this _Ralph_'a Alphabet.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.

He always sat at her Elbow, as you see in the first Picture, and when any of the Children were wrong, she used to call out, _Put them right Ralph_, and a fine bird he is. Do look at him.

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Some Days after she had met with the Raven, as she was walking in the Fields, she saw some naughty Boys, who had taken a Pidgeon, and tied a String to its Leg, in order to let it fly, and draw it back again when they pleased; and by this Means they tortured the poor Animal with the Hopes of Liberty and repeated Disappointment. This Pidgeon she also bought, and taught him how to spell and read, though not to talk, and he performed all those extraordinary Things which are recorded of the famous Bird, that was some Time since advertised in the _Haymarket_, and visited by most of the great People in the Kingdom. This Pidgeon was a very pretty Fellow, and she called him _Tom_. See here he is.

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And as the Raven _Ralph_ was fond of the large Letters, _Tom_ the Pidgeon took Care of the small ones, of which he composed this Alphabet.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.

The Neighbours knowing that Mrs. _Two Shoes_ was very good, as to be sure n.o.body was better, made her a Present of a little Sky-lark, and a fine Bird he is.

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Now as many People, even at that Time had learned to lie in Bed long in the Morning, she thought the Lark might be of Use to her and her Pupils, and tell them when to get up.

_For be that is fond of his Bed, and lays 'till Noon, lives but half his Days, the rest being lost in Sleep, which is a Kind of Death_.

Some Time after this a poor Lamb had lost its Dam, and the Farmer being about to kill it, she bought it of him, and brought it home with her to play with the Children, and teach them when to go to Bed; for it was a Rule with the wise Men of that Age (and a very good one, let me tell you) to

_Rise with the Lark, and lie down with the Lamb._

This Lamb she called _Will_, and a pretty Fellow he is; do, look at him.

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No sooner was _Tippy_ the Lark and _Will_ the Ba-lamb brought into the School, but that sensible Rogue _Ralph_, the Raven, composed the following Verse, which every little good Boy and Girl should get by Heart.

_Early to Bed, and early to rise; Is the Way to be healthy, and wealthy, and wise_.

A sly Rogue; but it is true enough; for those who do not go to Bed early cannot rise early; and those who do not rise early cannot do much Business. Pray, let this be told at the Court, and to People who have Routs and Rackets.

Soon after this, a Present was made to Mrs. _Margery_ of little Dog _Jumper_, and a pretty Dog he is. Pray, look at him.

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_Jumper, Jumper, Jumper!_ He is always in a good Humour, and playing and jumping about, and therefore he was called _Jumper_.

The Place a.s.signed for _Jumper_ was that of keeping the Door, so that he may be called the Porter of the College, for he would let n.o.body go out, or any one come in, without the Leave of his Mistress.

See how he sits, a saucy Rogue.

_Billy_ the Ba-lamb was a chearful Fellow, and all the Children were fond of him, wherefore Mrs. _Two-Shoes_ made it a Rule, that those who behaved best should have _Will_ home with them at Night to carry their Satchel or Basket at his Back, and bring it in the Morning. See what a fine Fellow he is, and how he trudges along.

CHAP. II.

_A Scene of Distress; in the School_.

It happened one Day, when Mrs. _Two-Shoes_ was diverting the Children after Dinner, as she usually did with some innocent Games, or entertaining and instructive Stories, that a Man arrived with the melancholy News of _Sally Jones's_ Father being thrown from his Horse, and thought past all Recovery; nay, the Messenger said, that he was seemingly dying, when he came away. Poor _Sally_ was greatly distressed, as indeed were all the School, for she dearly loved her Father, and Mrs. _Two-Shoes_, and all the Children dearly loved her. It is generally said, that we never know the real Value of our Parents or Friends till we have lost them; but poor _Sally_ felt this by Affection, and her Mistress knew it by Experience. All the School were in Tears, and the Messenger was obliged to return; but before he went, Mrs. _Two-Shoes_, unknown to the Children, ordered _Tom_ Pidgeon to go home with the Man, and bring a Letter to inform her how Mr. _Jones_ did. They set out together, and the Pidgeon rode on the Man's Head, (as you see here) for the Man was able to carry the Pidgeon, though the Pidgeon was not able to carry the Man, if he had, they would have been there much sooner, for _Tom_ Pidgeon was _very good_, and never staid on an Errand.

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Soon after the Man was gone the Pidgeon was lost, and the Concern the Children were under for Mr. _Jones_ and little _Sally_ was in some Measure diverted, and Part of their Attention turned after _Tom_, who was a great Favourite, and consequently much bewailed.

Mrs. _Margery_, who knew the great Use and Necessity of teaching Children to submit chearfully to the Will of Providence, bid them wipe away their Tears, and then kissing _Sally_, you must be a good Girl, says she, and depend upon G.o.d Almighty for his Blessing and Protection; for _he is a Father to the Fatherless, and defendeth all those who put their Trust in him_. She then told them a Story, which I shall relate in as few Words as possible.

_The History of Mr._ Lovewell, _Father to Lady_ Lucy.

Mr. _Lovewell_ was born at _Bath_, and apprenticed to a laborious Trade in _London_, which being too hard for him, he parted with his Master by Consent, and hired himself as a common Servant to a Merchant in the City. Here he spent his leisure Hours not as Servants too frequently do, in Drinking and Schemes of Pleasure, but in improving his Mind; and among other Acquirements, he made himself a complete Master of Accompts. His Sobriety, Honesty, and the Regard he paid to his Master's Interest, greatly recommended him in the whole Family, and he had several Offices of Trust committed to his Charge, in which he acquitted himself so well, that the Merchant removed him from the Stable into the Counting-house.

Here he soon made himself Master of the Business, and became so useful to the Merchant, that in regard to his faithful Services, and the Affection he had for him, he married him to his own Niece, a prudent agreeable young Lady; and gave him a Share in the Business. See what Honesty and Industry will do for us. Half the great Men in _London_, I am told, have made themselves by this Means, and who would but be honest and industrious, when it is so much our Interest and our Duty.

After some Years the Merchant died, and left Mr. _Lovewell_ possessed of many fine Ships at Sea, and much Money, and he was happy in a Wife, who had brought him a Son and two Daughters, all dutiful and obedient. The Treasures and good Things, however, of this Life are so uncertain, that a Man can never be happy, unless he lays the Foundation for it in his own Mind. So true is that Copy in our Writing Books, which tells us, that _a contented Mind is a continual Feast_.

After some Years successful Trade, he thought his Circ.u.mstances sufficient to insure his own Ships, or, in other Words, to send his Ships and Goods to Sea without being insured by others, as is customary among Merchants; when, unfortunately for him, four of them richly laden were lost at Sea. This he supported with becoming Resolution; but the next Mail brought him Advice, that nine others were taken by the _French_, with whom we were then at War; and this, together with the Failure of three foreign Merchants whom he had trusted, compleated his Ruin. He was then obliged to call his Creditors together, who took his Effects, and being angry with him for the imprudent Step of not insuring his Ships, left him dest.i.tute of all Subsistence. Nor did the Flatterers of his Fortune, those who had lived by his Bounty when in his Prosperity, pay the least Regard either to him or his Family. So true is another Copy, that you will find in your Writing Book, which says, _Misfortune tries our Friends_. All these Slights of his pretended Friends, and the ill Usage of his Creditors, both he and his Family bore with Christian Fort.i.tude; but other Calamities fell upon him, which he felt more sensibly.

In his Distress, one of his Relations, who lived at _Florence_, offered to take his Son; and another, who lived at _Barbadoes_, sent for one of his Daughters. The Ship which his Son sailed in was cast away, and all the Crew supposed to be lost; and the Ship, in which his Daughter went a Pa.s.senger, was taken by Pyrates, and one Post brought the miserable Father an Account of the Loss of his two Children. This was the severest Stroke of all: It made him compleatly wretched, and he knew it must have a dreadful Effect on his Wife and Daughter; he therefore endeavoured to conceal it from them. But the perpetual Anxiety he was in, together with the Loss of his Appet.i.te and Want of Rest, soon alarmed his Wife. She found something was labouring in his Breast, which was concealed from her; and one Night being disturbed in a Dream, with what was ever in his Thoughts, and calling out upon his dear Children; she awoke him, and insisted upon knowing the Cause of his Inquietude. _Nothing, my Dear, nothing,_ says he, _The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord._ This was sufficient to alarm the poor Woman; she lay till his Spirits were composed, and as she thought asleep, then stealing out of Bed, got the Keys and opened his Bureau, where she found the fatal Account. In the Height of her Distractions, she flew to her Daughter's Room, and waking her with her Shrieks, put the Letters into her Hands. The young Lady, unable to support this Load of Misery, fell into a Fit, from which it was thought she never could have been recovered. However, at last she revived; but the Shock was so great, that it entirely deprived her of her Speech.

Thus loaded with Misery, and unable to bear the Slights and Disdain of those who had formerly professed themselves Friends, this unhappy Family retired into a Country, where they were unknown, in order to hide themselves from the World; when, to support their Independency, the Father laboured as well as he could at Husbandry, and the Mother and Daughter sometimes got spinning and knitting Work, to help to furnish the Means of Subsistence; which however was so precarious and uncertain, that they often, for many Weeks together, lived on nothing but Cabbage and Bread boiled in Water. But G.o.d never forsaketh the Righteous, nor suffereth those to perish who put their Trust in him. At this Time a Lady, who was just come to England, sent to take a pleasant Seat ready furnished in that Neighbourhood, and the Person who was employed for the Purpose, was ordered to deliver a Bank Note of an hundred Pounds to Mr.

_Lovewell_, another hundred to his Wife, and fifty to the Daughter, desiring them to take Possession of the House, and get it well aired against she came down, which would be in two or three Days at most.

This, to People who were almost starving, was a sweet and seasonable Relief, and they were all sollicitous to know their Benefactress, but of that the Messenger himself was too ignorant to inform them. However, she came down sooner than was expected, and with Tears embraced them again and again: After which she told the Father and Mother she had heard from their Daughter, who was her Acquaintance, and that she was well and on her Return to England. This was the agreeable Subject of their Conversation till after Dinner, when drinking their Healths, she again with Tears saluted them, and falling upon her Knees asked their Blessings.