THE GOOD MOTHER'S LEGACY. 1 Sold by HOWARD and EVANS, (Prateto the Cheap Repository for Moral and Religious Trac.r.- JHATCh ARn m ' LoNg - Lane > West-Smithfield, and also by 8 «H. And h!°' ;9 ' Pl « A ,? n ' LY > Lon don. By S. HAZARD, Count Book sellers, Newsman, and Hawkers in, ' 0& »«™e made i0 Shopkeepers and Hanker? .. 8ICE 0N E PENNY, Ores, per Hundred. ; entmo at smmzva mi 1 THE GOOD MOTHERS LEGACY. FARMER ADAMS at his 'death left a wifl seven children : though his worldly p rope J was but slender for the maintainance of such j|3 mily, yet Mrs. Adams was quite a treasure info self; her life was a daily lesson of instruction, 1 an extraordinary degree of piety she joined iij mqst unwearied industry ; and her religion m| her so chearful and good humoured, that the u hoi; parish sought her acquaintance, and they neveiift her but they said, she had made them better coc happier. As she lived within a few miles of a con- siderable town, she twice a week carried her gods to market, yet never once belied her conscience!) asking one price, and then taking another; sotto the gentlefolks who were 'her customers, seeing! never broke her word with them, always took k\ butter and cheese at her own price : by this dispata in business, she was often ready to quit the ipM before many a farmer's wife had sold a single p* kin. Her character for honesty was so well known through the market, that the offcers, when M wenttheir rounds to weigh the butter, nevert'^ of putting a single pound of Mrs. Adams^ the scales, though they frequently ^ belonging to other women, • which theyg^ to- the. prisons for being underweight,, JW^j her to the heart whenever this happen*, ^ would set her a thinking how these very p r ^ the Day of Judgment might " be weig^ , , nrp and found wanting," for having violated our > s Golden Rules, of not doing unto others as Enation to the Lord." Whenever the but- ! • was taken away in this manner, the other peo- Lwhosaw it would shout, and laugh, and hiss the : 'oor wretches who had been detected, whilst Mrs* Adams was inwardly grieved at it, and would mild- lyrebuke them amidst their riotous mirth, and say thev ought to pity the disgrace of a neighbour, not rejoice over it, and then she would kindly exhort the culprits to do so no more, and would pray to Godfor them, that a spirit of piety might be given (to, for she would say, if there were no religion inthe heart, you could never expect to find strict honesty in the dealings — and moreover, that we be all our faults, and therefore we must learn (olive in love and charity with oar neighbours, and forgive one another if we ourselves hope to be for- pen, It was the custom of Mrs. Adams when- the seized butter was carried to the prisoners, jtya to send sixpence to them by the officers, it We widow's mite. She had a large family, but Wry body in time of need added a trifle to the Fjer's wants, much kindness, she would say, R bedone them ; though to be sure, she would U- H"f Were n ° laziness ' thcre would be no WOIdF ■ ere were no drunkenness or theft in Lis ^ and > taere ne ed be no prisons. Mrs. Iwr er went to drink a dram wnen ner mar ~ Lnedi ° asisbut t0 ° customary, but she llier fa 10me ln ™ediately to attend the business' i|etirn es m ' , and , vvhe11 that was done, she had ^kv^ s leisure in the evening to in- w mnl;s and children : whilst they were sitting round the fire at work, making andm e the fatuity linen, her eldest son George would 1 a chapter in the Testament, after which shelJI would read a bit of a sermon, such as the nil recommended, one that was m-ore religioml learned, such as people could understand but little education; after which she read a J family prayer, and then they all went cliearM "bed, blessing and praising God for his mercil Mrs. Adams brought up her two eldest i J the farming business; no part of their gcoih ther's instructions were lost upon them; theJ sober, diligent, and dutiful, they never fi equed a market or a fair, but for the necessary purpose buying and selling their cattle,, and their bis was no sooner over, than they .returned] give their mother a faithful account of wj had done. Mrs Adams's children werenevei sent at any revelling or merry making injj rish ; and as a reward for their dutiful behavi! often made some little entertainment (orm home, and gave i hem the liberty also ofMj some of their friends, for she would say, to see young people cheerful and happy, butlW bleto have - Hem dancing in ale-houses, \vlu»l away their modesty— or getting drunk, wh«i| them into brutes— or profanely cursing or m ing, to the endangering their immortal so»j Mrs. Adams's eldest daughter, MaiJJ brought up under so good a mother, exactly like her, lor by being kept of evil company, she was preserve, l'^.l into those temptations which prove W many young women. Her dress was n > and suitable to her *&tion, for as to , • tailed •goWfe, and hair curled lialf- lou^' wr back/she thought them very unbe- iaj doW V mer's daughter, whose business it was iing il til1 .^ ai i though to be sure, now a days P carr) 'u m ronimonly se°en, and she looked so neat it'rl evTrv Sunday, 'that it made all the girls *f C ; r i h shamed of their frippery. Molly ;/ s a "ood name soon procured her a good 1 hU ,ho had an-estate in free land ot an hun- , year and his father and mother very mch approved the match, though M olly had not flLt-for they were prudent people, and said, aWter to get a fortune in a wife, than a for- > jJ'mds a year, and his father and mother very much ishill! a wife— as for the young man, he liked one who knew how to take care of the mam chance, and the sweetness of her temper made him happy, whilst the labors of her hands made him rich. Mrs. Adams's two next daughters did not take kindly to the dairy life, Susan therefore, the eldest werrtinto a respectable family, and by her obliging behaviour, soon acquired the love and confidence oi lier master and mistress. They were people of excellent character, and by a regular practice of tertian being kept up in the family., the servants by degrees became sober, diligent, and faithful in whatever was intrusted to their care, and every Christmas their mistress made them a present, saying, she could afford to increase their wages, ^enshe found they did not waste" her substance, fean Adams now began -to thrive m the world, for Mid not spend the profits of her labours in flaun-. ty gowns and caps, as many voung servants do, but I wisely left her money in her mistress's hand, and iSn!i| lle ^ ir3t twent y pounds she saved, she very u 1 11 y made her mother a present often, towards- l> wards paying for her bringing* tip, j j, of some years few servants were so rich H Adams, for she staid in the same pW as S ^ too many, by their fickleness or ba^coY 1 changing places continually, and by hLi 3 their time nothing to do/t hey sooii [com?? 1 verty and rags. meto f* But Mrs. Adams was not equally Wm, • , her children, she had her trials; butinO est distress she would often say, our faith iJ can only be known by the patience and subi iJ with which we support ourselves under trouble and if afflictions had not been useful to our sjl good, our heavenly Father would* have witJ them fiom us. Her third daughter Betty had imprudently J an acquaintance with the servants of the gentian and lady who lived at the great white house J the hill.. This whole family, from the highest the lowest, lived as though there were no dutiai this world, and no God in the next; as theywi without principle in their hearts, their daily lives were a scene of extravagance and disorder, "A there ,were more oaths sworn in the family in « day, than there were prayers offered in it in i twel vemonth ; indeed, since the heads of this house li ved very riotously, it could not be excepted bat the servants would do the same. Betty Adams w a pretty genteel young woman, when she unfortu- nately got acquainted with Lady Townley's rij in^-maid, a very dressy, flaunty body, who wai i iiorant of all good things which every Christian outfit to know ; because, forsooth, she was bettei dressed than her country neighbors, she looked upo? Jherselfas altogether one of their betters; and* „, P nroud, and saucy, because she was „.j S themes F rea] gentle f c ifc s w h have got fe.' gn0 n n their side, generally behave as mildly; fSly to poor people as if they were then" i This Mrs- Perkins, for «.o she was caned, equals. ' a midity fancy to Betty Adams, and would t £es condescend, as she called it, to walk over sometimes - as it was whispered, to p Mrs • A.~ farmer shunned her, and wisely, con-. tn the farm, — Mrs. Adams, than to take a peep at her son} but the young . eluded/that such a tawdry minx of a wife would soon bring a young man to ruin. Betty Adams,, naturally fond of fine clothes and smart company, tookmightiiy to Mrs. Perkins, who finding, she had great power over Betty's mind, began by making her dissatisfied with a country life; and told her she was such a pretty figure of a woman, that vvhea she was dressed genteely, she would look as much lea gentlewoman as any body, and then con- cluded by saying, " No young person was fit to be spoken to who had never been to London; besides, the servants in many families there had such merry fates on't, that they had often more pie; -sure than tor masters or mistresses; for/' said she, " we- fee our card-parties in the hail; sometimes a concert; and you have a pretty voice, Betsey," con- ned she, « and I'll answer for it, you will be j% admired amongst us; besides, our butler is ln We with you already. " Betty was no Jnger to this intelligence, having often heard it, Jftthe butler himself; this circumstance served L re /, to stren gthen the arguments already made I ot by Mrs. Perkins, and she resolved to quit to L©rido:i ne }Vasaplace offered in Lady Townley'a w ho was now about to return for the winter. Betty, like many other never asked her mother's advice, till it was ♦ to take it; within a few days of her intend^ parture, she told her mother what she had do^ who, though grieved at he?rt, spoke km- v feentiy to her as follows; « My dear Betty, a S think you can rnend your fortune by going 'to^ vice, and as you are of an age to think and act f yourself, I have no right to controul.you ; yetitj my duty as a mother to advise you, and to waj you against falling into those temptations w!$ prove the ruin of thousands of heedless girls;] first yielding to small sins, you will be led on to fa into greater ones, and for the indulgence of a world] pleasure, you may endanger your immortal soail Never look with an envious eye, my child, on the 1 seeming prosperity of thy neighbor, but whatever Be thy condition, learn to be satisfied with itjen contented mind is a contin ual feast. It is not ate the favourites of heaven who abound the mostistk good things of this world: the best people, we oiks see, are most chastised by affliction, for it is truly said, God lovcth those whom be ehasteneth. Be hi discouraged, my love, if thou art often rebuked for well doing. Be careful of whatever is intrusted to thy care, manage thy master's or mistress's pro- perty with as much attention as if it were thy o*n; take care not to be negligent in the performance!)! thy duty, but do thy work diligently; for though the eye of thy mistress be not over thee, the eyeo God is upon thee.- Take care that every actionc thy life be done honestly, and fairly; for they all be accounted for at the day of judgment; f poor person need therefore envy a wicked rich $ for his wealth, since he must be accountable ifr the means by which he obtained it, and G ner in which he has spent it. There is a the ma"" , . an j v *n>kpdne5is in the world. Eettv. 16 in of sin and wickedness in the world, Eetty, • ea VwhatI could ever have imagined, if I had Tmetimes read Cruttweli's Bath Journal. Sheed therefore to all your ways now yon are nturing into the world, or ruin will soon come L you, and put not your trust in your own strength, instead of looking up for safety to God, but be 'constant in prayer to him morning and evening. When you are in health praise the Lord for his mercies — wh en you are in sickness and sor- row humbly pray for his assistance under every affliction, and he will send it you in his own good time, since he can by his power in an instant turn vour mourning- into joy." — Here Mrs. Adams finished her truly motherly exhortation. All Bet- ty's brothers and sisters, with tears streaming from their eyes tenderly kissed her, and bade her fare- well; her fond mother for along time held her to her bosom before she could speak, at last she said, "My child, my dear child, remember what I have been saying to you; when you get among irreli- gious people, then will be your hour of trial, and remember there is no way of escaping evil, but by cleaving unto that which is good ; if you lead a re- gular, sober, and religious life, you must expect to peered and laughed at ; but it is safer to win God's «*°ur, than the world's love. Once more, my take my blessing, and let me warn thee for P last time, that the only way to avoid sorrow, is pee from sin. ,, Betty most dutifully thanked J mother, and casting a mournful look on all «oufld took up her bundle, and walked eff to the * w house, 10 The rest of Mrs. Adams's ch&ffe/ j after comfortably settled in lif e , and " ^ Soi » day richer .and happier—they were / eVfr < without being- covetous, for the good fh,'„ Strio « world never made them lose sight of E* things they looked forward to possess in a Dt% tocome.-Forsome time aftersheS th t9- Betty Adams continued to write to her ml *' length many along month passed but " 2' tidmgs could they get of her,' till at lasttl y | to conclude she was dead. It must be m l? here why Betty did not write as usual ; he v 3 very well for some time, but as the largest £ « nn sufficient to supply the wants of extra J people lt so fell out at Lady Townley's wherSJ was riot and waste, from the parlor down to h Kitchen, that my lady, and her children, who Here ail grown up, to avoid a prison, were obliged to retire to foreign parts, where many English fob go, the more is the pity, when they have speit more than they can pay. The servants were all turned off at a minute's warning with most of their wages unsatisfied. Betty Adams was too prouilo write to her mother the history of the disgrace which had befidlen the family ; but, to say the truth, the butler had also decoyed her away unto a promise of marriage, which he never fulfilled, and having first deluded her, he then left her to starve. One night, in the middle of January, it was on* of the coldest that ever was known, the wind blow ing quite a hurricane, the snow falling in sheets and M»g now so drifted, that it was four of five m deep in many places— on this night the young far- mer Adams was making his way, as well as 1» 11 iitofthe barn, to see if some young lambs had c0 n^rlv taken care of. As he was going to beCnI 2 barn door, his foot struck against some- f which he thought was a block of wood, but ■ a down to remove it, what was his surprise fTdve it was a woman with a young child in Warnis--'' Speak, if you are alive," cried the Ler " ar^ tell me who and what you are."— ?A poor miserable wretch," replied the woman in ad/ng voice; " exposed to shame — sunk in sin — andperishing with cold and hunger." "Then lend me your arm, (said the farmer) and I'll help you in to my mother ; you will make her happy, for she loves to help those that cannot help them- selves." Here the poor creature gave a deep groan, but spoke not ; the farmer thought she was dead, and ran with all speed into the house to get assist- ance. He desired the man servant who was sit- ting by the kitchen fire learning to read, (his work for the night being done ) to get a candle and follow him to the barn : his mother on hearing tor what cause, said she would follow them, when her son My advised her to stay within as she had so bad a coJd. "I would not go out such a night as this, George," replied she