. UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 75 



died. About four years ago, while Bessy was 

 still a young creature, for she is only twenty-one 

 now, a young man, a farmer's son, fancied her, 

 and wished to marry her ; but his father could 

 not give him sufficient maintenance, and the poor 

 girl had nothing you know. Young Franklin's 

 love for her was of the right sort ; he got his 

 father's consent, and he went off to America to 

 make a fortune. He went to the States, sir, and 

 there he found plenty of work, and high wages ; 

 and though he was rot naturally a thrifty lad, he 

 wisely laid by most of his earnings till he had 

 saved altogether a sufficient sum to buy a farm ; 

 and a few months ago, sir, Bessy had a letter 

 from him, long after, 1 believe, she had begun to 

 think he had forsaken her. He told her how he 

 had prospered, and that he was going to com- 

 plete the purchase of his land, and that he 

 hoped, if she was still constant, she would go out 

 to him ' if you will not come to me,' said he, 

 ' I shall think that you never loved me, and I will 

 try to think of you no more if I can help it ; 

 but if you will come and be my wife, I will love 

 and cherish you, and besides, you shall live like 

 any lady in England.' 



" Well, sir, the dear child would not leave us 

 my last daughter, my poor Jenny, had been, 

 taken a little before, and I knew not who to get 

 to live with us ; but I pressed Bessy to go at any 

 rate. * No, father,' said she, ' I owe every thing 



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