A WORTHY PEASANT. 19 



obtain something and there is a constant demand for 

 the article. The winter accumulation is carted away 

 as the frost occurs, or the spring repair cornes on. Our 

 laborers, their children and cottages, I think, present a 

 testimony of their well-doing, by the orderly, decent 

 conduct of the former, and the comforts of the latter. 

 There are years when we have disposed of about 3000 

 tons of stone, chiefly broken up for use by a few of our 

 village poor; if we say by twenty families, it will have 

 produced perhaps seven pounds to each, a most comfort- 

 able addition to their means, when we consider that 

 this has been obtained by the weak and infirm, at inter- 

 vals of time without more than the cost of labor, when 

 employment elsewhere was in no request. 



I may perhaps be pardoned in relating here the good 

 conduct of a villager, deserving more approbation than 

 my simple record will bestow ; and it affords an eminent 

 example of what may be accomplished by industry and 

 economy, and a manifestation that high wages are not 

 always essential, or solely contributive to the welfare 

 of the laborer. When I first knew A. B., he was in a 

 state of poverty, possessing, it is true, a cottage of his 

 own, with a very small garden ; but his constitution 

 being delicate, and health precarious, so that he was not 

 a profitable laborer, the farmers were unwilling to em- 

 ploy him. In this condition he came into my service : 

 his wife at that time having a young child contributed 

 very little to the general maintenance of the family : 

 his wages were ten shillings per week, dieting himself, 

 and with little besides that could be considered as pro- 

 fitable. We soon perceived that the clothing of the 

 family became more neat and improved ; certain grada- 

 tions of bodily health appeared ; the cottage was white- 

 washed, and inclosed with a rough wall and gate ; the 

 rose and the corchorus began to blossom about it ; the 

 pig became two; and a few sheep marked A. B. were 

 running about the lanes: then his wife had a little cow, 

 which it was " hoped his honor would let eat some of 

 the rough grass in the upper field ;" but this was not 

 entirely given : this cow, in spring, was joined by a 

 better; but finding such cattle difficult to maintain 



