CHAPTER L. THE CROCK A BLESSING. THERE was no will found: it is likely Mrs. Quarles had never made one; she feared death too much, and all that put her in mind of it. So the next of kin, the only one to have the crock of gold, was Susan Scott, a good honest hard-working woman, whom Jennings by many arts had kept away from Hurstley: her husband, a poor thatcher, sadly out of work except in ricking time, and crippled in both legs by having fallen from a haystack: and as to their family it was already as long a flight of steps as would reach to an ordinary first floor, with a prospect (so the gossips said) of more in the distance. Susan was a Wesleyan Methodist, many may think, more the pity: but she neither disliked church, nor called it steeple-house : only, forasmuch as Hagglesfield was blest with a sporting parson, the chief reminders of whose presence in the parish were strifes perpetual about dues and tithes, it is little blame or wonder, if the starving sheep went anywhither else for pasturage and water. So then, Susan was a good mother, a kind neighbour, a religious humble-minded Christian: is it not a comfort now to know that the gold was poured into her lap, and that she hallowed her good luck by prayers and praises ? I judge it worth while stepping over to Hagglesfield for a couple of minutes, to find out how she used that gold, and made the crock a blessing. Susan first thought of her debts: so, to every village shop around, I fear they were not few, which had kindly given her credit, some for weeks, some for months, and more than one for a year, the happy housewife went to pay in full; and not this only, but with many thanks, to press a little present upon each, for well-timed help in her adversity. The next thought was near akin to it: to take out of pawn divers valued articles, two or three of which had been her mother's; for Reuben's lameness, poor man, kept him much out of work, and the childer came so quick, and ate so fast, and wore out such a sight of shoes, that, but for an occasional appeal to Mrs. Quarles,-it was her one fair feature this, they must long ago have been upon the parish now, however, all the ancestral articles were redeemed, and honour no doubt with them. Thirdly, Susan went to her minister in best bib and tucker, and humbly begged leave to give a guinea to the school; and she hoped his reverence wouldn't be above accepting a turkey and chine, as a small token of her gratitude to him for many consolations: it pleased me much to hear that the good man. had insisted upon Susan and her husband coming to eat it with him the next day at noon. Fourthly, Susan prudently set to work, and rigged out the whole family in tidy clothes, with a touch of mourning upon each for poor Aunt Bridget, and unhappy brother Simon: while the fifthly, sixthly, and to conclude, were concerned in a world of notable, and useful schemes, with a strong resolution to save as much as possible for schooling and getting out the children. It was wonderful to see how much good was in that gold, how large a fund of blessing was hidden in that crock: Reuben Scott gained health, the family were fed, clad, taught; Susan grew in happiness at least as truly as in girth; and Hagglesfield beheld the goodness of that store, whose curse had startled all Hurstleycum-Piggesworth. But also at Hurstley now are found its consequential blessings. We must take another peep at Roger, and sweet Grace; they, and Ben too, and Jonathan, and Jonathan's master, may all have cause to thank an overruling Providence, for blessing on the score of Bridget's crock. Only, before I come to that, I wish to be dull a little hereabouts, and moralize the reader may skip it, if he will,—but I do not recommend him so to do. For, evermore in the government of God, good groweth out of evil: and, whether man note the fact or not, Providence, with secret care, doth vindicate itself. There is justice done continually, even on this stage of trial, though many pine and murmur: substantial retribution, even in this poor dislocated world of wrong, not seldom overtakes the sinner, not seldom encourages the saint. Encourages ? yea, and punishes: blessing him with kind severity; teaching him to know himself a mere bad root, if he be not grafted on his God; proving that the laws which govern life are just, and wise, and kind; shewing him that a man's own heart's desire, if fulfilled, would probably tend to nothing short of sin, sorrow, and calamity; that many seeming goods are withheld, because they are evils in disguise; and many seeming ills allowed, because they are masqueraded blessings; and demonstrating, as in this strange tale, that the unrighteous Mammon is a cruel master, a foul tempter, a pestilent destroyer of all peace, and a teeming source of both-worlds' misery. Listen to the sayings of the Wisest King of men. "As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more but the righteous is an everlasting foundation." "The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead." "He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.” "Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right." "The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright." "A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." : |