A day or two afterwards Miss _Fanny_ and her Mamma took their leave; not without mutual regret on the part of Miss _Lydia_ and Miss _Fanny_, who were most affectionately attached to each other.
Sometime after Miss _Lydia_’s cousin _Fanny_ had left her, little _Lydia_, on her return from a walk with the maid, ran, all in tears, into her Mamma’s room; and told her, that little _Sally_’s mother was in very great distress.
She owes, Mamma, four guineas to Mr. _Flint_ for living in his house; and because she has not money to pay him, he is going to take every thing she has, and turn her into the street. The poor woman and children were crying so sadly when I went by the door, that it made me quite uncomfortable, as Miss _Seymour_ says, to see them.
The poor woman said, she and her children must go into the workhouse. The little girl was crying to see her mother cry; and the boy said, they would take away his rabbit, and his little chair in which he used to sit by the fire-side. Do, pray, Mamma, do something for the poor woman. Perhaps, if you speak to Mr. _Flint_ he will not take her things.
My dear love, I know Mr. _Flint_ better than you do: it is not possible to persuade him to forego his money; and as to assisting her with four guineas, it is more than I can well spare; besides, you know there are many people in distress as well as she.
Perhaps so: but I have seen this poor woman and the children cry so! and the little ones have been so civil to me!
I am sincerely sorry for them.—Why do you look so earnestly at me, _Lydia_?—Have you any money at all?
No, Mamma; I have no money; but you know, Mamma, you were going to buy me a pink silk slip, to wear under my muslin frock. What would that have cost?—I can do very well with my dimity ones.
My dearest girl! come to my arms, and enjoy a pleasure you so richly deserve! that of making the poor people happy. Your slip would not have cost two guineas, so that sacrifice alone would not do; but you have set me a noble example; and I will also give up a carpet which I intended to buy for my dressing-room; and the price of that added to the other, will be sufficient to redeem Mrs. _Brush_’s goods, and set her mind at ease.
My dear Mamma! I am so glad! Then I may go directly with the money?