Page 168 - Child's own book

his victuals for a few mon(h*, till he could find a service. Jack:
thankfully arc? pled the; fiffer, and served him faiihfully for
several months; duringfrhich time he learned to milk, todrivc
(lie plough, nnd never refused any kind of work he was able to
perform, nut unfortunately, the good-natured farmer con­
tracted ft fever, by over-heating himself in the harvest, and died
in the beginning of winter. His wife was therefore obliged to
discharge her servants, and Jack was ag^in turned loose upon
the world with only his clothes, and a shilling in his pocket,
which his kind mistress had made him a present of* He was
very ftorry for the loss of his master ; l ut he was now grown
bigger and strongL-r, and thought he should easily find employ­
ment, He therefore set out upon his travels, w;dking all day.
and inquiring at every farm-house for work. Hut in this
attempt he was unfortunate, for nobody chose to employ a
stranger; and though he lived with the greatest economy, he
soon found himself in a worse situation thin ever, without ft
farthing in his pocket, ora morsel rtf bread to eat. Jack, how­
ever, was not of a temper to be easily east down ; he walked
resolutely on all lh<i day, but towards evening *vas overtaken
by a violent storm of rain, whieh wetted him to the skin liefore
he could find a bush for shelter. Now poor Jack began to
11 link of his old daddy, and the comforts he had formerly
enjoyed upon the common, whore he lvid always a roof to
shelter him, and a slice of bread for supper. Ilut tears and
lamentations were vain ; and therefore, as soon as the storm was
over, he pursued his journey, in hopes of finding some harn or
outhouse to creep into for the rest of the night. While he
was thus wandering about, be saw at some distance a great
Ii^ht, which seemed to come from some prodigious fire. Jack
did not know what this could be; hut, in his present situation,
he thought a fire no disagreeable object, and therefore