Page 242 - Child's own book

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JACK AXI) THE BEAN-STALK.

Iiv (tie (kysoffeing Alfred, w a i v e d a poor woman* whose
e-ntiEtgc ivaW *i turned in a remote country villaget a. grout many
mi it's from London. Sho hau Ik>l>Q :i widow some w itt^ and
hurl an only ehihl named Jack, whom she indulged (o a fau lt;
tin' consequence Ilf her Mind, partiality wjis, that Jack did not
pay tin1 least at Ion t Min to anything she s<aid, hut was indolent,
oar*.*loss, and exlravagant. Jlis follies wciv not owing to a
had disposition, hut that Ins mother had IieVpr cheeked him.
By degrees. sho disposed of all she possessed— scarcely iwly-
thing remained tout a cow. The pour woman one Jay met Jack
With tours in her even; her distress was great* and for the first
time in her Life she could not help reproaching him, Baying,
t- ()!i f you wicked child} by your ungrateful course of life you
have at last brought roe to Iwgginy and ruin !“ Cruel, cruel
h.>y 1 I inive not money enough to purchase even a hit i>f bread
for another day— nothin" now remains to sell hut iny poor cow !
J anl sorry to part wilh her ; it grieves Hie Sadly, hut wo must
not .starve." For a few minutes Jack felt a degree of remorse*
hut it was soon over; and lie began teasing his mother to let
him sol! the cow at the next village,, so much that she at last
consented. As he was going along, he met a butcher, who
inquired why 1m was driving the cow from hnme? Jack replied
he was going to sell it. The butcher hold some curious beans
in his h at: they wore of various colours, and attracted Jack's
attention; this did not pass unnoticed by the butchert who,
knowing Jack’s easy temper, thought now was the time to take
rji advantage of it; and determined not to let Blip so good an