Tawney Rachel page 64.
STORIES FOR THE YOUNG;
OR,
CHEAP REPOSITORY TRACTS:
ENTERTAINING, MORAL,
AND RELIGIOUS.
BY HANNAH MORE AND OTHERS.
A NEW REVISED EDITION.
VOL. VI.
PUBLISHED BY
THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK.
CONTENTS
ADDRESS TO PERSONS ATTENDING A FUNERAL.
THE STRAIT GATE AND THE BROAD WAY
THE PARABLE OF THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD
BLACK GILES THE POACHER:
CONTAINING SOME ACCOUNT OF A FAMILY
WHO HAD RATHER LIVE BY THEIR WITS THAN THEIR WORK[A]
BY HANNAH MORE.
This story exhibits an accurate picture of that part ofthe country where the author then resided; and where, by herbenevolent zeal, a great reformation was effected among the poorinhabitants of at least twenty parishes, within a circle of thirtymiles.
Poaching Giles lives on the borders of one of those great moors inSomersetshire. Giles, to be sure, has been a sad fellow in his time;and it is none of his fault if his whole family do not end theircareer either at the gallows, or at Botany Bay. He lives at that mudcottage, with the broken windows stuffed with dirty rags, just beyondthe gate which divides the upper from the lower moor. You may know thehouse at a good distance by the ragged tiles on the roof, and theloose stones which are ready to drop out from the chimney; though ashort ladder, a hod of mortar, and half an hour's leisure time wouldhave prevented all this, and made the little dwelling tight enough.But as Giles had never learned any thing that was good, so he did notknow the value of such useful sayings as, that "a tile in time savesnine."
Besides this, Giles fell into that common mistake, that abeggarly looking cottage, and filthy, ragged children, raised mostcompassion, and of course drew most charity. But as cunning as he wasin other things, he was out in his reckoning here; for it is neatness,housewifery, and a decent appearance, which draws the kindness of therich and charitable, while they turn away disgusted with filth andlaziness: not out of pride, but because they see that it is next toimpossible to mend the condition of those who degrade themselves bydirt and sloth; and few people care to help those who will not help