open violation of the scriptures, and keep yourself and children every day in danger of starving?'
'What can I do, Mr. Frier?' said Mrs. Guttridge, bursting into a flood of tears; 'I 've talked, and talked, and it 's no use; Mr. Guttridge wont work; it do n't seem to be in him. May be if you should talk to him, Mr. Frier, he might do better.'
'No, that would be no use,' said Mr. Frier. 'When I was over here before, you see how he took it, jest because I spoke to him about going over to the shop, when he ought to be to work, to get something for his family to eat; you see how mad he was, and how provoking he talked to me. It 's no use for me to say any thing to him; but I think, Mrs. Guttridge, if somebody should complain to the grand jury about him, the court would make him go to work. And if you are willing for it, I think I should feel it my duty to go and complain of him.'
'Well, I do n't know but it would be best,' said Mrs. Guttridge, 'and if you think it would make him go to work, I'm willing you should. When will the court set?'
'To-morrow,' said Mr. Frier; 'and I'll give up all other business, and go and attend to it.'
'But what will the court do to him, Mr. Frier?' said Mrs. Guttridge.
'Well, I don't know,' said Mr. Frier 'but I expect they 'll punish him; and I know they 'll make him go to work.'
'Punish him!' exclaimed Mrs. Guttridge, with a troubled air. 'Seems to me I do n't want to have him punished. But do you think, Mr. Frier, they will hurt him any?'
'Well, I think it's likely,' said Mr. Frier, 'they will hurt him some; but you must remember, Mrs. Guttridge, it is better once to smart than always to ache. Remember, too, you 'll be out of provisions again by to-morrow. Your neighbors can't support your family all the time; and if your husband don't go to work, you 'll be starving again. Still, if you don't feel willing, and do n't think it's best, I wont go near the grand jury, nor do nothin' about it.'
'Oh dear!—well, I do n't know!' said Mrs. Guttridge, with tears in her eyes. You may do jest as you think best about it, Mr. Frier; that is, if you do n't think they 'll hurt him much.'
Mr. Frier returned home; but the afternoon was so far spent, that he was able to get in only one ton of his hay, leaving the other three tons out, to take the chance of the weather. He and his wife spent the evening in discussing what course it was best to pursue with regard to the complaint against Mr. Guttridge; but notwithstanding his wife was decidedly in favor of his going the next morning and entering the complaint, since Mrs. Guttridge had consented, yet Mr. Frier was undecided. He did not like to do it; Mr. Guttridge was a neighbor, and it was an unpleasant business. But when he arose the next morning, looked out, and beheld his three tons of hay drenched with a heavy rain, and a prospect of a continued storm, he was not long in making up his mind.
'Here,' said he, 'I spent a good part of the day, yesterday, in looking after Guttridge's family, to keep them from starving; and now,
