‘Stephen, though thou haft no glaſs and I no goat, yet we have four fine children, and four ſtout arms to maintain them and ourſelves; this is all our wealth.’ ‘Then Lord have mercy upon us!’ cried Stephen, in abſolute deſpondency; ‘if the cattle are gone, go and drown the four brats, for to maintain them is what I cannot pretend to do.’—‘Why then I will,’ rejoined Jane.
At theſe words the friendly father confeſſor came in. He had liſtened without, and overheard the whole dialogue; ſo he took up the word, read Stephen a long ſermon upon the text, ‘Money is the root of all evil;’ and after he had ſufficiently inculcated the law, he proclaimed the goſpel of the rich inheritance of his wife; drew the Italian letter out of his pocket, and interpreted to him, that the parſon for the time being was appointed executor of the will, and that he had already ſafely received the legacy of his departed brother-in-law.
