Page:Death bed, or, Patience & resignation (to the will of God) displayed.pdf/14

 Then addreſſing herſelf to her ſon, ſhe ſaid, In this little purſe, Thomas, you will find a written character of me, given to your father, by a maſter and miſtreſs with whom I lived ten years before I was married.

As your girls grow up, let the eldeſt have it, and get a copy of it to give to her ſiſter; and be ſure to tell them, it is my dying injunction, that when they go out to ſervice, they ſtrive to get into ſober, religious families; and uſe their beſt endeavours to keep their places.

Alas! my dear ſon, I have nothing to bequeath to you; but you will not forget me, I am certain. My good friend, ſaid ſhe, to Mrs. Parker, you have granted one requeſt of mine, in forgiving Robert, may I make another? When I am gone, will you beſtow ſome care upon theſe dear motherleſs children; above all upon the dear little Jacob? Where is he?—My eyes can no longer ſee you—Guide my hand that I may once more touch them all—God bleſs my dear babes! With theſe words ſhe expired.

After a minute's ſilence, Thomas, ſuppoſing her in a ſlumber, ſaid to his children, get up my dears, and go away without noiſe. Your grand mother is gone to ſleep. O that it may do her good! But Mrs. Parker perceived that ſhe was dead, and made ſigns to him that ſhe was ſo.

How great was now the distreſs of this affectionate ſon, and his little family. They