Page:Death bed, or, Patience & resignation (to the will of God) displayed.pdf/18

 I cannot avoid mentioning a very remarkable occurrence which gave an awful leſſon to Robert Hardy's wife, and which he and her good neighbour did not fail to enforce.

Mrs. Hardy being lately recovered from a bad fever, was particularly diſtreſſed with the reflection, that her ſickneſs had reduced her to the neceſſity of ſpending a ſmall ſum of money which her huſband had laid by out of his wages, in order to buy a jacket and trowſers, and other neceſſaries, to fit out one of the boys for ſea. Mrs. Hardy ſaid it was a dreadful thing to be poor, and ſecretly repined that Providence had caſt her lot in ſo lowly a ſtation. However, being of a very induſtrious temper, ſhe determined to do all the could towards regaining the ſum which her neceſſities had obligdher to expend.

At this time the farmers were in great want of haymakers and ſhe reſolved to accompany her huſband to the field. The day proved remarkably hot, and poor Peggy Hardy ſuffered much from the ſcorching rays of the fun; but in evening the air grew cooler and became very pleaſant, though ſcarce a leaf moved. The haymaker having thrown her gown acroſs her arm, and gathered up a few things, which ſhe put in a little baſket, took her fork and rake in her hand, and ſtood ſtill, looking for her huſband, who joined her as ſoon as he had put on a coat ſo nicely mended, that it did