Page:Hannah More (1887 Charlotte Mary Yonge British).djvu/180

168 adding, "For you know, Sir, that your Royal Highness is the Prince of Whales." With this letter Sir William sent a further sum to assist these efforts for the welfare of the brass-workers of Shipham. The effect of the twenty-eight years toil among those who had once been the terror of the neighbourhood, and whose childrens' stupidity was the despair of their teachers, was shown by the facts recorded in a letter to Mr. Wilberforce. "These poor people, who have often not tasted food more than once in two days, have never uttered a word against Providence or Government. A friend of mine called on one poor woman who was nearly famished, and asked her how she bore up. 'Madam,' said she, ' when I feel very faint, I go up and pray two or three times a day, and I come down so refreshed.'"

It was in every way a sad time. Wilberforce's sister, Mrs. Stephen, who had been heart and part in the first doings at Cheddar, and throughout a warm sympathiser, died that winter, and the three ladies at Barley Wood were all suffering—Hannah often with headaches, Patty, who had a liver complaint, weak and languid, and Sally with a frightfully diseased leg; yet, throughout, Hannah was composing patriotic tracts and songs, to meet the need of the times, and in six or eight weeks, she produced a dozen.

Sally's illness lasted four months, for a long time not affecting her vivacity, but the last weeks were