Page:History of Charles Jones, the footman (1).pdf/13

 one, and though they suffer for it at first, they will finally triumph. In a short time all my persecution was at an end. 'To be sure (said the coachman one day to the cook) Charles is a little too religious, but, upon my word, I don't think he is the worse of it. Mayhap it would be better for us we were more like him. I don't see but that he is as humble, friendly, and worthy a fellow as any amongst us. For my part, I shall laugh at him no longer.' This speech, which I happened accidentally to overhear, gave me great pleasure, and I soon found by the agreeable change in my fellow-servants' conduct towards me, that the coachman had expressed the opinion of the whole hall. It is true I did every thing to obtain their good will that lay in my power. I was as civil and obliging to every one among them as I possibly could. Was any thing to be done? if nobody else would do it, I never stopped to consider whether it belonged to my place or not, but did it out of hand. If any body took it into his head to fall out with me, I generally disarmed him of his wrath by saying nothing. If any little quarrels, or misfortunes, or misconduct, happened in the hall, I always endeavoured to hush it up, and never carried any tales to my master, unless when I saw any body wronging him, and then I thought it my duty, or unless the thing was very bad indeed. In short, by pursuing always this line of conduct, I found my situation very comfortable and agreeable. My master treated me with great confidence and kindness; my fellow-servants with great friendliness and respect.

In about two years time, the footman that used to go to market being turned away for drunkenness, which vice soon proved his ruin, my master