Page:History of Whittington (2).pdf/7

 her arm, he ran up to her to know the price of it. The woman, as the cat was a good mouser, asked a great deal of money for it; but on Whittington’s telling her he had but a penny in the world, and that he wanted a cat sadly—she let him have it.

This cat Whittington concealed in the garret, for fear she would be beat about by his mortal enemy, the cook,—and here she soon killed or frighted away the rats and mice, so that the poor boy could now sleep as found as a top.

Soon after this, the merchant, who had a ship ready to sail, called for his servants, as his custom was, in order that each of them might venture somthing to try their luck; and whatever they sent was to pay neither freight nor custom; for he thought, justly, that God Almighty would bless him the more for his readiness to let the poor partake of his fortune:

"He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord,

"who will return it seventy fold"

All the servants appeared but poor Whittington, who had neither money nor goods, could not think of sending any thing to try his luck; but his good friend Miss Alice, thinking his poverty kept him away, ordered him to be called.She then offered to lay down