“Makes it my Duty,” continued he, without minding me, “to tell you that you need be under no Uneasiness about pecuniary Circumstances.”
“I am not, I assure you,” said I. “Oh that I had nothing worse to be uneasy about!”
“This House,” continued he, “was your Father’s for ninety-nine Years, and is now yours; and he moreover had saved six hundred Pounds, three hundred of which he lent me, and three hundred Hugh Braidfoot, we paying him five per Cent., which we will continue to pay you, or hand over to you the Principal, whichever you like.”
“Thank you, Master Benskin,” said I; “I should wish Everything to continue just as it is.... I am sure my Father’s Money can’t be in better Hands; and I shall recommence inquiring for him directly I am strong enough, which I almost am already.”
“Ah,” said he, with a sorrowful Smile and a Shake of the Head, “how slow Women are to give up Hope!... Sure enough, ’tis one of the cardinal Virtues; but they practise it as if ’twere their Nature, without making a Merit of it. I wish you well from my Heart, Miss Cherry.”
All this While I was fretting to see Master Blower. I said often to Violet, “I wish Master Blower would look in to see me, and talk to me and pray with me as he used to do with my Mother. Sure, I’m sick enow! and he might, for as long as he has known me, count me the same as one of his own Congregation.”
And Violet would make Answer, “Indeed, Cherry, if you consider how the good Man is wearing himself out among his own Flock, going hither and thither without setting his Life at a Pin’s Purchase, spending all his Time in Visitation that is not taken up with the Services of the Church, you need not be surprised he comes not so far as this, especially as he knows not of your Affliction nor your Illness.”
“How do you, that are not a Church-woman, know he does all you say?” said I.
“I had it from the old Woman that brings the Curds and Whey,” returned Violet; “she, you know, is one of his Parishioners; and, from what she says of him, it appears he could not do more if he were a Dissenter.”
“A Dissenter, indeed! I admire that!” said I. “If he were a slothful, timid, self-indulgent Person, you would bestow all his Faults on his Church; but because his Light shines before Men, so that they cannot help glorifying his Father which is in Heaven, you say he could hardly do more if he were a Dissenter!—I shall go to him as soon as ever I get well.”