I cannot write more. My heart is too full of trouble. May God have you in his safe keeping. Your affectionate aunt,
MARGARET ROTHWAITE.
“That is my aunt Margaret’s letter,” said worthy Mrs. Ellerbeck, as she folded up a large old-fashioned letter sheet, and wrapped it in a handkerchief, and laid it back in the drawer. “That is my good aunt’s letter, and I have blessed her for it all these forty years back.”
“How I wish,” answered I, “that many a one had just such another friend, to stand between her and ruin. It is always a grief to me that young girls who must needs work for their living are so often thrown into dangerous situations, as in factories, or town apprenticeships, or in country farm service; or, indeed, anywhere, if no one will hold out a hand to keep them back from harm.”
“There is scarce any young girl, in our line of life,” said Mrs. Ellerbeck, “either at home or in service, but what a plain word would come well to; for even at the best of homes there are always ways enough to go wrong; and what between some of their elders being too careless, and some too shame-faced, young folks don’t hear these truths as much as they need to do. Many a one first gets the knowledge, sadly enough, at her own cost, when it is too late.”
“It is indeed a cruel thing,” said I, “not to warn and guard the young against a peril like this that besets them everywhere. But if any one might have been safely left to herself, I should have thought it would have been you Mrs. Ellerbeck.”
“Nay,” answered my worthy friend, “I needed the warning as ill as any one just then; for I had got to hear some very free opinions from an unprincipled young fellow, who had some law work at our house about a land lease, and who was uncommon clever at putting a bad notion into fair words. There are those who can shift a meaning to any side, and turn even a scripture text backwards way; and they will talk you down, and tell you this is not this, and that follows the other, till they well nigh drive a simple body to think none before them had ever seen their way to take a pair of tongs by the right end: and how was it likely a young lass would see through that sort of craft, and least of all if she was blindfolded by being a good bit noticed and flattered?”
“But how was it,” asked I, “that your excellent father did not at once put a stop to such talk?”
“You may be sure,” said Mrs. Ellerbeck, “it was never carried on in his hearing, but only at bye moments, waiting for him, and the like. And it was this very hiding and scheming that helped me to give more heed to my aunt’s warning; for, thought I, if all this is really so true and right, why not speak it out openly? and why should I hang back myself from letting my father hear it? Ah! if people would but believe there is certain mischief in what is in the dark and underhand! It’s always Faulty that needs to skulk.”
“Nothing can be more certain,” said I, “and now may I ask, was this letter of your aunt’s, the good angel, as we may say, that warded off the evil?”