Mrs. Clifford being particularly satisfied with the attention that her three children, Alfred, Robert, and Helen, had for some time past paid to their lessons, and to the instructions of their masters, told them that she would treat them with a charming walk in the wood, on the opposite side of the river; and that if they would carry some bread or biscuit with them, she thought they would have no difficulty in finding a house where they might procure some milk. So instead of returning home to drink tea, she would spend the whole afternoon and evening in rambling about with them.

This was charming news for the young folks, who took care not to give her the trouble of waiting for them, for they were all three ready at least half an hour before the time she had appointed for their departure. The moment Mrs. Clifford joined them in the hall, away they all went, with joyful hearts and cheerful faces, through the field and down the long lane, which led to the ferry.
Generosity Rewarded (first plate)
 
“This is very pleasant, mother,” said Alfred: “I think I should never be tired of walking in the fields and woods; yet, I must own, I do long for winter, that we may purchase the magic lantern we are to have. I think, with the money grandpapa has given each of us, and what we had before in our purses, we shall be able to have a very large one.”

“O dear!” exclaimed Helen, “how delightful it will be to see it as often as we please, and to show it to our friends; and, mother, do you know that Robert is to be the person to show it; for, he says, he can talk just like the man who came to our house last year?”

“So I can,” answered Robert, “and I wish it were bought, that you might hear what a long story I shall tell you about the sun and the moon; and the King of Prussia and his huzzars; and the cat and the cook! I would rather have a magic lantern, than any thing in the whole world!”

Chatting in this manner, and amusing themselves by looking at different objects as they passed along, they found themselves at the ferry before they expected it. The boat being just ready to put off, they stepped into it, and seated themselves with several others, who were going over to the other side of the river.

Their attention was very soon drawn to a poor woman, who, with an infant on her knee, and a little boy[56] and girl by her side, whom she frequently kissed and pressed to her bosom, wept as if her heart would break. As soon as they landed, Mrs. Clifford, stopping the woman, kindly inquired into the cause of her distress; and was informed by her, that she had lately lost her husband, who having been long in a state of ill health and unable to work, had left her incumbered with several debts, which she had not the means of paying; and that though she labored very hard, and had discharged some of the small debts, a hard-hearted man, to whom she owed six dollars, declaring he would not wait a day longer, had that morning seized upon her furniture, and all her little property. He was determined, he said, to have his money before six o’clock, or to turn her and her children out to sleep in the high road, or where they thought fit.

She had been, she told Mrs. Clifford, to an uncle of her husband who lived at the market town, begging him to take pity upon her and her innocent children; “but madam,” added she, “he was deaf to my entreaties, and turned me from his door; and I am now going home to see all my things taken from me; and what will become of us this night, God alone can tell!”

Mrs. Clifford was extremely affected by this melancholy tale, and walked with the poor woman to her[57] cottage, where they really found two ill-looking men taking down the bed, and packing up the furniture. The woman began to wring her hands and cry bitterly; and the children, though they did not understand what the men were going to do, clung to their mother and would not move from her sid............