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been sorer than that of seeing the change that came over this child . It was not the loss of her beauty that made his heart ache when he looked in her face : it was the staring , uneasy expression of count nance which made him turn his eyes away in pain of heart . She grew jealous and suspicious ; and , though no mood of mind remained many minutes , this was a sad contrast with the open sweetness of temper that they were never more to see . She did as she was bid ; she went on learning to cook and to sew , and she could clean the house ; but she never remembered
from one minute to another what she was to do , and was always asking questions about things that she had known all her life . Her uncle ( her mother ' s brother ) , who was well off in the world , and had no children , took her home , saying that change and going to school would make all the difference in her . But she had no memory , and could learn nothing , while she lost the mechanical things she could do a *
home . So , after a patient trial of three years , her uncle brought her home , and took , in her stead , the bright little Susan , now four years old .. Polly never got better . After a time , fits of languor came on occasionally , and her mother could not get her out of bed ; and now she sometimes lies for many days together , as in a swoon , looking like one dying , but always reviving again , though declining on the whole ; so that it is thought it cannot now go on very long .
Tom never went to school . There was no school within reach while he was a very little boy , and when a new clergyman ' s lady came and set up one , Tom was thought rather too old to begin ; and , besides , his father really could not spare his earnings . Old Mr . Wilkes was dead , and his son , succeeding to the farm , complained of bad times , and reduced his labourers' wages to Us ., and then 10 s ., and then 9 s ., while the poor-rate went on increasing . Tom cannot read or write , and his father is very sorry for it . The boy always seemed , however , to have that sobriety
of mind and good sense which education is thought necessary to give . The fact is , he has had no mean education in being the associate of his honourableminded father . He grew up as grave as his father , thoughtful and considerate , while very clever . He is a prodigious worker , gets through more work than any other man in the neighbourhood , and does it in a better manner . Earning in his best days only 9 s . a-week , and not being sure of that , he has never married , nor thought of marrying ; and a great loss that is to some good woman .
The school being sot up while Harry was a little fellow , he was sent to it , and he remained at it till he was twelve years old . It was well meant for him —well meant by the lady and by his parents ; but the schoolmistress " was not equal to her business , " as the family mildly say . Those years were almost entirely lost . Harry was remarkably clever , always earnest in what he was about , always steady and business-like , and eager to learn ; yet he came away ,
after all those years , barely able to spell out a chapter in the Testament on Sundays , and scarcel y able to sign his own name . He tried to use and improve his learning , putting in , where beans and peas were sown , slips of wood with banes and pase upon then ) , and holding a pen with all his force when he wanted to write his name ; but he felt all along that he had better have been obtaining the knowledge' which the eaineHt mind may gain in the open fields , unless he had been really well taught .
By this time there were few at home , and the home had become grave and somewhat sad . Six children had died in infancy—the oldest dying under three years old . Susan was at her uncle ' s , and not likely to come home again ; for her aunt had become insane , and was subject to epilepsy to such a degree that she could not be left . Some people thought Susan's proHjK-cts very fino , for her unch ; promised great things as to providing for her and leaving her property ; but tin ; story of her grandfuther was a warning to her . Her unele was falling into drinkiii "
habits , and this young girl , supposed to be no fortunate , often found herself with her aunt , on one side in an epileptic fit , and her uncle on the other helplessly or violently drunk , lie was an amiable man , and always , when remonstrated with , admitted liin fault and promised amendment . It . ended , however , in his being reduced in his old age to the point of ncrewing out of Susan her earnings at service , under the name of debt , and finding a homo with her old father . Instead of enjoying his money , she enjoys the comfort of having gloriously discharged her duty to him , and she seems to be finite content .
But of the small party at home . The sons did not live at home , but they were not far off . Their honest faces looked in pretty often , and they were so good that their father had a constant pride in them . It was little more than seeing them , for Banks was now so deaf that conversation , was out of the question . He went to church every Sunday , as he had always done ; but everybody knew that he did not hear one word of the service . His wife , exhausted by care and grief for her children , was too feeble to be much of a companion to him ; and many a long night now he was kept awake by rheumatism . Yet no one ever saw a cross look in either , or heard a complaining word . Their house was clean : their clothes were
neat ; and , somehow or other , they went on paying poor-rate . One of the daughters says , " We always lived very comfortably ; " and the sons were told that , if their employment failed , they were always to come to their father ' s for a dinner . Banks worked harder and with more intenseness of mind at his garden , and they still continued to keep a pig ; so they reckoned upon always having bacon and vegetables—summer vegetables , at least—upon the table . 3
The youngest daughter lived at home , and earned a humble subsistence by staymaking and dressmaking for the neighbours . She could read and write well enough to be a comfort if any letter came from a distance ( an incident which , as we shall see , was hereafter to happen often ) , and to amuse her mother in illness with a book . Lizzy was not so clever as her brothers and Susan , but she was a good girl and a steady worker . * I 1 . 1
But soon the second Mr . Wilkes died rather suddenly . Banks ' s heart sank at the news . He had been attached to his employer , and valued by him , though his earnings had been so much reduced ; and he had a misgiving that there would be a change for the worse under the young master . It was too true . The young master soon began to complain of want of money , and to turn off his labourers . He told Banks to his face that being now past sixty , and rheumatic at times , it was impossible that hia work could be worth what it was , and he should have no more than six ,
shillings a-week henceforth . It was a terrible blow ; but there was no help for it . A deaf old man had no chance of getting work in any new place ; and the choice was simply between getting six shillings aweek and being turned off . If his heart was ever weak within him , it must have been now . His savings were all gone years ago ; there was no security that he would not be turned off any day . His children really could give him no effectual help ; for the sons could not marry , and the daughters were
not fully maintaining themselves . The workhouse was an intolerable thought to one who had paid rates , as he had done ever since he married . It was a dark time now , the very darkest . Yet the grave man lost nothing of his outward composure and gentleness . They wore not without friends . The clergyman had his eye upon them ; and Mrs . Wilkes , the widow , sent for Mis . Banks once a-year to spend two or three days with her , and talk over old times ; and she always sent her guest home with a new gown . The friendship of some , and the respect of all , were as hearty as ever ,
Some coinjjrfrt was near at hand : and out of one comfrrrt- £ Mrw several . Susan first found herself well placed ; and booh after , and as a consequence , Harry , an ^ l then , nnd again as a consequence , Tom ; nnti then , Lizzy . About this , more will be told hereafter . The next tiling that hefel was apiece of personal comfort to Hanks himself . A deaf lady , at a distance , sent him an ear-trumpet , —with little hope ihat it would be of
use , —so long , and so extremely deaf as he was . He took it to church , and heard the service 1 for the first time for twenty years . Steady and composed an lu ; usually was , he now cried for a whole day . After that he cheered up delightfully ; hut nothing could make him use his trumpet on ' week days . It was too precious for any day hut vSundava When the liuly heard this , she sent him an old shabhy one for every day use , and it makes a great difference in his every day life .
Next , tliu good clergyman found hims , If able to do something that , he had long and earnestly wished to let out some allotments to labourer / Hanks obtained one immediately ; a quarter of-an acre of good land , at a rent of ton shillings a-year The benefit of this is very great . He is still strong enough to cultivate H well ; and , by his knowled ge , as well as his industry , makes it admirabl y productive Jn h <> midst of tins ht . le brightening of | UH prospects here 1 H „ , „ , overshadowing fear which it sickens the " hi ait to hear ol ; , t happened that , by „„ accident w uch need not bo detailed , the . fact got into print "'•» «» m-of Uu-rons at a distance had sent some money
to his old father . The family were immediately in terror lest the employer should hear of it , and should turn off his old servant on the plea that he had other means of subsistence than his labour . It is not credible that such a thing should be done in the face of society . It is not credible thai any one should desire to do such a thing . But that the fear should exist is mournful enough , and tells a significant tale ; a tale too significant to need to be spoken out . Banks is , as we have said a silent man . He does not pour out his heart in speech , as some of us do who have much less in our hearts than he . And there is surely no need . We want no prompting from him to feel what wrong must exist somewhere when a glorious integrity , a dignified virtue like his , has been all ied with sinking fortunes through life , and has no prospect of repose but in the grave .
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AMATEUR PERFORMANCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF MISS KELLY . The Amateur Company , which a short time since performed Mrs . Centlivre ' s comedy , The Busy Body , at the Soho Theatre , repeated the performance on Tuesday night , for Miss Kelly ' s benefit . It is sad to reflect how many of those who have sacrificed a life to the public are not permitted to enjoy the wellearned fruits of their labours . But it is at the same time gratifying to find the exertions of those who have participated in the zenith of a performer ' s exertions , coming forward to give their services in return , in the very temple which Miss Kelly ' s fortune was employed to erect . The house was well filled . Previous to the comedy , the following pleasant Prologue , written by Mr . W . C . Kent , was delivered by Miss E . E . M . Kent : — Actors in sport that mirth may be increased , Our play ' s in earnest for one night at least ! Gladly we'll strive our purpose to fulfil For one whose genius is remember'd still . Hers are the solaces she most could prize , And hers the aid that every ill defies : The self-respect from years of honour born , Of most th' ambition , though of some the scorn . Once in the noonday of her bright career , When gleamed the smile , or glittered forth the tear At the wild mandate of her fitful glance , Her powers impelled the drama ' s bold advance . Let then the memory of those times gone by Sustain the hopes our efforts here imply ; Enforce the lesson that our tongues would teach , And win from all the sympathies of each . Joy to the actress while your acts impart , Cherish the artist , those who love the art . To-night a generous aim success ensures , The grace and worth of which must all be yours : The merit of your share , tongue fails to tell—Fain would I think we ' ll do our parts aa well . Yet , though our efforts meagre praise demand , Yield us the guerdon of one cordial hand ; Pardon whate ' er your judgment least commends , And sink the critics in the warmth of friends . Three separate reasons for dispelling blame With kindly sentiments , my lips shall name : The first in order , though the last in choice , That mine though bold is but a woman ' s voice : The next that , while all vi gorously designed , Our Play ' s the produce of a woman ' s mind : And last , and best , to win your heart ' s applause—We ' ve met to vindicate a woman ' s cause . The Prologue was most gracefully delivered by Miss Kent , who performed the character of Isabinda in the most lad y-like manner . The Spanish costume was in exceedingly good tasto . Mr . Kent as Sir Francis Gripe , admirably supported his diflkult character . The busy Marplot found a whimsical but gentlemanly impersonation in Mr . W . C . Kent . Mrs . J . Arnould , by her performance of Miranda , evinced an extraordinary appreciation of genuine comedy . Miss Sullivan invested the- character of Patch with all the sly humour which belong to it , and sang the " Last Rose of Summer" with pathos . The characters of Sir Jealous Traffic and Sir ( Jeorgo Airy were also well sustained . The reading of all the parts was very far above the average of amateur performances . There was quite as good a " study " evinced as we are accustomed to on the professional stag ^ e ; and if there were any stage ; awkwardness there wan a total absence of vulgarity . On the fall of the curtain n . torrent of applause , erected the , exertions of the performers . After th . ! comedy , Mr . KlliH Koborts , the celebrated harpist , performed hi * variations on « Cease . your funning , " which met with an unanimoiiH ( Micore . lhe performance concluded with the farce , Too Late for Dinner , in which the principal performers in the comedy also appeared . ' here is one very important matter usually overlooked m amateur performances , though it is of this very iirst importance , wo mean the stage management . \ U <\ . | ,,. | ,..,., i v . II attended to on Tuesday the performance would have k-fl little to bo denned .
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156 &t ) t &eabet * [ Sat&rday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 15, 1851, page 156, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1870/page/16/
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