Page:A New England Tale.djvu/117

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A NEW-ENGLAND TALE.

like a prisoner, the doors of whose prison-house have been thrown open to him, who sees the inviting world without, and who is called upon, in the spirit of martyrdom, to close the door, and bar himself from light and hope. Those who have felt the difficulty of sacrificing natural and virtuous wishes to strict justice, will pardon our heroine a few moments' deliberation. She thought that, as the money had been chiefly the avails of the articles given her by Mr. Lloyd, it could not be considered as derived from her father. She thought how much Mary Hull had exerted herself, and how disappointed she would be; the engagement with Mr. Evertson occurred to her, and she was not certain it would be quite right to break it; and, last of all, she thought, that if her present plans succeeded, it could not be very long before she might earn enough to cancel the debt. Jane had not been used to parleying with her duties, or stilling the voice of conscience; and in a moment the recollection of her father's dishonesty, and the poor woman's perishing condition, swept away every selfish consideration. "Oh, Lord!" she exclaimed, "if I have not compassion on my fellow-servant, how can I hope for thy pity."

We would recommend to all persons, placed in similar circumstances, to all what find almost as many arguments for the wrong as for the right, to bring to their aid the certain light of Scripture, and we think they will be altogether persuaded to be like our heroine, not 'saving her bonds.' Sure we are, that she was never more to be envi-