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his heed to fall out with me, I generally disarmed him of his wrath by saying nothing. If any little quarrels, or misfortunes or misconduct, happened in the hall, I always endeavoured to hush it up, and never carried any tales to the master, unless when I saw any body wronging him, and then I thought it my duty, or unless the thing was very bad indeed. In short, by pursuing always this line of conduct, I found my situation very comfortable and agreeable. My master treated me with great confidence and kindness; my fellow-servants with great friendliness and respect.
In about two years time, the footman that used to go to market being turned away for drunkenness, which vice soon proved his ruin, my master old me, that as he believed I was an honest and careful young man, and perceiving that I could write and keep an account, he should in future employ me in marketting. To market, therefore, I went every day, and as I had now a good deal of my master’s money always in my hand. I prayed heartily to God that he would be pleased to preserve me under the temptation to which this exposed me. My first exploit in this way was the purchase of ten shillings worth of fruit at a fruiterer s. When I had finished my bargain, and was coming out of the shop, the fruiterer slipt a shilling into my hand. As I had never, to the best of my recollection, seen him before, I was somewhat surprized at his generosity; but fortunately had the presence of mind to ask him whether he had charged his fruit the higher on account of this present to me. ‘Why
