Page:Life and prophecies of Mr Alex. Peden (1).pdf/23

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twenty-five guineas, which the husband had provided to pay for some barley he had lately bought. From this she took out ten pieces, and left every thing else as before: nor did the husband, on his return, take any notice of it.

She was now very anxious to get this money properly disposed of, and with that view, dressed herself in great haste: and having wrapped the pieces in a bit of paper, she took them in her hand to go out; but as she passed a mirror, she observed something about her head dress that required to be adjusted, and putting the money on a bureau beneath the mirror, she spent a little time in making the necessary adjustments; and recollecting she had omitted to give some necessary directions before she went out, she stepped hastily into the kitchen for that purpose, without taking up the money. Just at this nick of time the husband came into the room, and seeing something on the top of the bureau, took it up to examine it, and seeing what it was, immediately conjcctured what was the truth. Without saying a word, however, he took out the gold, and put an equal number of halfpence in its stead, leaving the paper, to appearance, as he found it, and went out again. The wife, having heard her husband go out of the room, was in great fear that he had discovered her treasure, and returned with great anxiety to seek for it; but seeing it happily just as she left it, she hastily snatched it up, without looking at it, and went directly to the lodgings of Mr Whitfield to dispose of it.

When she arrived, she found him at home—and a happy woman was she! Having introduced herself, by telling him how much she had been benefited by his pious instruetions, &c. which he returned with a ready politeness, she expressed her regret that she had it not in her power to be as liberal to his poor orphans as she could wish; but she hoped he would accept in good part the mite she could afford to him on their account: