In this manner little Jack lived till he was twelve years old; then his poor daddy grew sick, and was obliged to lie all day in bed. Jack Idid all he could think of for the old man; he made him broth, fed him with his own hands, and watched all night by the bed-side, supporting his head, and helping him when he wanted to move. But all this did not cure the old man ; he grew worse, and felt that he must soon die. He one day called Jack to the bed-side, and told him he was going to die. Jack burst into a flood of tears. His daddy bid him be quiet. "Listen to me, Jack," said he, pressing the poor child's hand, "I am very old--I have lived many years, I have been very poor-sometimes I have not had food enough to eat, but I have had good health, and God has given me many comforts. I must die now-my body will be put in the ground, and worms will eat your poor old daddy."

"Do not cry, my

Jack wept still more. child," said the old man," he will take me to a better place, and he will take care of you too, while you live in this world. As soon as I am dead, go to the next house; tell the people they must come and bury me. You must try to find a place; some person will give you work. If you are industrious and honest, God will bless you. Farewell, my child. I grow fainter and fainter. Never forget your old daddy." The old man spoke no more, his limbs grew cold and stiff, and in a few minutes he was dead.

Little Jack wept very much; he kissed his old daddy, and tried to awaken him, as if he were asleep; but he never stirred or opened his

eyes again. In a little time Jack dressed himself and went to the neighbour's house as he had been ordered.

The poor little boy had no home nor any money; he did not know what to do with himseli. A good natured man who lived near, pitied Jack; he told him to come to his house, and live there, till he could get some work. Jack went to this house, and did such work for the man as he would give him to do.

At the beginning of winter, this good man took a fever and died. His wife was obliged to send away Jack; she gave him some clothes and a shilling. Jack was sorry to go; he loved the woman, for she had been very kind to him. He walked a long way the first day, and could find nobody to take him in. Nobody likes to employ a strange boy.

At night he had no place to sleep in. While he was looking about, he saw a great light; he did not know what it could be, but he thought he would go towards it; when he came nearer, he saw a large building, much larger than a smith's shop; and saw fires, larger than a smith's fire; and heard loud blows, and the rattling of iron.

Jack was a little frightened; he looked in, and saw several men and boys blowing tires, and hammering large pieces of red hot iron. He went in, and walked as closely as he could to one of the large fires, or furnaces. One of the workmen saw him, and asked "what business he had there?"

Jack answered modestly that he was a poor boy looking for work, that he had got no feed

all day, and that his clothes had been wet through by the rain. The man hearing this, allowed him to stay by the fire, and gave him some supper. After this he lay down in a corner, and slept quietly till morning.

The master of the forge, which is the name of the large workshop where iron is worked, came early in the morning to overlook the workmen; seeing Jack, he called him a lazy vagabond, and asked him why he did not work for his living. Jack answered, that he would gladly go to work, if he could find any to do.

"Well, my boy," said the master, “you shall have work, nobody need be idle here;" so he ordered Jack to be set to work, and promised to pay him if he did the work well. Jack tried very much, and did his work so well, that he soon got good wages.

He told the other boys the history of his life— how he was nursed by a goat, and that his daddy was an old soldier. These boys, when they were a little merry, used to tease Jack, by calling his father a beggar man, and himself a beggar boy; they would likewise imitate the baaing of a goat. This was very silly, and it made Jack very angry.

One day some gentlemen and ladies came to see the forge; while they were looking at the furnace, a sudden cry was heard in the other part of the building; the master inquiring into the cause, was told that it was only little Jack, fighting with Tom the collier. At this the master cried out in a passion,-" There is no peace where that little rascal is-send him here, he shall go off this moment."

Jack appeared, covered with blood and dirt. "You little vagabond," said the master, ❝ you are always fighting, you shall not stay here another day." "Sir," said Jack, "I am very sorry I have offended you. If the other boys would mind their business, as well as I mind mine, and would not trouble me, you would not be angry now."

"That's true," said a man who was standing near, "there is not a more honest, industrious boy in the place, than Jack." "Sir," said Jack, speaking to his master, "Tom has abused me; he says my father was a beggar man, and my mother a nanny goat; when I told him to be quiet, he went baaing all about the house-this made me angry; my poor father was an honest soldier, and if I did suck a goat, she was the best creature in the world, and I won't hear her abu sed, while I have breath in my body."

A lady in the company attended to all that was said. "This boy," said she, "must be the same that opened a gate for my coach to pass a few years ago. I remember he was crying for the loss of the goat which nursed him. If he is a good boy, I should like to employ him." Jack was called to the lady; and when he was told that she would take him to live with her, he was glad to go.

When Jack got to the lady's house, his hair was combed, his skin was washed clean, and he was dressed in new clothes, so that he looked very well. His business was, to help in the stable, to water the horses, to clean shoes, and

to run of errands; all these things he did so quickly, and so well, that every body was pleased with him.

Jack was very fond of horses; he was never tired of combing and currying them. Jack loved to talk of the manufactory where he had lived. He saw that nothing could be done without iron. "How could the ground be ploughed without iron? how could you dig the garden without an iron spade? how could you light the fire, cook the dinner, shoe a horse, or do the least thing in the world, without iron ?" he would say.

The lady had no children of her own a young gentleman lived with her, who was the son of the lady's sister; his parents were dead. George, that was his name, was a little younger than Jack; he was a very good natured boy, and soon began to love Jack. Jack never used bad words, he knew that it was wicked and foolish to swear; he was very kind to all animals which came in his way, and loved to learn whatever he could.

George had a master, who used to come three times a week, to teach him writing, ciphering, and geography. Jack used sometimes to be in the room when these lessons were given; and he listened so attentively, that he was able to learn something from every lesson.

He had now a little money, and he laid out some of it to buy pens, paper, and a slate. George, when he saw how much Jack tried to improve himself, tried to help him as much as be could. Jack had lived in this manner some time, when an accident happened.