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An old Traveller.

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quences of your constantly thinking of life as a journey: you would try to walk in the path that leads to heaven, you would avoid that which goes down to hell. As the world is full of temptations to lead you into the 'broad road,' you would see the need you had to pray to God for help; you would never think of leaving your house in the morning without prayer. For the sake of Jesus Christ who died for sinners, your prayers, offered up in faith and repentance, would be heard and, though sometimes cast down by the sense of sinfulness, you would go on your way rejoicing;' and you would get on in your journey; you would delight to hear and think of that happy country to which you were travelling. You would consider all good men, as your companions here, and you would look forward to meeting them in one home hereafter. You would persuade your wife to walk with you in the same path, and teach your children the road to heaven. You would be, in every way, happier. The accidents which now make yourself and all about you cross and uncomfortable, would be nothing to one who feels that he is on his way home; the wants, and the losses, and the sorrows of this life would be but little to one who felt that he was only on a journey. You would look upon the friends who are taken from you by death, as arrived before you at the end of their labours; and the hour, which is to you the end of this life, you would know to be the beginning of an eternal, happy existence."

"What you say seems very right," said the listener, "but," he added, in a despairing tone, "I'm no scholar like you."

"Blessed be God!" exclaimed the aged disciple, his countenance beaming with joy as he spoke, "Blessed be God! it requires no learning to be a Christian. A child in knowledge may understand the precepts of the Gospel. A humble and teachable spirit is God's delight; and He will listen to the feeblest cry for mercy and assistance. Set out on this journey,

and you will soon confess that it is a happy one. But I see, by the clock, you must be going to your work, or I would fain talk more of these things. Farewell then for the present; you are young, and perhaps you have a journey of some length before you:-think, then, of the advice of an Old Traveller."

October 15, 1826.

IOTA.

GOOD AND BAD MANAGEMENT.

ENGLAND has often been called a land of plenty, and yet it is said that the labouring people in many parts of England have not a sufficiency of food. This is certainly the case when times are bad, and work scarce; but it is often the case when there is no such reason as this. There is, however, a great difference among the poor themselves: many of them live in great comfort, and give their families all that is needful for them; whilst others who have just the same wages, hardly find supply enough for themselves and their children. There is no benefit, indeed, in cramming the stomach as full as it will hold ;-this does more harm than good, and it is this very stuffing that ́often makes the children of the rich ill, and gives so much work to the doctor, whilst many of the children of the poor are strong and healthy. But, whilst too 'much is bad, every well-wisher to the poor would desire that they should have enough. It is often said to be their own fault, and their own bad management, that keeps them in such want; and one cannot help seeing that it must be so, when one family is in comfort, and the other in distress, on the very same wages. If money is spent at the alehouse, that is directly so much taken from the comforts of the family; there is 'so much less to feed and to clothe them. I knew a labouring man, whose earnings were twelve shillings a week, and he said he could not keep his family on

Good and Bad Management.

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it. I knew that it required good management to do it: but this man spent five shillings a week at the alehouse, so that in truth there were only seven shillings left for the support of the family. They were badly fed, badly clothed, and badly taught. His next door neighbour had the same wages, and his wife was a capital manager; and every thing with them seemed quite comfortable. As to eating, there are some poor families where they never sit down to a comfortable meal; the children have a piece of bread given to them when they seem to be hungry, and when the mother has any to give them; and very often they cry for it, and cannot get it. It is highly desirable that they should every day sit down to their regular meals, three times a day, breakfast, dinner, and supper, and there is then no need to give them any thing between times,-they are much better without it. But how can we afford it? says the poor sloven that I spoke of. Why your next door neighbour affords it, and keeps the children well clothed besides, and his wife says that she can give them three comfortable meals for less than she could feed them, when constantly giving them bread. Bread is dear food, and there is but little comfort in having bread only, and never having any regular meals. There certainly may be a great deal done with good contrivance. Some of the poor are certainly very bad managers, but some are better. In many places there is considerable attention paid to this subject, and the condition of the poor is greatly improved by it. It only requires to get into good habits, to learn what dishes are wholesome, and nourishing, and cheap enough to come within the means of a labourer's family. Many superior sorts of families, with small incomes, are obliged to consider these things very much; and, if the poor would consider them, they might get into a way of cooking something hot and comfortable for their families every day, and for less money than they

feed them now. There is something in a hot meal to look to every day that gives great comfort to a family, though the thing may be coarse and common. But there are many excellent things to eat, which cost much less than a full meal of bread. A little milk, boiled with water and oatmeal, and a very little bread in it,is a warm breakfast for a child; and even without milk, the mess is more comforting and nourishing than a dry piece of bread. Many a child, too, is sent out without any thing. This should never be. There is a cruelty in this that no man has a right to shew towards his children. A man has no right to touch one drop of beer till he knows that his family have sufficient food. As to talking of the necessity of beer, it is all trick, and habit; it does not do half the good that food does. If, however, a man gives himself and his family sufficient food and clothing, and can then afford himself a moderate supply of beer for refreshment, it is all very well, and will not hurt him. But a dinner, and a comfortable dinner, he ought to have every day; and his wife ought to know how to prepare one for him. If he earns the money, she

should take care that he has the comfort of it. But some women are entirely ignorant as to this sort of management. It would be a good plan if every cottage girl was taught the art of cheap cookery. They might be learning a great deal that would make them useful wives, whilst they are wasting their time and their money in their foolish dressings and decoratings, and setting their curl papers and their ribbands. A good, wholesome, clean, country-looking lassy, is worth a hundred of them. But she does not deserve a good husband till she knows how to mend his clothes, and cook his dinner. Perhaps the following history of a dinner may supply some useful hints.

V.

Epping Parish Dinner.

EPPING PARISH DINNER.

(By the late Sir Thomas Barnard.)

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AT Epping, in the county of Essex, where there is a school of industry for the employment of children, an ordinary was opened on the recommendation of Mr. Conyers, and a general dinner has been provided on week days, for any children of that place, whose parents desire it, on the following terms.

The price of the ordinary is sixpence a week for each child: they dine at table in a regular manner at one o'clock, in a room, which, during the rest of the day, has been used as a spinning room. Grace is regularly and decently said, before and after dinner. Their table of diet is, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, baked rice pudding; on Tuesdays and Saturdays beef-stew and soup, and on Thursdays peas soup. They are allowed to eat as much as they please; and their healthy countenances, and decent behaviour, evidence the plenty and comfort of their meal. The same sort of dinner is also given in another room to the children belonging to the house. The number who partook of it the week from which I make the calculation, was 77; the expense of that week's dinners, for the materials and the bread, was £1. 14s. ltd. which is less than a penny a head, each day. A particular account of the dinner may be useful. (This account was written in the year 1798. The prices of articles of food, of course, vary,-and there must have been also an advantage in buying large quantities at a time. The materials could not be bought now at these prices; the caculation, however, will serve for a guide.) MONDAY. Baked rice pudding.

s. d.

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