II

A SCENE OF DISTRESS IN A SCHOOL

It happened one day, when Mrs. Two-Shoes was diverting the children after dinner, as she usually did, with some innocent games, or entertaining and instructive stories, that a man arrived with the melancholy news of Sally Jones’s father being thrown from his horse, and thought past all recovery; nay, the messenger said, that he was seemingly dying when he came away.  Poor Sally was greatly distressed, as indeed were all in the school, for she dearly loved her father, and Mrs. Two-Shoes and all her children dearly loved her.

At this instant something was heard to flap at the window, at which the children were surprised; but Mrs. Margery, knowing what it was, opened the casement, and drew in a pigeon with a letter.

As soon as he was placed upon the table, he walked up to little Sally, and dropping the letter, cried “Co, co, coo;” as much as to say, “There, read it.”

“My dear Sally—­God Almighty has been very merciful and restored your papa to us again, who is now so well as to be able to sit up.  I hear you are a good girl, my dear, and I hope you will never forget to praise the Lord for that his great goodness and mercy to us.  What a sad thing it would have been if your father had died, and left both you and me, and little Tommy in distress, and without a friend.  Your father sends his blessing with mine.  Be good, my dear child, and God Almighty will also bless you, whose blessing is above all things.

     “I am, my dear Sally,

     “Your affectionate mother,

     “MARTHA JONES.”

III

OF THE AMAZING SAGACITY AND INSTINCT OF A LITTLE DOG

Soon after this, a very dreadful accident happened in the school.  It was on a Thursday morning, I very well remember, when the children having learned their lessons soon, she had given them leave to play, and they were all running about the school, and diverting themselves with the birds and the lamb; at this time the dog, all of a sudden, laid hold of his mistress’s apron, and endeavored to pull her out of the school.  She was at first surprised; however, she followed him, to see what he intended.  No sooner had he led her back into the garden, but he ran back, and pulled out one of the children in the same manner; upon which she ordered them all to leave the school immediately, and they had not been out five minutes before the top of the house fell in.  What a miraculous deliverance was here!  How gracious!  How good was God Almighty to save all these children from destruction, and to make use of such an instrument as a little sagacious animal to accomplish his divine will!  I should have observed that, as soon as they were all in the garden, the dog came leaping round them to express his joy, and when the house was fallen, laid himself down quietly by his mistress.