Sukey Dawkins and Polly Wood had been some time in the charity-school.
They had behaved very well, and could do a good deal of work: they were
regular in going at the exact time, and so soon as school hours were
over, they went strait home to see what they could do to assist their
mothers. As they were diligent, they sometimes got a spare half hour to
take a walk in the fields. This was of great service to their health,
and helped to make them strong, active, and cheerful. One evening,
after they had been working very hard, their mothers gave them leave
to go. Out they set, as brisk as larks; they tripped over the stile
very nimbly, and had soon gathered a handful of primroses and violets.
Presently they heard a loud noise at a little distance, and away they
ran to find out what it was. In a wood, not far off, they observed a
man felling a large tree, and around lay a great number of chips. I
wonder, said Sukey Dawkins, if any body makes use of these: how glad
my mother would be to have some to light her fires with; let us ask
the carpenter. Pray, said she, do you think the person who owns these,
would give me leave to take a few home to my mother?――Yes, said the
man, I think he would: they belong to Mr. Ownoak, who is walking in
the next field, and you may ask him, if you will. O, said Polly Wood,
do not let us go, I cannot abide to ask: her companion replied, what
is there to be ashamed of, I am not a going to do any thing wrong;
and, unless I was, I do not see what reason I have to be ashamed. These
chips are of no use to this gentleman, and, perhaps, he does not think
how useful they might be to others. Come, let us make haste: so she
went up to Mr. Ownoak, and said――Pray, Sir, will you give me leave to
take a few of those chips home to light my mammy’s fire? Who is your
mammy, my little girl, said he? Widow Dawkins, sir. Where does she
live? In the Well-yard. How many children has she? Four, sir. I am the
oldest: I strive to do a little, but we are very poor, and my mother
has hard work to get cloaths, food, and firing; so that a few chips
would be very useful to us. You may take as many as you can carry, my
child, said he; and you may come again to-morrow, and the next day,
and, if your companion wants any, let her have some too. Away they
ran, and told the carpenter that Mr. Ownoak had given them leave to
take some. Sukey Dawkins had on a good strong woollen apron, which
she had made of one of her mother’s, so she began filling it with
chips; but Polly Wood’s apron was an old ragged checked one. Sukey had
often begged her companion to endeavour to mend her cloths; but this
she had too much neglected, and was now very sorry she had. However,
Sukey helped her to pin it together as well as she could; and, after
filling them as fully as they would hold, and wishing the carpenter a
good night, away they set off towards home. As they were getting over
the last stile, Polly’s tattered apron gave way, and down fell all the
chips. This was a sad disaster, and she began to cry; but her companion
asked her if crying could possibly remedy the misfortune, and begged
her not to do what a little baby would. Let us think what is best to
be done, that is all we ought to do when any accident happens. Let us
see: well, your gown is whole, that is a good thing; suppose you take
it up, and put the chips in that, and, if you like, I will help you to
mend your apron to-morrow. So they picked up the chips again as fast as
they could, and made haste to get home. Mother, said Sukey, I am afraid
you thought me long; but these will make amends for staying. She then
threw down the chips under the coal-shed, and told her mother how she
came by them. Her mother thanked her very kindly for her attention to
the comfort of the family, and told her she believed, that, if she had
not been so good a girl, and often contrived, in some way to help her,
they must all have gone to the workhouse. Sukey was much more satisfied
with herself that evening, than if she had been romping with the girls
in the street, and went to bed thankful that she had been useful.
Children, in many a different way,
Can give their friends delight;
Nor will she pass a useless day,
Who brings home chips at night.
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