Yes, Madam, that is what will make her so angry; she would have forgiven me a great deal sooner if it had happened any other way. A boy, who came by just now, advised me to say, as I was getting over a stile the bar gave way, and I tumbled down, and that so my eggs got broken; but I never did tell her a lie in my life, and I should be very unwilling to begin now.
Your mother has at least been very kind to you in instilling such good principles into you.
Yes, Madam, she always taught me to be honest, and never tell a lie upon any account whatever; and if she were to find out that I deceived her, she would punish me ten times more than she will now.
Be assured you can never escape trouble and sorrow by being wicked; you have already done one fault, and you feel how unhappy it has made you; but, if you were to tell a lie, you would become a great deal more naughty, and consequently be a great deal more unhappy. And though you were not found out, I dare say your mother has taught you that God always sees you; and if you try to save yourself by wicked means, you put yourself quite out of the way of his blessing and protection. Now, you are so good a girl, I dare say you will find your mother kinder to you than you expect. Dry up your tears, and take this shilling; give me the eggs that remain, go and buy your butter and bread, and then your mother will not be disappointed; and as you are so good a girl, whenever your mother has any eggs or chickens, you may bring them to me, and I will give you your price for them; only remember to call at the first white house as you come into town.
The poor girl received the shilling with equal joy and gratitude; and when she was gone, Miss _Lydia_’s Mamma observed to her, that persons often find a present reward in doing their duty: If this little girl, said she, had taken the boy’s advice, and determined to tell her mother a falsity, she would probably have turned back directly, and been in another field when we came here, so that we should have known nothing of her distress, and her story would, perhaps, not have been so well told as to escape detection. I hope now the amends I have made for her loss will abate the severity of her mother’s anger; and when the whole of her conduct is known, she must, I think, receive her praises.