The History of Little Jack a Foundling Read online

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  "_Before he was six years old, he poized a broom stick with as good a grace as any soldier of his age in Europe._" _See page 9._]

  THE HISTORY OF LITTLE JACK, _A FOUNDLING_.

  BY THOMAS DAY, ESQ. AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF SANDFORD AND MERTON.

  Glasgow: PRINTED FOR RICHARD GRIFFIN & CO. 64, HUTCHESON STREET.

  MDCCCXXVI.

  MALCOLM & GRIFFIN, PRINTERS, GLASGOW.

  THE HISTORY OF LITTLE JACK.

  There was once a poor lame old man that lived in the midst of a wideuncultivated moor, in the north of England. He had formerly been asoldier, and had almost lost the use of one leg by a wound he hadreceived in battle, when he was fighting against the enemies of hiscountry. This poor man when he found himself thus disabled, built ahut of clay, which he covered with turf dug from the common. He had alittle bit of ground which he made a shift to cultivate with his ownhands, and which supplied him with potatoes and vegetables. Besidesthis, he sometimes gained a few halfpence by opening a gate fortravellers, which stood near his house. He did not, indeed, get much,because few people passed that way. What he earned was, however,enough to purchase clothes and the few necessaries he wanted. But,though poor, he was strictly honest, and never failed, night andmorning, to address his prayers to God; by which means he wasrespected by all who knew him, much more than many who were superiorto him in rank and fortune. This old man had one domestic. In hiswalks over the common, he one day found a little kid that had lost itsmother, and was almost famished with hunger: he took it home to hiscottage, fed it with the produce of his garden, and nursed it till itgrew strong and vigorous. Little Nan (for that was the name he gaveit) returned his cares with gratitude, and became as much attached tohim as a dog. All day she browzed upon the herbage that grew aroundhis hut, and at night reposed upon the same bed of straw with hermaster. Frequently did she divert him with her innocent tricks, andgambols. She would nestle her little head in his bosom, and eat out ofhis hand part of his scanty allowance of bread, which he never failedto divide with his favourite. The old man often beheld her with silentjoy, and, in the innocent feelings of his heart, would lift his handsto heaven, and thank the Deity, that, even in the midst of poverty anddistress, had raised him up one faithful friend.

  One night, in the beginning of winter, the old man thought he heardthe feeble cries and lamentations of a child. As he was naturallycharitable, he arose and struck a light and going out of his cottage,examined on every side. It was not long before he discerned an infant,which had probably been dropped by some strolling beggar or gipsy. Theold man stood amazed at the sight, and knew not what to do. "ShallI," said he, "who find it so difficult to live at present, encumbermyself with the care of a helpless infant, that will not for manyyears be capable of contributing to its own subsistence? And yet,"added he, softening with pity, "can I deny assistance to a human beingstill more miserable than myself?--Will not Providence, who feeds thebirds of the wood and the beasts of the field, and who has promised tobless all those that are kind and charitable, assist my feebleendeavours?--At least, let me give it food and lodging for this night;for unless I receive it into my cottage, the poor abandoned wretchmust perish with cold before the morning." Saying this, he took it upin his arms, and perceived it was a fine healthy boy, though coveredwith rags; the little foundling too seemed to be sensible of hiskindness, and smiling in his face, stretched out his little arms as ifto embrace his benefactor.

  When he had brought it into his hut, he began to be extremelyembarrassed how to procure it food: but, looking at Nan, herecollected that she had just lost her kid, and saw her udder swelledwith milk: he, therefore, called her to him, and, presenting the childto the teat, was overjoyed to find that it sucked as naturally as ifit had really found a mother. The goat too seemed to receive pleasurefrom the efforts of the child, and submitted without opposition todischarge the duties of a nurse. Contented with this experiment, theold man wrapt the child up as warmly as he could, and stretched himselfout to rest, with the consciousness of having done a humane action.Early the next morning he was awakened by the cries of the child forfood, which, with the assistance of his faithful Nan, he suckled as hehad done the night before. And now the old man began to feel aninterest in the child, which made him defer some time longer thetaking measures to be delivered from its care. "Who knows," said he,"but Providence, who has preserved this child in so wonderful amanner, may have destined it to something equally wonderful in itsfuture life, and may bless me as the humble agent of its decrees? Atleast, as he grows bigger, he will be a pleasure and comfort to me inthis lonely cabin, and will assist in cutting turf for fuel, andcultivating the garden." From this time he became more and moreattached to the little foundling, who, in a short time, learned toconsider the old man as a parent, and delighted him with its innocentcaresses. Gentle Nanny, too, the goat, seemed to adopt him with equaltenderness as her offspring: she would stretch herself out upon theground, while he crawled upon his hands and knees towards her; andwhen he had satisfied his hunger by sucking, he would nestle betweenher legs and go to sleep in her bosom.

  It was wonderful to see how this child, thus left to nature,increased in strength and vigour. Unfettered by bandages orrestraints, his limbs acquired their due proportions and form; hiscountenance was full and florid, and gave indications of perfecthealth; and at an age when all other children are scarcely able tosupport themselves with the assistance of a nurse, this littlefoundling could run alone. It was true that he sometimes failed in hisattempts, and fell to the ground: but the ground was soft, and asLittle Jack, for so the old man called him, was not tender nordelicate, he never minded thumps or bruises, but boldly scrambled upagain and pursued his way.

  In a short time Little Jack was completely master of his legs; and asthe summer came on he attended his mammy, the goat, upon the common,and used to play with her for hours together, sometimes rolling underher belly, now climbing upon her back, and frisking about as if hehad been really a kid. As to his clothing, Jack was not muchincumbered with it; he had neither shoes, nor stockings, nor shirt;but the weather was warm, and Jack felt himself so much the lighterfor every kind of exercise. In a short time after this Jack began toimitate the sounds of his papa the man, and his mama the goat; nor wasit long before he learned to speak articulately. The old man,delighted with this first dawn of reason, used to place him upon hisknee, and converse with him for hours together, while his pottage wasslowly boiling amid the embers of a turf fire. As he grew bigger, Jackbecame of considerable use to his father: he could trust him to lookafter the gate, and open it during his absence; and as to the cookeryof the family, it was not long before Jack was a complete proficient,and could make broth almost as well as his daddy himself. During thewinter nights, the old man used to entertain him with stories of whathe had seen during his youth; the battles and sieges he had beenwitness to, and the hardships he had undergone; all this he relatedwith so much life, that Jack was never tired of listening. But whatdelighted him beyond measure, was to see his daddy shoulder hiscrutch, instead of a musket, and give the word of command. To theright--to the left--present--fire--march--halt. All this was familiarto Jack's ear as soon as he could speak, and before he was six yearsold, he poized and presented a broom-stick, which his daddy gave himfor that purpose, with as good a grace as any soldier of his age inEurope.

  The old man too instructed him in such plain and simple morals andreligion as he was able to explain. "Never tell an untruth,
Jack,"said he, "even though you were to be flayed alive; a soldier oughtnever to tell a lie. Never blaspheme the name of your Maker. Neverinjure your neighbour, either by abusing his character, defraudinghim of his property, or doing any harm to his person. In short, loveand fear God; love your neighbour as yourself; and honour the King."Jack held up his head, marched across the floor, and promised hisdaddy that he would always do so. But the old man, as he was somethingof a scholar, had a great ambition that his darling should learn toread and write; and this was a work of some difficulty, for he hadneither printed book, nor pens, nor paper in his cabin. Industry,however, enables us to overcome difficulties; in the summer time, asthe old man sat before his cottage, he would draw letters in the sand,and teach Jack to name them singly, until he was acquainted with thewhole alphabet. He then proceeded to syllables, and after that towords: all which his little pupil learned to pronounce with greatfacility: and, as