"Our lot is a hard lot; the Sun itself Has scarcely been more diligent than I, And I have liv'd to be a fool at last To my own family. An evil Man That was, and made an evil choice, if he Were false to us; and if he were not false, There are ten thousand to whom loss like this Had been no sorrow. I forgive him--but 'Twere better to be dumb than to talk thus. When I began, my purpose was to speak Of remedies and of a chearful hope." "Our Luke shall leave us, Isabel; the land Shall not go from us, and it shall be free, He shall possess it, free as is the wind That passes over it. We have, thou knowest, Another Kinsman, he will be our friend In this distress. He is a prosperous man, Thriving in trade, and Luke to him shall go, And with his Kinsman's help and his own thrift, He quickly will repair this loss, and then May come again to us. If here he stay, What can be done? Where every one is poor What can be gain'd?" At this, the old man paus'd, And Isabel sate silent, for her mind Was busy, looking back into past times. There's Richard Bateman, thought she to herself, He was a parish-boy--at the church-door They made a gathering for him, shillings, pence, And halfpennies, wherewith the Neighbours bought A Basket, which they fill'd with Pedlar's wares, And with this Basket on his arm, the Lad Went up to London, found a Master there, Who out of many chose the trusty Boy To go and overlook his merchandise Beyond the seas, where he grew wond'rous rich, And left estates and monies to the poor, And at his birth-place built a Chapel, floor'd With Marble, which he sent from foreign lands. These thoughts, and many others of like sort, Pass'd quickly thro' the mind of Isabel, And her face brighten'd. The Old Man was glad. And thus resum'd. "Well I Isabel, this scheme These two days has been meat and drink to me. Far more than we have lost is left us yet. --We have enough--I wish indeed that I Were younger, but this hope is a good hope. --Make ready Luke's best garments, of the best Buy for him more, and let us send him forth To-morrow, or the next day, or to-night: --If he could go, the Boy should go to-night." Here Michael ceas'd, and to the fields went forth With a light heart. The House-wife for five days Was restless morn and night, and all day long Wrought on with her best fingers to prepare Things needful for the journey of her Son.