DIRTY CHILD AVOIDS
BEATING. A cautionary tale, 1807.
A tradesman in
London, who had a numerous family of children…permitted them to play in a large
court adjoining his house, giving them a strict charge not to go out of it.
But
little George was wearing his first breeches. Desirous of showing himself to all his little friends, he left the
court. In his haste, he ran against a chimney-sweeper and stumbled into the
drainage ditch.
The sweeper was a lad
of compassion. He
helped the crying boy up and began to
hug and embrace him to keep him quiet.
As
a result the boy was not only dirty by
his fall in the ditch, but very much sooted by the embraces of the sweeper.
Moral
of the story: Obey your parents or terrible things will happen to your clothes.
So
what was little George’s punishment?
So pitiful was his
countenance…that his parents could not in reason beat him.
Another
touching story:
A maid servant was
diverting
William Hewet’s daughter on the edge of
an open window. She slipped out of her hands and fell into the Thames.
An
apprentice jumped out of the shop-window
into the river after the child, and to the great joy of many spectators brought
the child safe on shore.
Her father became
rich, was knighted, and afterwards chosen lord mayor of London. When his
daughter arrived at the age of maturity, she had many suitors, but her father
rejected them all and gratefully
betrothed her to the apprentice who had saved her life.
Moral
of the story? Not sure: If your daughter falls into the Thames, you will be
rewarded with a splendid career? If you fall into the Thames, make sure your
rescuer is handsome because you will be forced to marry him?
(From
William Darton, Accidents and Remarkable
Events Containing Caution and Instruction for Children)
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