There is no telling under how many disadvantages the poor girl may have laboured in making this vest.

She may have had a sick mother, or a father, or sister to attend to, which constantly interfered with and interrupted her.

She may have been compelled, from this cause, to work through a greater part of the night, in order to keep her promise to you.

Under such circumstances, even you could hardly wonder if the garment were not made well, or if it came soiled from her hands.

And even you could hardly find it in your heart to speak unkindly to the poor creature, much less turn her away angrily, and without the money she had toiled for so earnestly." "I didn't think of that," was murmured in a low abstracted voice.
"Who could wonder," continued the old man, "if that unhappy girl, deprived of the reward of honest labour, and driven angrily away as you drove her just now, should in despair step aside into ruin, thus sacrificing herself, body and soul, in order to save from want and deprivation those she could not sustain by virtuous toil ?" "I didn't think of that," fell quick and in an agitated voice from the tailor's lips, as, dropping the garment he held in his hand, he hurried around his counter and left the shop.
Ellen was not tempted as the friend of Mr.Lawson had supposed; but there are hundreds who, under like circumstances, would have turned aside.