[The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith]@TWC D-Link bookThe Vicar of Wakefield CHAPTER 26 2/8
My next care was to send my son to procure a room or two to lodge the family in, as near the prison as conveniently could be found.
He obeyed; but could only find one apartment, which was hired at a small expence, for his mother and sisters, the gaoler with humanity consenting to let him and his two little brothers lie in the prison with me.
A bed was therefore prepared for them in a corner of the room, which I thought answered very conveniently.
I was willing however previously to know whether my little children chose to lie in a place which seemed to fright them upon entrance. 'Well,' cried I, 'my good boys, how do you like your bed? I hope you are not afraid to lie in this room, dark as it appears.' 'No, papa,' says Dick, 'I am not afraid to lie any where where you are.' 'And I,' says Bill, who was yet but four years old, 'love every place best that my papa is in.' After this, I allotted to each of the family what they were to do. My daughter was particularly directed to watch her declining sister's health; my wife was to attend me; my little boys were to read to me: 'And as for you, my son,' continued I, 'it is by the labour of your hands we must all hope to be supported.
Your wages, as a day-labourer, will be full sufficient, with proper frugality, to maintain us all, and comfortably too.
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