RETROSPECTION:

A Tale.

Ann (Martin)

BY MRS. TAYLOR,

Of Ongar,

AUTHOR OF " MATERNAL SOLICITUDE," &c. &c.

"I do remember my faults this day."

GENESIS, xli. 9.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR TAYLOR AND HESSEY,

FLEET STREET.

1821.

RETROSPECTION.

INTRODUCTION.

IN an insulated village, situate in one of the midland counties, lived an old man and woman, of humble origin and circumstances, who nevertheless, by persevering industry and parsimony, had acquired a sufficiency to subsist on the fruits of their early toils: but the annals of their native village leave no tale on record concerning them which could interest posterity; and they would have reposed with their ancestors, long since forgotten by their neighbourhood, and

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unknown beyond it, but for the following circumstance.

When the old man was on his deathbed, he said to his wife, "Kate, don't forget the four pounds ten which I put in those drawers, the day before I was taken ill," pointing to an old mutilated cabinet, standing on four legs, and richly embellished with sundry grotesque figures in black and gold.

"In which drawer did you put it?" said she.

"I forget," said he; my head is so

bad, whatever is the matter with me! but you'll be sure to find it in some of them."

"I cannot find it any where, Jem," said she, after a diligent search.

"Not find it!" exclaimed he, darting his head from the pillow, and staring wildly with his ghastly eyes,-" Not find it! Why, what can I have done with it? I tell you, I cannot get a wink of sleep till it is found. What, lose four

pounds ten! Somebody must have got at the drawers! Do give another look, however."

And so Kate commenced her search; but the cabinet was so intricate in its construction, that, till this moment, one drawer had remained undiscovered by its present possessors.

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My stars!" exclaimed she, "what, in the name of wonder, is here? Such a sight of papers, all sealed up so curious! Why, did you put these here, Jem ?"

"Not I," said he.

"I'll lay a wager

they belonged to old Mrs. What-d'yecall-'em, at Ashen Hall there; and have lain here ever since."

Just at this moment entered Mr. Drummond, the parish minister; and Kate, more eager for his opinion respecting the prize they had found, than for his spiritual services to her dying husband, put them into his hand.

"Jem, sir, is too ill to look at them,"