DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,
I have great trouble, and some comfort, to acquaint you with. The trouble is, that my
good lady died of the illness I mentioned to you, and left us all much grieved for the
loss of her; for she was a dear good lady, and kind to all us her servants. Much I
feared, that as I was taken by her ladyship to wait upon her person, I should be quite
destitute again, and forced to return to you and my poor mother, who have enough
to do to maintain yourselves; and, as my lady's goodness had put me to write and
cast accounts, and made me a little expert at my needle, and otherwise qualified
above my degree, it was not every family that could have found a place that your
poor Pamela was fit for: but God, whose graciousness to us we have so often
experienced at a pinch, put it into my good lady's heart, on her death-bed, just an
hour before she expired, to recommend to my young master all her servants, one by
one; and when it came to my turn to be recommended, (for I was sobbing and crying
at her pillow) she could only say, My dear son!--and so broke off a little; and then
recovering--Remember my poor Pamela--And these were some of her last words! O
how my eyes run--Don't wonder to see the paper so blotted.
Well, but God's will must be done!--And so comes the comfort, that I shall not be
obliged to return back to be a clog upon my dear parents! For my master said, I will
take care of you all, my good maidens; and for you, Pamela, (and took me by the
hand; yes, he took my hand before them all,) for my dear mother's sake, I will be a
friend to you, and you shall take care of my linen. God bless him! and pray with me,
my dear father and mother, for a blessing upon him, for he has given mourning and
a year's wages to all my lady's servants; and I having no wages as yet, my lady
having said she should do for me as I deserved, ordered the housekeeper to give
me mourning with the rest; and gave me with his own hand four golden guineas, and
some silver, which were in my old lady's pocket when she died; and said, if I was a
good girl, and faithful and diligent, he would be a friend to me, for his mother's sake.
And so I send you these four guineas for your comfort; for Providence will not let me
want: And so you may pay some old debt with part, and keep the other part to
comfort you both. If I get more, I am sure it is my duty, and it shall be my care, to
love and cherish you both; for you have loved and cherished me, when I could do
nothing for myself. I send them by John, our footman, who goes your way: but he
does not know what he carries; because I seal them up in one of the little pill-boxes,
which my lady had, wrapt close in paper, that they mayn't chink; and be sure don't
open it before him.
I know, dear father and mother, I must give you both grief and pleasure; and so I will
only say, Pray for your Pamela; who will ever be
Your most dutiful DAUGHTER.
