Washington telegraph., 1844-11-06
From the Baltimore Sun.
LiZZy WadsWOrth,
THE MECHANICS DAUGHTER
BY noRArro KING.

Lizzy Wadsworth was lively, laughing
little witch, Just about eight years old when
l first became acquainted with her. Like
most children at her age, she was very
fond of play, and the moment she was out
of school. she was off after some of her
paymates for frolic. 1t made no differ
ence with her, so they were kind toward
her, and respectable, what might be their
station in ite-whether high or low, rich
or poor-feeling a consciousness of being
as good, but no better than any of them
she met all on an equality; nor once dream
edthat she would not always be reccivedby
them in a ike generous spirit.
But Lizzy had soon to learn her mistake.
One day, while merrily at play with Molly
Barton, Miss Sophia Rebecca Jones, dalgh-
ter of Major Jones, the purscr, Stepping
slyly up TO Molly, whispered in her car
II wouldn't play with Liz. Wadswortl. it
was in your pace-'cause the Wds-
worihs are poor people and amt respcsta-
be.
This good-natured and refined comnu-
nication did not meet with the most cor
dial reception, else Molly probably would
have kept it to herself, which she did lot.
Miss Sophia Rebecca Jones was several
years the elder of the two p,aymaies; but
no one had ever accused her of being wise
beyond her years-and in the present in
stance the result showed that she would
have exhibited much better sense in with
holding her sage advice.
Molly had no idea of enquiring whelher
the Wadsworths. were rich or poor; she
knew they lived in good style enough, and
had never before heard that poor people
could not be respectable as well as the
wealthy. So she did not only contiuIe on
TO play with Lizzy, but lost no time in tel
ling her what the amiable Miss Jones had
said.
But Lizzy's pride was touched. She was
aware that her father was rich. and that
neither was he major nor even a captain;
but she knew that he was temperate and
Industrious man, and could no, understand
why her folks were not as respectable rs
Miss Jones', only Sophia Rebecca Jones'
father was purser, while hers, TO be sure,
was mechanic.
So soon as she returned home, she
went with the stoop to her mother, whose
ingenuity was severely taxed in endeavor-
ing to soothe her wounded feelings.
But Lizzy finally became satisfied that
she was none the worse off for the afironi.
since it was but the offspring of ill-breed-
ing in one for whom she had never enter
tanned any particular regard. Yet she did
not forget it.
In accordance with her mothers advice
she maintaineda course Of conduct calc,i-
lated TO make herself generally beloved
was attentive TO her strdies-strictly obe-
dent to hsr parents, kind toward her bro
Tiers, sisters and playmaies, and in all re-
specfs.sehavcd as a good girl should do.
In this way she in a few years grew TO be
a young lady of fine education, industrious
habits and most agreeable manners.
Her father was prosperous, because he
was temperate, honest and Industrious. lie
was not ashamed to be n mechanic, because
he possessed too much good sense not to
see that IT is not the profession which
makes the man. He held that hard
working mechanic was a better member of
society, and more entitled to the appella-
ton of gentleman, than a lazy pettifogger,
an impudent quack, or drunken major or
general. His wife was of the same opin-
ion, and had been so from her teens, for she
dismissed one of the latter. who Was pay
ing court TO her. and took him.
Maj. Jones was an easy, cleyer-hearted
man-fond of society, little too fond OF his
bottle, and seldom troubled himself about
amily affairs. Being much of the tine
away at sea, he left Mrs. Jones TO manage
things at home as she pleased. She was
not altogether incompetent to the task; yet
in one thing, at least, she was unfortunate.
She would never ''coadescsnd' to associate
with any but people of the ssirst society,""
and would not knowingly allow her children
to do so. Mechanics, of course, and all
who labored with their hands fer livel-
hood, no matter how worthy, were set down
by her as belonging TO what they called the
slower classes" So she instructed her
children-and SO they acted up to their
breeding,
One day Maj. Jones died while at sea.
To his wife and children, the news of his
death was a terrible blow. From their
manner of living, they appeared never to
have anticipated such an event. Neither
Maj. Jones nor his wifi, had taken care to
lay up anything against rainy day; and il
would probably not be very unchariiabic to
suppcs that more than one osher gr e.s o &c
from the nearly destitute condition in which
she was lef-wi,h the almost certain pros
pcct Of being obliged to come down notch
or two in the world.
In the meantime, Mr.. Wadsworth con-
tinued to prosper in business-buiit houses
for himselfwhen ne could obtain no employ
ment from others, selling them whenever !
suitable purchaser presented himse'f-and