Scriptures and family prayer. On weekdays, he taught the children of the
parish, charging nothing for the education, but only taking so much as
the people chose to give him. The parish church was his school; and
while the children were repeating their lessons by his side, he was,
like Shenstone's schoolmistress, engaged in spinning wool. He had the
right of pasturage upon the mountains for a few sheep and a couple of
cows, which required his attendance. With this pastoral occupation he
joined the labours of husbandry, for he rented two or three acres of
land in addition to his own acre of glebe, and he also possessed a
garden,--the whole of which was tilled by his own hand. The fuel of the
house consisted of peat, procured by his labour from the neighbouring
mosses. He also assisted his parishioners in haymaking and shearing
their flocks,--in which latter art he was eminently dexterous. In
return, the neighbours would present him with a haycock, or a fleece, as
a general acknowledgment of his services.

After officiating as curate of Leathwaite for about twenty years, the
annual value of the living was increased to seventeen pounds ten
shillings. His character being already well known and highly
appreciated, the Bishop of Carlisle offered Mr. Walker the appointment
of the adjoining curacy of Ulpha; but he conscientiously refused it, on
the ground that the annexation "would be apt to cause a general
discontent among the inhabitants of both places, by either thinking
themselves slighted, being only served alternately, or neglected in the
duty, or attributing it to covetousness in me; all which occasions of
murmuring I would willingly avoid." Yet at this time Mr. Walker had a
family of eight children. He afterwards maintained one of his sons at
Trinity College Dublin, until he was ready for taking Holy Orders.

The parish pastor was, of course, a most economical man. Yet no act of