SUSAN GRAY. 23

held an orange in her hand, and one had a
bird upon her finger, and the least held a
rose.

By the fire-side sat an old lady. O! I cid
not then know what a sweet good lady she
was, or I should have cried for joy. She was
very short, and, having lost her teeth, her
mouth had fallen in. But she was fair, and
her eyes were bright, and looked very good-
humoured; so that her face was still very
agreeable. She was dressed in a black sil
gown, with a short white apron; she had long
ruffles, and a white hood over her cap. A
little round table stood before her, upon which
lay her large Bible; and a small yellow cat
was asleep at her feet. .

“* Here, Madam,” said the servant, going into
the parlour, “here is Miss Polly come back.” |

The old lady smiled, and holding out her
hand, the bird hopped upon her finger; and
while she stroked it, she called it naughty bird,
and asked it why it flew away from its best
friends? She then enquired how it was found:
and the servant having told her, she arose from
her chair, and taking a little gold-headed stick
in her hand, ‘I will go myself,” said she, ‘and
speak to the child.”

I was by this time in a better humour; and
when the old lady came up to me, and began
to talk to me in a gentle and kind way, I felt
no longer inclined to be cross, but I smiled and
curtsied, and gave an account of the way in
which I had found the bird as civilly as possi-
ble. When the old lady had talked to me for