62 THE HISTORY OF

my life; humbly beseeching him not to leave
me, in any time of trial, to my own strength
for I had found, by the past day’s experience,
that I was as little able to endure temptation as
poor Charlotte, whom I had so freely censured.
After this, my mind became more easy, and
my sleep was sweet.

The next morning, I expected that my mis-
tress would have looked cool upon me; but
quite the contrary, for while I was setting the
tea-cups for breakfast, she came down, and
taking up Charlotte Owen’s new hat, which ha¢
been left the night before on a chair, and plac
ing it on my head, she held up her hands and
eyes, as if she was mightily astonished, and
cried,“ Is it possible! I could not have thought
that any head-dress could have made such a
difference! Why, Susan, you look as handsome
as the queen of May in that hat; I protest
that I should hardly have known you again.
You must, indeed you must, have such a hat
as that. I do think, if you were to buy the
silk and make it up yourself, it would not come
to more than five shillings; and you cannot
think how very handsome you would look in it.”

‘¢ Whether I look handsome or not,” I an-
swered, ‘“‘I cannot afford to buy such a hat;
for I really have not the money to spare. My
dear Mrs. Neale gave me three guineas when I
came to you; but 1 have now been with you
nearly three years, and in that time my shoes
have cost me a guinea, and, with a little linen
which I have bought, and a common stuff
gown, and a few other necessaries, I have not