SUSAN GRAY. 63

much more than half-a-guinea left, and this 1
shall want, to enable me to make a decent
appearance, if I should be so happy as to get
a good place when my time is out with you.”

“‘ What! have you so much as half-a-guinea
left?” said my mistress; ‘and yet you will not
purchase a hat, in which you would look so
very handsome. Come, now, I will tempt you,”
said she: ‘ here is a half-crown towards it; I
make it a free gift to you.” So saying, she
held out the money.

I was puzzled to think what could have
made her, all at once, so generous; for she had
never before offered me so much asa penny. I
looked at the half-crown for a minute, as she
held it towards me, and then at the hat, and, at
last, I said, «I thank you, Madam, for your
very kind offer; but if I am to spend the money
upon a hat, and to add another half-crown of
my own to it, I will beg leave not to take it.”

She looked angry, and, putting the money
immediately into her pocket, turned round upon —
her heel, and said some few words which I
could not hear.

‘“‘I am afraid,” I said, “ that you will think
me very ungrateful for not accepting your offer;
but I am sure that I am much obliged to you;
and, if you please, I will tell you my reasons
for so doing.”

“‘ Well,” said she, ‘‘and what may those
reasons be?”

‘In the first place,” I said, “I was taught
by my dear Mrs. Neale, that it becomes not a
Christian woman to be fond of vain ornaments.