100 THE HISTORY OF

least wind to shake the leaves of the trees, and
look how the cattle are all getting close to-
gether in that large field!”

My mistress made no answer to this; but
giving me the nosegay which she had made,
“There, Susan,” said she, “‘let me see you
wear these flowers this evening; here, let me
fasten them for you in your bosom: I have a
particular mind that you should look well be-
fore my Lady West; for, if she should take a
fancy to you, I might, perhaps, persuade her
to take you into her family, as a kitchen-girl ;
and then, although you will be forced to work,
yet you will, at least, be kept from want, which,
I am sorry tu say, I fear you are in some dan-
ger of; for I do not know how it is, the gentle-
folks about here have got a strange opinion of
your character. They will have it, that you
received the Captain here at night, when I was
from home. It is a sad, a very sad thing when
any slur is thrown upon a poor girl’s character ;
it is almost next to impossible for her to clear
herself.”

I answered, that I did not feel very uneasy
on this account; that, with respect to the Cap-
tain, God had preserved me, and I did not fear
but that I should be provided for.

*« Well,” said my mistress, ‘1 hope it will be
so; but, I am sorry to say, J do not think that
you will find it so easy to get a good place,
when you go from me, as you may think; and,
I am sure, I cannot afford to keep you longer
than your time: winter will be coming on, and
things are mach dearer now than when I first