SUSAN GRAY. 101

came to housekeeping. Besides, people will
not take you without a character, and, indeed,
I cannot, io conscience, after what has hap-
pened, give you one.”

“Not give me a character!” I cried, with
astonishment; ‘ why, my dear mistress, what
have I done, to lose your good opinion? ~What-
ever other people may think, you must know,
very well, that I have never done any thing to
deserve an ill name since I came into your
service.”

“I must own,” said my mistress, “ that I
have myself never seen any ill by you; but am
I not from home half my time? and, as Mrs.
Owen, the huckster, said to me, but yesterday,
how can I answer for what you do here in this
lone country place when I am at work in
town?”

To this I made no answer, for, indeed, my
heart was too full to allow me to speak. I
leaned my head upon my arm, as I sat upon
the grass, and the tears ran down my cheeks,
My mistress having peeped over the garden-
hedge, pretending to look for the coach,
which I soon afterwards found she had not

-the least expectation of seeing, turned hastily
round and went along the green path into the
house.

After she was gone, I remained sitting alone
on the grass, till the clouds rolled from the hill
and covered the whole skies. The wind began
to whistle in the woods, large drops of rain be-
gan to fall, and several distant claps of thunder
were heard.

13

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