134 THE HISTORY OF

woman! I would have taken her into my family,
and she never should have known the evils
which have brought her to this untimely end.”

‘Surely, surely,” said one of the young
ladies, ‘if the Captain could see Susan, as we
now do, deprived of life by his means, he would
turn from his wicked course of life to the service
of his God.”

Then they scattered the lowers which they
had gathered upon the bed, and took their
leave; but before the coach drove away from
the door of the cottage, my Lady West asked
me, when I proposed that Susan Gray should
be buried. “For,” said she, “I and my nieces
intend to be present at her funeral, that we may
do ali the honour in our power to this most
virtuous young woman.”

The Sunday following the day of Susan’s
death was the day of her funeral.

According to the custom of the parish, she
was buried at the time of evening service. I
will describe the manner of her funeral, for the
satisfaction of those good persons who take de-
light in these solemn scenes.

It was early in August, and the weather was
very fine. When all the congregation was as-
sembled in the church, (and I never remember
to have seen in it so large or so genteel a con-
gregation, for there were many ladies and gen-
tlemen from Ludlow, besides my Lady West
and her nieces, and the Squire of the next pa-
rish, with his family,) 1 entered the church in
my gown and cassock, followed by six young
women, dressed in white, bearing the coffin.