14 THE SILVER LAKE STORIES.

my conduct, yet if it will be a lesson
to you, dear children, I ought not to
withhold the recital.

“My mother died when I was about
eight years old, leaving three children,
myself, my brother Fred, who was then
six years old, and my little sister Alice,
who was four. We loved her very
dearly, and felt wretched and desolate
enough when we were left’ with only
Jane in the house, for our father was
obliged to be away ftom home much of
the time. Jane had lived with my moth-
er ever since she was married, and had
always been a good servant; but after
my mother’s death, Jane of course was