JESSIE'S ACQUAINTANCE MADR. 63

tion of the company. She was ill, and’it had been
about her acting that the parents had quarrelled
that night. She was a wonderful child. Oh, why
are such gifts as hers given, when they can lead but
to misery and ruin! The little Fanny danced on
the tight-rope night after night, and performed the
most wonderful feats of horsemanship as the Flying
Circassian; and acted and sung to the delight of
crowds of thoughtless, admiring people. She played,
and danced, and rode, and grew weaker and weaker
day by day; but there was no pity either for her
or the infant, which, as soon as it could walk, was
made to ride and dance, and which promised to be
as great a prodigy as her sister. When the mother
was dead, I joined myself to the company. The
father hated me, but he could not get rid of me.
I stayed, because there was no law to take them
forcibly from the father. After I had been with
the company some years, things mended. All were
not as bad as he; poor they all were, buts many of
them had kind hearts, and there were those with us
who would take our parts; and besides, as Fanny's
health mended under my care, the father no longer
tried to make my life intolerable ; besides which, a
cold which I took made me deaf, so that I could not
hear him. He married again, and then I took the
children to myself; the travelling life was not un-
pleasant to me, and Fanny was a very angel.”

‘And where is Fanny?” asked Williams. The
old woman made no reply.

Jessie took the handkerchief from her face, and
laying her hand on his arm, said solemnly, “ Fanny
is dead!”

He looked shocked, and she continued, “Had