bairns, for they were so poor. I had
no money--not a penny--for you may guess that in my sister's straits I
kept none in the shuttle of my chest, and no way of keeping a house
over their heads by myself could I see. Mrs. Henderson came into the
kitchen with Miss Thomson. You know Miss Thomson of Allendale. She was
on a visit to the mistress; they are connections, you know.

"'Well, Peggy,' said Mrs. Henderson, 'I see you are just fretting, as
usual.'

"'I'm no fretting, ma'am, I'm praying,' said I.

"'The best thing you can do,' said Miss Thomson.

"'Of course it is,' said Mrs. Henderson, 'provided it does not hinder
work, and Peggy is neglecting nothing.'

"'I wish, ma'am, that you would let me take the housemaid's place, as
well as my own; I can do more work if you would raise my wages.'

"'Nonsense, Peggy,' said the mistress, 'you are busy from morning till
night; you cannot possibly do more than you are doing now. You cannot
be in two places at once.'

"'No, ma'am, but I could take less sleep. I am stronger than ever I
was; and I have so many to work for. The bairns-maid and me could
manage all the housework.'

"Mrs. Henderson shook her head, and said it was not to be thought of,
but she did not mind raising my wages to eight pounds by the year, for
I was a good servant; and with that I had to be content--at least, I
tried.

"Next day a fat turkey had to be killed and plucked, and I had an old
newspaper to burn for singeing the feathers. I could not but look at
the newspaper, when I had it in my hand, and the first thing that
struck my eye was, that domestic servants, especially if they were
skilful about a dairy, might get a free passage to Melbourne, by
applying to such a person, at such a place, and that their wages when
they got out to Australia would be from sixteen to twenty-five pounds
by the year. It was borne on my mind that I should go to Australia from
the moment I cast eyes on that paragraph in the paper. I did not just
believe everything that was in print, especially in the newspapers,
even in those days; for I knew the real size of the big turnip that was
grown in Mr. Henderson's field, and it was not much more than half what
the 'Courier' had it down for, but I felt convinced that I should
inquire about this matter of free passage to Australia. It was a
providence that Miss Thomson was stopping in the house at the time, for
she was a woman of by-ordinary discretion and great kindness; so I