de upon him; but I never wearied so long as
I had Dolly beside me. She could not read herself, but she was very fond
of hearing me read to her, and though I could not do it very well then,
I managed to make out the stories. Then your grandmamma had taught me a
number of hymns, and I used to repeat them, and sometimes to sing them,
which pleased Dolly very much. I think it was overhearing me singing
one of the hymns that made Uncle John take notice of me at last. He
used to shut himself in his study, and I scarcely ever saw him from one
week's end to the other; but one day as he was going up-stairs I had
been singing, and he came into the parlour, and, taking me on his knee,
asked me to sing the hymn over again. I was a little nervous at first,
but grandmamma had always told me to do the best I could when asked to
repeat or sing a hymn, and I did so now. I suppose the words of the hymn
pleased him, for from that time he always had me to dine with him; and
he had such a kind manner, that I soon recovered from my shyness, and
used to sit on his knee and prattle away to him as if he had been your
grandpapa, and I had known him all my life. It made Dolly so pleased,
too, for she said her master was beginning to look quite like his old
self; and she only hoped your grandmamma would allow me to stay ever so
long with him.

"One day Uncle John returned earlier than usual, and calling Dolly,
said, 'Get Miss Lilian ready to go out. Mrs. Berkley wishes me to spend
the afternoon there, and I think it will do the child good. I fear she
has had but a dull time of it lately.'

"'Oh, please don't say that, uncle!' I exclaimed. 'I would rather stay
at home with Dolly;' for the thought of the grand Mrs. Berkley, who came
into church with her powdered footman carrying her Bible behind her,
frightened me.

"'No, no, my child; you must go with me,' said Uncle John quietly. 'It
isn't good for you to be so much alone. You will have a good romp with
some young people who are staying with Mrs. Berkley at present.'

"'But I shall be beside you, Uncle John, shall I not?' I asked, with
trembling lip.

"'Why! are you afraid, dear? Come, come, this will never do; what is
there to make you afraid? I am quite sure you will be sorry to leave
when the hour comes for returning here.'

"Mrs. Berkley's house stood upon a rising ground having a beautiful view
of the sea. The rectory was about a mile inland from it; but though I
had been very anxious