he
faithful and tender behaviour of a good old servant, who had long lived
in his lord's family, with many other passages in the play (which I
cannot explain, unless you knew the whole story) made me cry, so that I
could hardly stop my tears.'

'Pray, Miss Jenny, let us hear this play, that had such an effect on
you,' was the general request; and Miss Jenny readily promised, when
they met in their arbour, to read it to them.

They eagerly ran to their arbour as soon as school was over, and Miss
Jenny performed her promise, and was greatly pleased to find such a
sympathy between her companions and herself; for they were most of them
affected just in the same manner, and with the same parts of the play,
as had before affected her.

By the time they had wiped their eyes, and were rejoicing at the turn
at the end of the play, in favour of the characters with which they were
most pleased, Mrs. Teachum entered the arbour, and inquired what they
had been reading. Miss Jenny immediately told her, adding, 'I hope,
Madam, you will not think reading a play an improper amusement for us;
for I should be very sorry to be guilty myself, or cause my companions
to be guilty, of any thing that would meet with your disapprobation.'
Mrs. Teachum answered, that she was not at all displeased with her
having read a play, as she saw by her fear of offending, that her
discretion was to be trusted to. 'Nay (continued this good woman), I
like that you should know something of all kinds of writings, where
neither morals nor manners are offended; for if you read plays, and
consider them as you ought, you will neglect and despise what is light
and useless, whilst you will imprint on your mind's every useful lesson
that is to be drawn from them. I am very well acquainted with the play
you have been reading; but that I may see whether you give the proper
attention to what you have heard, I desire, my little girls, that one of
you will give me an account of the chief incidents in the play, and tell
me the story, just as you would do to one of your companions that had
happened to have been absent.'

Here they all looked upon Miss Jenny Peace, as thinking her the most
capable of doing what their governess required. But Mrs. Teachum,
reading their thoughts in their looks, said, 'I exclude Miss Jenny in
this case; for as the play was of her choosing to read to you, I doubt
not but she is thoroughly enough acquainted with every part of it; and
my desig