at
all of either roast beef or plum-pudding at the sheep-shearing.

My sister and I were permitted to sit up till it was almost dark, to
see the company at supper. They sate at a long oak table, which was
finely carved, and as bright as a looking-glass.

I obtained a great deal of praise that day, because I replied so
prettily when I was spoken to. My sister was more shy than me; never
having lived in London was the reason of that. After the happiest day
bedtime will come! We sate up late; but at last grandmamma sent us to
bed: yet though we went to bed we heard many charming songs sung: to
be sure we could not distinguish the words, which was a pity, but the
sound of their voices was very loud and very fine indeed.

The common supper that we had every night was very cheerful. Just
before the men came out of the field, a large faggot was flung on the
fire; the wood used to crackle and blaze, and smell delightfully: and
then the crickets, for they loved the fire, they used to sing, and old
Spot, the shepherd, who loved the fire as well as the crickets did,
he used to take his place in the chimney corner; after the hottest
day in summer, there old Spot used to sit. It was a seat within the
fire-place, quite under the chimney, and over his head the bacon hung.

When old Spot was seated, the milk was hung in a skillet over the
fire, and then the men used to come and sit down at the long white
table.

* * * * *

_Pardon me, my dear Louisa, that I interrupted you here. You are a
little woman now to what you were then; and I may say to you, that
though I loved to hear you prattle of your early recollections, I
thought I perceived some ladies present were rather weary of hearing
so much of the visit to grandmamma. You may remember I asked you some
questions concerning your papa and your mamma, which led you to speak
of your journey home: but your little town-bred head was so full of
the pleasures of a country life, that you first made many apologies
that you were unable to tell what happened during the harvest, as
unfortunately you were fetched home the very day before it began._

III

ANN WITHERS

(_By Mary Lamb_)

My name you know is Withers, but as I once thought I was the daughter
of sir Edward and lady Harriot Lesley, I shall speak of myself as
miss Lesley, and call sir Edward and lady Harriot my father and
mother during the period I supposed them entitled to those belov