er
naughty behaviour had no effect upon her aunt, who continued dressing
herself, and when she had finished, went out of the room without
noticing it. Fanny being left alone, and finding that no one attended to
her tears, at length began to dress, and after she had remained quiet
for some time, a servant was sent up to assist her. She then went down
stairs, and when she entered the parlour, her aunt said to her, "I am
sorry you have been so long dressing, because I have breakfasted; the
things are removed, and I cannot suffer them to be brought up again this
morning. I am going out, and if you like to accompany me, I will shew
you the village, and we will visit some of the cottagers who are
employed in making lace, their work, I assure you, is very beautiful."

Fanny was greatly disappointed at being deprived of her breakfast, but
she fetched her bonnet and followed her aunt. She was quite delighted
with her walk, and on her return to the house was very glad to see a
plate of bread and fruit on the table. After she had eaten as much as
she chose, Mrs. Benson shewed her some pictures, and she remained a
tolerably good girl during the rest of the day.

The following morning, when Mrs. Benson desired Fanny to read, she was
very naughty, and would not say a letter. "Well," said her aunt, "if you
will not read you shall neither play nor walk, so when I go out I shall
leave you at home." Fanny persisted in her ill-humour, and was therefore
obliged to spend the morning alone, instead of enjoying a pleasant
ramble in the fields. When Mrs. Benson returned, she asked her niece if
she would then try to read, "because," added she "till you have done
so, you may be assured I will grant you no amusement." Fanny perceiving
that her aunt was quite determined to keep her word, at length took up
the book and read as well as she could. Mrs. Benson, pleased with her
compliance, made no allusion to her former obstinacy, but gave her a
pretty sattin pincushion, telling her that if she would try to be a good
child she should love her dearly.

From this time Fanny began to amend; at first she found it very
difficult to restrain her temper, but the more she tried, the easier she
found the task: and though during the first few months of her residence
at Mrs. Benson's she frequently forgot the good resolutions she had
formed, yet she was always sincerely sorry for her faults, and
endeavoured to make amends by doing whatever she thought would re