shop and purchased two peasant dresses which he thought would fit
the two boys, and at another he bought similar apparel for the two
girls. Then with several other ready-made articles, and some other
things which were required for the household, he made a large package,
which he put upon the pony, and taking the bridle, set off home, and
arrived in time to superintend the cooking of the dinner, which was this
day venison-steaks fried in a pan, and boiled potatoes.

When dinner was over he opened his bundle, and told the little ones that
now they were to live in a cottage they ought to wear cottage clothes,
and that he had brought them some to put on, which they might rove about
the woods in, and not mind tearing them. Alice and Edith went into the
bedroom, and Alice dressed Edith and herself, and came out quite pleased
with their change of dress. Humphrey and Edward put theirs on in the
sitting-room, and they all fitted pretty well, and certainly were very
becoming to the children.

"Now, recollect, you are all my grandchildren," said Jacob; "for I shall
no longer call you Miss and Master--that we never do in a cottage. You
understand me, Edward, of course?" added Jacob.

Edward nodded his head, and Jacob telling the children that they might
now go out of the cottage and play, they all set off quite delighted
with clothes which procured them their liberty.

We must now describe the cottage of Jacob Armitage, in which the
children have in future to dwell. As we said before, it contained a
large sitting-room, or kitchen, in which were a spacious hearth and
chimney, table, stools, cupboards, and dressers; the two bedrooms which
adjoined it were now appropriated, one for Jacob and the other for the
two boys; the third, or inner bedroom, was arranged for the two girls,
as being more retired and secure. But there were outhouses belonging to
it: a stall, in which White Billy, the pony, lived during the winter; a
shed and pigsty rudely constructed, with an enclosed yard attached to
them; and it had, moreover, a piece of ground of more than an acre, well
fenced in to keep out the deer and game, the largest portion of which
was cultivated as a garden and potato-ground, and the other, which
remained in grass, contained some fine old apple and pear trees. Such
was the domicile; the pony, a few fowls, a sow and two young pigs, and
the dog Smoker, were the animals on the establishment. Here Jacob
Armitage had been born--f