ness of a calm and peaceful life, free from the
passions of thoughtless girls who place enjoyments in the gratification
of unreasonable desires.

_Judge._ Pray, Sally, proceed, and do not imagine you will be
troublesome to the court; there is nothing we can listen to with so much
pleasure as the language of reformation.

_Sally Delia._ I do not mention this out of vanity; only to induce the
court to believe that I do not this day appear here against Henry Lenox
out of any grudge whatever to his having been a witness against me. So
far from it, I consider him as my benefactor; I consider him as one of
those to whom I am indebted for my reformation. Happy shall I think
myself if I shall in any way contribute to his.

_Judge._ Your evidence cannot be disputed, and I doubt not the jury will
lay much stress on what you shall advance.

_Sally Delia._ It has lately been my custom in the evening to retire to
a little arbour behind the summer-house in the bottom of the garden. I
had this evening been so intent on what I was reading that I had stayed
longer than usual. In the midst of my thoughts I was interrupted by the
noise of somebody breaking through the bushes. I soon heard Henry
Lenox's voice, and that of some others whom I well knew. I soon found
the cause of their thus breaking out of their own bounds. They had some
secret to talk of. I sat as still as possible, fearing I might be
discovered, and heard Henry Lenox say, 'If you blow me, I never will
forgive you; besides, you will come in for a flogging as well as me.'
They all promised they never would puff; one said he never ate anything
sweeter in his life; another said it was sweeter because it was stolen;
and a fourth laughed heartily on thinking, when it was opened, how
foolish they must all look; it was, says the fifth, one of the
best----Here he stopped, for the foot of a person was heard coming down
the garden, when they all flew away, and got off unperceived by anyone
but myself. It was one of the maids, who was coming to look after me;
and my governess chid me for staying beyond the time allowed me. My
acknowledging my fault and asking pardon was thought a sufficient
atonement.

[Illustration: _'I was reading, and was interrupted by Henry Lenox and
three others talking over a secret.'--Page 64._]

_Judge._ Can you, from what you heard in the garden, take upon you to
say that Henry Lenox is certainly guilty of what is laid to his charge?

_Sally Delia._ H