ence has sent us a living. But now you had better take the
plates and things home, and see if you have not some of your clothes
that you can spare for this little girl. Jane, you can let her have your
old bonnet.'

'Yes, mother, and my blue spencer, too, for I have left off wearing it.
May I bring it?'

'Yes, and make haste, for the poor child is very cold, as you may see,
without a bit of a handkerchief on her neck this cold weather!'

The children packed up the plates and the remains of the dinner on a
tray, and took them to a room that their mother had at a small distance,
where they slept, cooked, etc., as they could not do anything of that
sort at the shop, on account of the fruit and flowers. The children soon
returned with a bundle of clothes, which, though old, were by no means
ragged, and, what was to me a great recommendation, they were all clean.
From these things Mrs. Williams gave me a tolerably good pair of
stockings and shoes, a very tidy straw bonnet with black ribbons, and a
blue cloth spencer. The stockings, shoes, and spencer. I put on
immediately, and felt so warm and comfortable that I seemed to myself
quite a different creature. I offered to Mrs. Williams the money that
had been collected for me in the morning, but she refused it, saying:

'No, my dear, keep your pence; you will want them when you are gone into
the country, and I cannot think of taking money from a poor friendless
child like you. I have children of my own, and can feel for other
people's.'

This good woman then made up the remainder of the things into a small
bundle, and told me that she should give them to me, and perhaps more,
when I left her, which would most likely be the following day.

'To-morrow is market morning,' said she. 'Several men that I know will
be here with their cartloads of vegetables from the country. There is
one in particular whom I think a very honest-hearted man. He is married,
and has children of his own, so he may feel for you. I mean to ask him
if he will try to get you employed at his master's, who has very
extensive grounds indeed, and raises vegetables, fruits, and flowers for
the London markets. He keeps more than fifty people employed about his
grounds, and I think it will be a hard case if he cannot find room for
you among them. What do you say, my girl? Will you like to be a
gardener?'

I replied that I did not know how to garden, but, if they would show me,
I would do all I could to learn.