n I first saw her at Mrs. Williams's!' said
Mr. Davis. 'You have slept well, girl, I'll answer for it.'

'Yes, sir,' I replied. 'I have slept better than I did all the time I
was at Mr. Smith's.'

'I knew she would sleep well upon the sweet hay,' said Mrs. Davis. 'But,
come, child, take your breakfast. It is almost time you should be gone.'

Breakfast being soon over, I accompanied the children to the garden,
where, having conducted me to Mr. Joseph, they went to their own work in
another part of the grounds.

Mr. Joseph was a grave man, between fifty and sixty years of age. He
superintended all the work of the garden. Some of the children he
instructed himself in what they were to do, and some he put under the
care of other people. He had read a good deal, and understood botany,
and knew the Latin names of all the trees and plants in the garden. That
Mr. Freeman had sent me to be under his own care, I was very glad, for
he seemed a very good-natured man. After a little conversation, in which
he asked me if I could read, if I knew anything about gardening, and a
few more of the like questions, he set me to pick the weeds and stones
out of a bed of pinks, and, having shown me how to do it, he left me to
myself. I worked diligently at my new employment (frequently
congratulating myself on the happy change I had made). The clock struck
twelve, when we all went home to dinner. One hour was allowed for that
repast. When I returned in the afternoon, Mr. Joseph came to see what I
had done. He commended my diligence, and, as the first bed was
tolerably well weeded, he told me to go on to the next, and I was again
left to myself.

In high spirits at being praised, which was quite a new thing to me, I
worked on all the afternoon till about four o'clock, when it became too
dark to distinguish plants from weeds; then, in company with the
children, I returned home to Davis's cottage. What a delightful contrast
did this cottage present to the miserable shop and parlour at Smith's!
There everything was spoiled by dirt and confusion: here all was clean.
The brick floor was nicely swept and sanded, a cheerful fire blazed in
the grate, and the tea, with plenty of coarse bread and salt butter, was
ready upon the table, and the countenances of the family expressed
health and contentment. After tea was over I again offered my services
to Mrs. Davis to assist her in her sewing. They were willingly accepted,
and this evening passed as th