erstand me, to mend my clothes, and to read in old
school-books of the children's that were lying about, and never looked
into by their owners. All the books I had ever read were the Bible,
Testament, Prayer Book, and the spelling-book. The old books belonging
to the children were an abridgment of the history of England, a small
geography, and a little book of poetry. I took such pleasure in reading
these books that I could soon repeat the whole pages of them without a
single mistake, and the poetry I soon learned from the beginning to the
ending of the book.

The flower season was now advanced, and ladies and gentlemen came to
walk in the garden, and to buy flowers. I was always anxious to see
them, that I might have an opportunity of observing if any of the
gentlemen resembled my father's portrait. Mr. Joseph, who knew my story,
was so good-natured as to send me to them with flowers, and, as I was
always particular to keep myself neat and clean, the ladies were rather
pleased with my attendance than otherwise. One day, when I carried a
large quantity of flowers to a party, one of the gentlemen said:

'This little damsel is the finest plant in the whole garden, for she
carries violets in her eyes and roses upon her cheeks.'

The ladies laughed at what they called his compliment, while I was so
much abashed that, giving the flowers into the hands of one of the
ladies, I retreated to a distant part of the garden. After this I made
my observations at a greater distance, but, alas! among the hundreds who
visited the garden, I could not discover one who resembled the portrait.

Thus employed, my days flew rapidly past, and I was so happy that,
unless it had been to discover my father, I did not wish for any change
in my situation; but clouds of sorrow again gathered around me, and I
was soon very unhappy. My unhappiness arose from two causes: the first
was that most of the children envied me on account of the partiality
shown me by Mr. Joseph, and would jeer at me because I was called Lady
Anne. Mr. Davis's children were not among the number of these, for, on
account of my mending their clothes, they were upon very good terms with
me. The second cause of my unhappiness was of a more serious nature, and
arose from what I could not have expected, and from what I could not and
would not alter, as I shall soon explain.

As the summer advanced, such of the children as were turned of twelve
years of age, and were able to carr