he kitchen, and who now rushed upon the scene, followed
by three rude children, from six to ten years of age, a girl, and two
impudent-looking boys, who ranged themselves in front of Mrs. Lyndsay,
with open mouths, and eyes distended with eager curiosity, in order to
attract her observation, and indulge themselves in a downright stare.

"Well, my good woman, and what is your business with me?" said Flora,
not at all prepossessed by any of the group.

"Are you the mistress?" asked the woman, dropping a curtsy.

Flora answered in the affirmative.

"My business is to go to Canady; but I have not the means. I am a poor
widow; my husband died of the fever three years ago, and left me with
these children to drag along the best way I could. We have had hard
times, I can tell you, Ma'am, and I should be main glad to better my
condition, which I think I might do, if I could get out to Canady. I
heard that you wanted a nurse for your baby during the voyage, and I
should be glad to engage with you, if we can agree as to the terms."

"What are your terms?"

"For you, Ma'am, to pay the passage of me and the three children over,
and I to attend upon you and the child."

"But, my good woman, I have only one little child for you to take charge
of, and you cannot expect me, for the trifling services that you could
render, to pay your passage over, and that of your family?"

"Sure, you might be glad of the chance," said the sturdy dame. "It is
not everybody that would take service with you to go there. I should not
trouble you longer than the voyage. I have friends of my own at
Montreal, who have written for me to come out to them; and so I would
long ago, if I had had the means."

"If they want you, they may pay your passage," said Flora, disgusted
with the selfishness of her new acquaintance. "It would be less trouble
to me to nurse my own child, than incur the responsibility of three that
did not belong to me."

The woman collected her young barbarians from the different quarters of
the room, where they were reconnoitring the attractions of the place,
and withdrew with a scowl; and Flora's nurse, Mrs. Clarke, shortly after
entered the room, with little Josephine in her arms.

"Well, nurse," said Flora, giving way to a hearty laugh, "did you see
those queer people, who want me to take them out as a venture to
Canada?"

"A losing speculation that would be, if we may judge by looks and
manners," said the old lady; "but, ind