le, by drawing her hat over
it, "Ph[oe]be," said she, with all the composure she could assume, "is
the broth ready?" Ph[oe]be, with her usual gayety, called out to me to
come and assist, which I did, but so unskillfully, that she chid me for
my awkwardness.

It was an interesting sight to see one of the blooming sisters lift the
dying woman in her bed, and support her with her arm, while the other
fed her, her own weak hand being unequal to the task. At that moment,
how little did the splendors and vanities of life appear in my eyes! and
how ready was I to exclaim with Wolsey,

Vain pomp and glory of the world, I hate you.

When they had finished their pious office, I inquired if the poor woman
had no attendant. Ph[oe]be, who was generally the chief speaker, said,
"she has a good daughter, who is out at work by day, but takes care of
her mother at night; but she is never left alone, for she has a little
grand-daughter who attends her in the mean time; but as she is obliged
to go once a day to the Grove to fetch provisions, we generally contrive
to send her while we are here, that Dame Alice may never be left alone."

While we were talking, I heard a little weary step, painfully climbing
up the stairs, and looked round, expecting to see the grand-daughter;
but it was little Kate Stanley, with a lap full of dried sticks, which
she had been collecting for the poor woman's fire. The sharp points of
the sticks had forced their way in many places through the white muslin
frock, part of which, together with her bonnet, she had left in the
hedge, which she had been robbing. At this loss she expressed not much
concern, but lamented not a little that sticks were so scarce; that she
feared the broth had been spoiled, from her being so long in picking
them, but _indeed_ she could not help it. I was pleased with these
under allotments, these low degrees in the scale of charity.

I had gently laid my roses on the hat of Miss Stanley, as it lay on the
Bible, and before we left the room, as I drew near the good old dame to
slip a couple of guineas into her hand, I had the pleasure of seeing
Lucilla, who thought herself unobserved, retire to the little window,
and fasten the roses into the crown of her hat like a garland. When the
grand-daughter returned loaded with the daily bounty from the Grove, we
took our leave, followed by the prayers and blessings of the good woman.

As we passed by the rose-tree, the orchard, and the co