ching as her appearance; I could not
help telling her how much she engaged my admiration--. "Oh! Miss Jane
(said I)--and stopped from an inability at the moment of expressing
myself as I could wish--Oh! Miss Jane--(I repeated)--I could not think
of words to suit my feelings--She seemed waiting for my speech--. I
was confused--distressed--my thoughts were bewildered--and I could only
add--"How do you do?" She saw and felt for my Embarrassment and with
admirable presence of mind releived me from it by saying--"My dear
Sophia be not uneasy at having exposed yourself--I will turn the
Conversation without appearing to notice it. "Oh! how I loved her for
her kindness!" Do you ride as much as you used to do?" said she--. "I
am advised to ride by my Physician. We have delightful Rides round us,
I have a Charming horse, am uncommonly fond of the Amusement, replied
I quite recovered from my Confusion, and in short I ride a great deal."
"You are in the right my Love," said she. Then repeating the following
line which was an extempore and equally adapted to recommend both Riding
and Candour--

"Ride where you may, Be Candid where you can," she added," I rode once,
but it is many years ago--She spoke this in so low and tremulous a
Voice, that I was silent--. Struck with her Manner of speaking I could
make no reply. "I have not ridden, continued she fixing her Eyes on my
face, since I was married." I was never so surprised--"Married, Ma'am!"
I repeated. "You may well wear that look of astonishment, said she,
since what I have said must appear improbable to you--Yet nothing is
more true than that I once was married."

"Then why are you called Miss Jane?"

"I married, my Sophia without the consent or knowledge of my father the
late Admiral Annesley. It was therefore necessary to keep the secret
from him and from every one, till some fortunate opportunity might offer
of revealing it--. Such an opportunity alas! was but too soon given in
the death of my dear Capt. Dashwood--Pardon these tears, continued Miss
Jane wiping her Eyes, I owe them to my Husband's memory. He fell my
Sophia, while fighting for his Country in America after a most happy
Union of seven years--. My Children, two sweet Boys and a Girl, who
had constantly resided with my Father and me, passing with him and with
every one as the Children of a Brother (tho' I had ever been an only
Child) had as yet been the comforts of my Life. But no sooner had
I lossed my Henry, tha