can't get a passage to you. But may be
my master won't refuse to let John bring me. I can ride behind him, I
believe, well enough; for he is very careful, and very honest; and you
know John as well as I; for he loves you both. Besides, may be, Mrs.
Jervis can put me in some way.

LETTER XXIV

DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,

I shall write on, as long as I stay, though I should have nothing but
silliness to write; for I know you divert yourselves on nights with
what I write, because it is mine. John tells me how much you long for
my coming; but he says, he told you he hoped something would happen to
hinder it.

I am glad you did not tell him the occasion of my coming away; for if
my fellow-servants should guess, it were better so, than to have it from
you or me. Besides, I really am concerned, that my master should
cast away a thought upon such a poor creature as me; for, besides the
disgrace, it has quite turned his temper; and I begin to believe what
Mrs. Jervis told me, that he likes me, and can't help it; and yet
strives to conquer it; and so finds no way but to be cross to me.

Don't think me presumptuous and conceited; for it is more my concern
than my pride, to see such a gentleman so demean himself, and lessen
the regard he used to have in the eyes of all his servants, on my
account.--But I am to tell you of my new dress to day.

And so, when I had dined, up stairs I went, and locked myself into my
little room. There I tricked myself up as well as I could in my new
garb, and put on my round-eared ordinary cap; but with a green knot,
however, and my homespun gown and petticoat, and plain leather shoes;
but yet they are what they call Spanish leather; and my ordinary hose,
ordinary I mean to what I have been lately used to; though I shall think
good yarn may do very well for every day, when I come home. A plain
muslin tucker I put on, and my black silk necklace, instead of the
French necklace my lady gave me; and put the ear-rings out of my ears;
and when I was quite equipped, I took my straw hat in my hand, with
its two blue strings, and looked about me in the glass, as proud as any
thing--To say truth, I never liked myself so well in my life.

O the pleasure of descending with ease, innocence, and
resignation!--Indeed, there is nothing like it! An humble mind, I
plainly see, cannot meet with any very shocking disappointment, let
fortune's wheel turn round as it will.

So I went down to look for Mrs. Jer