dare to find fault with me at this rate? what, must I neither look nor speak? I suppose you would have me walk about with my eyes shut.

I beg your pardon, Charlotte, said I, if I have spoken harshly to you; but you were the friend of my early days, and although we have been but little together of late, yet I cannot but love you, and I wish, if possible, to convince you that you allow yourself in liberties, which you may think innocent, but for which I fear that you will be punished perhaps very severely after death. For although you are not so learned as the gentlefolks are, yet you have been taught to read your Bible; and it is your own fault if you are ignorant what is the duty of a christian. Surely, you have read in the Holy Scriptures, that "every manthat hath hope in God, purifieth himself as

he is pure; "and again, "he that com

mitteth sin is of the Devil." 1 John iii. 3, 8. And pray, what sin have I committed, asked Charlotte.

You have allowed your thoughts to be employed, my dear Charlotte, said I, by very vain and improper subjects. Your heart has been occupied by this stranger, although God has commanded you to 66 set your affection on things above, not on things" on the earth." Col. iii. 2. You have

broken this commandment of God, and unless you resolve to repent, and to think no more of these vain things, I fear that you will make yourself not only miserable in this world, but in that which is to come. For the holy apostle St. Paul says, "to be carnally minded is death." Rom. viii. 6.

Charlotte made no answer, but stared at me, as if instead of repeating the words of God, I had been saying some very foolish thing. And at that moment my mistress knocked at the door.

Charlotte ran to open it, very glad I believe to break off her discourse with me.

In came Mrs. Bennet with a large roll of fine Irish cloth under her arm, which she laid upon a small table; and throwing herself upon a chair beside it, Now, girls, said she, guess for whom I am going to make that set of shirts; look at the cloth first, see how fine and even it is, and tell me who you think it fit for.

Charlotte said she presumed it was for the 'squire of the next village, and I guessed the worthy Dean the Rector of our parish.

Mrs. Bennet laughed, and clapping her hand on the cloth, said, You are both mistaken; it is for a finer gentleman than either of these. Why, Charlotte, I wonder you cannot think of him, for I have a pretty shrewd guess that he is often upper

most in your mind; and then she laughed again.

I returned to my ironing without saying another word, and Charlotte after thinking some time, cried Why, surely it is not for the Captain?

You have it now, said my mistress: mercer Smith called me in to day as I was passing by, and told me that the Captain wanted to speak to me. I wondered what he could have to say to me; but it was about these shirts; he desired to have two of them made and washed by next Sunday morning. So, Susan, you must set to work by day-break; you have but three days to do them in, for I cannot help you. I am going out to-morrow, and we must not disoblige his honour for worlds.

Oh! Mrs. Bennet, said Charlotte, if you will give me leave, I will come to-morrow and help Susan; it would be a pleasure to me to work for so fine a gentleman.

I thank you, Charlotte, said I, I shall want no help.

Mind that, said my mistress; she takes such pleasure in working for this smart youth, that she will not have your help, Charlotte.

Charlotte laughed.

But I will not repeat all their free jests. Oh! how truly did the wise king Solomon

say, "That the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord." Prov. xv. 26. Charlotte insisted upon helping me in my work; and as it was very late, Mrs. Bennet asked her to stop with her all night.

When I had finished my ironing, and had got them their suppers, I asked leave to go to bed, that I might hear no more of their wicked talk; and when I was alone in my little room, I knelt down and prayed to God always to remember me, and to save me from being corrupted by this evil world. And having sung the evening hymn, I laid me down in bed, and slept most pleasantly.

Early the next morning I began my work; and had done a great deal before Mrs. Bennet and Charlotte came down to breakfast.

As soon as breakfast was over, my mistress went out, and Charlotte and I sat down to work before the door. We were for some time silent; at length Charlotte throwing down her work, took out of her pocket a small pattern of flowered silk, which she shewed me, asking me how I liked it? It is very pretty, said J.

Should you not like a gown of it? No, I answered; I think that a silk gown would not become a poor servant.

Why, as you are a servant, it might not suit you; but I shall very soon have a gown of it, said she. Mrs. Hall, the pawnbroker,

has one to part with as good as new, and she has promised to let me have it for a guinea and a half.

A guinea and a half! I cried; what a large sum! you will never be able to raise it.

And why not? said Charlotte: I have already given Mrs. Hall half a guinea towards it, and I know that I shall soon be able to raise the guinea. But you must not say any thing about it, for my mother is not to know at present.

Oh! Charlotte, said I, what are you about to do? in what way can you get the money unknown to your mother? And can you be so mean and foolish as to deceive your mother for the sake of a silk gown?

Lord bless me! why what is the matter now? why I shall shew my mother the gown as soon as I have got it; and tell her that I paid for it out of the money which my uncles, and aunts, and grandfather had given me, and which I shall say I saved up. And she will not ask many questions, for she will be so pleased to see me so smart.

And can you resolve to offend God, I said, to deceive your mother, and perhaps to be punished for ever in another world, for the sake of a silk gown, which in a few years will fade and wear away, and will be good for nothing but to be thrown aside?

As to deceiving my mother, answered