to overcome me, and I dropped my face on her bosom, as she sat by me. In the mean time, the old woman gave us an account of the death of my governess, which she represented as having been very sudden. "Ah! madam," she added, addressing my aunt, "unless you had seen it, I could give you no notion of the very happy way in which the old lady lived with her little people. Every morning in summer, and every afternoon when the windows were open, I used to hear the sweet sounds of these children's voices lifted up to heaven in songs of praise; and then they were so kind to the poor, so smiling, so gentle, so polite, so fond of each other, and of their governess. Ah! ladies, it was a sore day when this little family was broken up, and their tender mother and faithful friend laid low in the dust. And now, miss," she said, "now I never more hear those songs of praise issuing from the windows, and no sweet infant faces are ready to smile upon me as I enter these garden gates.' "Oh! my aunt, my aunt," I said, "I could bear all this, if it were not for the recollection of my ill-behaviour and ingratitude when residing under this roof." I then rose up with the intention of revisiting our school-room, my little bed-room, the terrace, and the alcove, but my heart failed me and being wholly overcome with painful reflections, I returned to the coach, whither I was soon followed by my aunt, who waited only to give the old woman a present before she followed me. From that period I made it my business to seek out my school-fellows, but never could meet with any but Olivia, who has become a very amiable young woman, and was not sorry to improve her acquaintance with me, especially when she found the change, which, through the divine blessing, had taken place in my feelings. Olivia often visited me at Hartley Hall, and we often talked of the days which were past; but although we took the utmost pains to trace out Anna and little Minny, we never could discover what had become of them: it seems that they had left the country, immediately after the death of my governess, but whither they went, or what became of them, we never could make out. Thus with respect to these young people, we were left without other comfort than that which we were able to derive from Scripture, wherein, in many passages, the Almighty promises his protection to the orphans and faVOL. V.-N therless, and especially to those who are of the seed of the righteous: "The poor committeth himself unto thee for thou art the helper of the fatherless” (Psalm x. 14.) ; "I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." Psalm xxxvii. 25. Olivia was much with me during my youth; she often was our visiter for weeks at Hartley Hall, and I have, in return, spent many happy hours in the peagreen tea-room at her father's house. She was a particularly pleasant companion, both to me and to my aunt, because she possessed a larger share of Christian humility and simplicity than any young person I ever met with, always excepting the beloved Anna. These qualities I always attributed, under the divine blessing, to the instruction she had received at school, and to her early intercourse with Anna, the charming young creature above-mentioned. Olivia was accordingly my frequent companion in youth, and our friendship continued after we were both married, and became mothers: neither was there any interruption of our friendly intercourse till death deprived me of this my cherished friend. It is some years since I lost my Olivia, but as I was her frequent companion during her gradual progress from youth to age, I have not that clear remembrance of her in her sweet girlish days, as I have of the lovely Anna, whose sweet figure and charming countenance is almost now present with me, as she stood under my window, blooming and sparkling with innocent delight, and crowned with her basket of roses. Nor can I, even to this moment, call this lovely creature to remembrance, without shedding tears of regret for the pain I gave her, and for my ingratitude to her beloved aunt. And now, my gentle reader, having accomplished the task I proposed to myself, and set before you such passages of my life as were necessary to my purpose, I proceed to point out the end which I had in view in setting myself this task: namely, that I might afford a warning to young people :-that from the knowledge of what I have suffered at times through life, from the recollection of my proud and ungrateful conduct towards the friends of my youth, they may learn to avoid offences of the same nature towards their parents and instructers: for, let them be assured, that these faults, which now may appear so light to them, will, at some future time, arise like serpents, and sting them to the heart. and now am old, yet hav saken, nor his seed begging with me during my you for weeks at Hartley H many happy hours in - father's house. She wa anion, both to me and to my a larger share of Christi an any young person I er the beloved Anna. Thes under the divine blessing eived at school, and to hers the charming young ia was accordingly my i d our friendship continue and became mothers tion of our friendly inte this my cherished frien lost my Olivia, but as I ng her gradual progres hat clear remembrance as I have of the lovel arming countenance is she stood under my with innocent delig f roses. Nor can le ly creature to rement egret for the pain I gave er beloved aunt. er, having accomplished and set before you suct necessary to my purp I which I had in view ely, that I might affor that from the knowledg es through life, from the ingrateful conduct tom they may learn to a towards their parents assured, that these fa t to them, will, at some and sting them to the heat |