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Thursday,

The seventh Day.

THE next day, after the morning lessons were finished, the little party returned again to their arbour; when Miss Jenny Peace asked Miss Henny Fret if she should have any objection to relate the chief circumstances of her life, as it was now come to her turn.

The little girl very modestly answered, that there was nothing in her life worth relating, for that she had always been a very naughty child: but that she was willing to do any thing which might be required of her for the satisfaction of her school-fellows.

The Description of Miss Henny Fret.

MISS HENNY FRET was not yet nine years of age. She was one of those children whose good looks entirely depend on the state of their mind, there being nothing remarkable, either one way or other, in her person; therefore, as she had hitherto been carelessly brought up, and allowed to indulge every evil passion incident to our fallen nature, she had passed, in general, for a plain, insignificant, unpleasant little girl. She had moreover acquired a habit of raising her upper lip in such a manner as constantly to show her teeth;

added to which there was a certain fretfulness and anxiety about her countenance which had not yet wholly given way to the better mode of treatment she had received under Mrs. Teachum's care. She was now however evidently struggling with her temper, and sometimes with so much success as to render the whole expression of her countenance agreeable; and, in consequence, she appeared, at times, quite another child.

The Life of Miss Henny Fret.

66

"I HAD one brother," said Miss Henny, as Miss Jenny Peace had; but my manner of living with him was quite the reverse of that in which she lived with her brother. I was also managed in a very different way from that which was adopted in Miss Jenny's case; for all my praise or blame was to arise from my being better or worse than my brother.

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"If I was guilty of any fault, it was immediately said, O! fie, Miss! Master George would not be guilty of such a thing for the world.' If he was carried abroad, while I was kept at home, then I was bemoaned or encouraged in such terms as these 'Poor Miss Henny is left at home, and her brother is carried abroad! but, on one of these days, she shall go abroad, and her brother be left at home,' Hence it happened, that whenever I went abroad, my greatest joy was, that he was left at home; and it pleased me to see him come to the coach-door with a melancholy air, and full of sorrow because he could not go too. If my brother happened to have any fruit given

him, and, being in a peevish humour, would not allow me as much of it as I desired, the servant that attended me was sure to bid me take care, when I had any thing he wanted, not to give him any so that I thought, if I did not endeavour to be revenged on him, I should show a want of spirit, which was of all things what I dreaded

most.

"I had a better memory than my brother; so that whenever I learned any thing, my comfort was to laugh at him, because he could not learn so fast but while I got a good deal by rote, I neither minded what I learned, nor took any pains to retain it. And thus, what I was eager to learn one day, in order to show George how much cleverer I was than himself, I forgot the next.

66

Being a great favourite in the house, I was never denied any thing I asked for; but I was nevertheless very unhappy, for the same reason that Miss Dolly Friendly's sister was so. I have even sometimes sat down and cried, because I did not know what I would have: till at last, I grew so peevish and humoursome, as to be always on the fret. In this unhappy condition I lived till I came to school and here finding that the other young ladies wanted to have their humours indulged as well as myself, I became more miserable than ever, and continued so till our happy reconciliation took place; when I was taught that God would help me to behave better, if I would but ask him."

Here Miss Henny Fret ceasing, Miss Jenny Peace thus addressed the little party : "We have all, my dear school-fellows, abundant reason to

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MISS POLLY SUCKLING was not six years of age, and so short of her age, that few people took her to be much above four. She had the most exactly proportioned limbs in the world, very small bones, and was as fat as a little cherub. She was extremely fair, her hair quite flaxen, her eyes a dark blue, her lips plump and red, and when she smiled, she seemed to show a hundred dimples. She was, in short, the very picture of health and infantine beauty, and was the plaything of the whole school.

The Life of Miss Polly Suckling.

"I Do not know much of myself," said little Polly, " only that I do not remember my poor mamma, for she died a great many years ago. But papa loves me very much, and I love my

papa; and I love my governess, and my schoolfellows, but Miss Jenny best of all. And I should like to be good, and hope that God will help me to be good; for my governess says, that God loves little children, and that the Lord Jesus Christ died to save us from going to hell."

When little Polly had finished her short story, all her companions kissed her; and Miss Jenny especially testified much tenderness towards her, taking her in her arms, and saying, "God will bless you, my little darling, and will make you good; for he carrieth the lambs in his arms, and they who seek him early shall assuredly find him."

By this time the dinner bell rang; and when the little party had assembled at table, Mrs. Teachum informed them that she expected a person upon particular business in the afternoon, whose presence would prevent her usual attentions to them; and that therefore she should send them, under the care of a servant, to convey to the old woman at the dairy-house, a certain book of devotions which she had promised her.

The young people heard this proposal with joy; and little Polly assured her governess, that she would not say one word to the old woman about her gray hairs and her shaking head.

Dinner being ended, they soon appeared ready for their walk; when they set out, attended by two maid-servants. As soon as they arrived at the dairy-house, the good old woman expressed great pleasure in seeing them, and told little Polly, that she should have plenty of cream and strawberries, for her daughter had been that day in the

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