Agnes Grey

e dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut. Whether this be the case with my history or not, I am h

ictitious names, I do not fear to venture; and will candidly lay bef

squire's daughter, and a woman of spirit. In vain it was represented to her, that if she became the poor parson's wife, she must relinquish her carriage and her lady's-maid, and all the luxuries and elegancies of affluence; which to her were little less than the necessaries of life. A carriage and

lf: and if she would but consent to embellish his humble hearth he should be happy to take her on any terms; while she, on her part, would rather labour with her own hands than be divided from the man she loved, whose happiness it would be her joy to make, and who was already one with her in heart and soul. So her fortune went to swell the purse of a wiser

ars, was always regarded as the child, and the pet of the family: father, mother, and sister, all combined to spoil me-not by foolish indulgence, to render

ety in the neighbourhood, our only intercourse with the world consisted in a stately tea-party, now and then, with the principal farmers and tradespeople of the vicinity (just to avoid being stigmatized as too proud to consort with our neighbours), and an annual visit to our paternal grandfather's; where himself, our k

the augmentation of his little fortune, for her sake and ours. In vain my mother assured him she was quite satisfied; and if he would but lay by a little for the children, we should all have plenty, both for time present and to come: but saving was not my father's forte. He would not run in debt (at least, my

hat straitened in his mercantile pursuits for want of capital; but generously proposed to give my father a fair share of his profits, if he would only entrust him with what he could spare; and he thought he might safely promise that whatever sum the latter c

ously restricting our expenditure to that; so, with a standing bill at Mr. Jackson's, another at Smith's, and a third at Hobson's, we got along even more comfortably than before: though my mother affirmed we had better

n for our goodly superstructure than the riches that were expected to flow in upon us from the success of the worthy merchant's speculations. Our father was nearly as bad as ourselves; only that he affected not to be so much in earnest: expressing his bright hopes and sanguine expectations in jests and playful sallies,

cked, and gone to the bottom with all its stores, together with several of the crew, and the unfortunate merchant himself. I was grieve

hrown upon our own resources. I only wished papa, mamma, and Mary were all of the same mind as myself; and then, instead of lamenting past calamities we might all cheerfully set to work to

. I could not possibly bring her to regard the matter on its bright side as I did: and indeed I was so fearful of being charged with childish frivoli

present distress. He now tormented himself with remorse at having neglected my mother's advice; which would at least have saved him from the additional burden of debt-he vainly reproached himself for having brought her from the dignity, the ease, the luxury of her former station to toil with him through the cares and toils of poverty. It was gall and wormwood to his soul to see that splendid, highly-accomplished woman, once so courted and admired, transformed into an active managing housewife, with hands and head continually occupied with household labours and household economy. The very willingness with wh

on his parish duties, or confined to bed through illness-then we sat with our feet on the fender, scraping the perishing embers together from time to time, and occasionally adding a slight scattering of the dust and fragments of coal, just to keep them alive. As for our carpets, they in time were worn threadbare, and patched and darned even to a greater extent than our garments. To save the expense of a gardener, Mary and I undertook to keep the garden in order; and all the cooking and household work that could not easily be managed by one servant-girl, was done by my mother and sister, with a little occasional help from me: only a little, because, though a woman in my own estimation, I was still a child in t

ke a walk with me; she says you may well look thin

and I cannot go out with you

et me h

ild. Go and practise your mu

it was far easier to do the work themselves than to prepare it for me: and besides, they liked better to see me prosecuting my studies, or amusing myself-it was time enough for me to sit bending over my work, l

f incalculable service to him. But then, you see, there's no money,' she added, with a sigh. We both wished exceedingly that the thing might be done, and lamented greatly that it could not. 'Well, well!' said she, 'it's no use complaining. Possibly something might be done to further the project

f you think they could be sold;

dear: do you procure the drawings, a

uld do somet

choose some simple piece for your subject, I daresay you will

head, mamma, and have had long, o

ay tell us

ike to be a

d. My sister dropped her work in astonishment, exclaimin

to be able to instruct great girls; but surely I could teach little ones:

of yourself yet: and young children require more

re of myself, and others too. You do not know half the wisd

r mamma to speak and act for you-with a parcel of children, besides yourself, to atten

have no judgment of my own: but only try me-tha

red and the subject of our di

!' cried he, and, in spite of his

inst it: I should like it so much; and

glistened in his eye as he added-'No, no! afflicted

merely a whim of her own. So you must hold your tongue, you naughty girl; for,

and something to comfort and help my father, mother, and sister, besides exonerating them from the provision of my food and clothing; to show papa what his little Agnes could do; to convince mamma and Mary that I was not quite the helpless, thoughtless being they supposed. And then, how charming to be entrusted with the care and education of children! Whatever others said, I felt I was fully competent to the task: the clear remembran

ghtfu

young idea

nts, and watch their bu

for me. She wrote to my father's relations, and consulted the newspaper advertisements-her own relations she had long dropped all communication with: a formal interchange of occasional letters was all she had ever had since her marriage, and she would not at any time have applied to them in a case of this nature. But so long and so entire had been my parents' seclusion from the world, that many weeks elapsed before a suitable situation could be procured. At last, to my great joy, it was decr

ed to peck their food from our hands: I had given a farewell stroke to all their silky backs as they crowded in my lap. I had tenderly kissed my own peculiar favourites, the pair of snow-white fantails; I had played my last tune on the old familiar piano, and sung my last song to papa: not the last, I hoped, but the last for what appeared to me a very long time. And, perhaps, when I did these things again it would be with different feelings: circumstances might be changed, and this house might never be my settled home again. My dear little friend, the kitten, would certainly be changed: she was already growing a fine cat; and when I returned, even for a hasty visit at Christmas, would, most likely, have forgotten both her playmate and her merry pranks. I had romped with her for the last time; and when I stroked her soft bright fur, while she lay purring herself

hasty breakfast, received the fond embraces of my father, mother, and sister, kissed the cat-to the great scandal of Sally, the maid-shook hands with her, mounted the gig, drew my veil over my face, and then, but not till then, burst into a flood of tears.

ed Smith; 'and a darksome 'un too; but we's happen g

' replied I, as

good sup las

es

wind will happe

ps it

slanting beam of sunshine-it was but a sickly ray, but the village and surrounding hills were all in sombre shade, and I hailed the wandering beam as a propitious omen to my home. With clasped hands I fervently