Ied that road, asserted it was customary for them, constantly to watch for every carriage that passed, and importune the travellers in a similar manner. They were very fine children, but sun-burnt to a dark brown, though naturally fair; and their light hair scorched with the sun, stood almost erect on their heads, and resembled dried hay or flax. Sometimes, the ladies said, they had girls of fourteen or fifteen, acting the same part, and equally ragged, without shoes or stockings.

The stage now stopped and set Amelrosa down at a mean inn, where a respectable looking old man, with white hair and a placid benevolent countenance, was standing at the door. Seeing her alight, and arrived at the time mentioned in her letter, this old man, who was Farmer Heartwell, introduced himself to her, concluding she was the young lady he expected, as she answered to the description Lucy had given him of her.

His exterior was mild and

prepossessing, and pleased Amelrosa so much, that she was delighted at his being there thus opportunely to receive her; but observed, that he seemed to regard her with an earnest look of surprise.

A horse with a pillion was immediately led out of the stable, and being assisted to mount it, Heartwell, who got up to ride before, placed her little box in front; and one of his labourers that had accompanied him, taking her trunk on his shoulders, (as she had left every thing she did not absolutely want under the care of Mr. Melville,) in this procession they proceeded to Stoke Morton.

This village consisted of about a dozen cottages and a country church. It was interspersed with orchards, gardens, and elm trees, above which the steeple of the church rose, and at a little distance looked like a small inhabited wood. Farmer Heartwell's habitation was at the extre

mity of the village, with none of the other cottages near it; and was the most romantic, pretty, rural dwelling she had ever beheld. It was a clean white building, one story high, with antique casements and a large porch at the door, filled on each side with fine myrtles and geraniums in pots. Round the lower casements sweet briar, scented peas, and clustering roses, diffused delicious fragrance; while a mantling vine luxuriantly spread its bright green foliage and curling tendrils to the top of the thatched roof, and in autumn its purple branches peeped from beneath the shadowing leaves.

A small paved court was in front, for the convenience of coming to the door on horseback in bad weather, and on each side was a neat railed garden, with several beehives in it, and filled with a profusion of beautiful and curious flowers, plants, and shrubs of every description; Heartwell being an excellent gardener, and

when

when he had leisure, the culture of them was his highest gratification. He was very much beloved and respected in the neighbourhood, and for many miles round; and if his acquaintance, or any of the neighbouring gentry procured any exotics, they always sent some of them to him, knowing. his taste for gardening.

The farm-yard was at the back of the cottage, and opened with a wicket into sloping orchards of different fruit trees; and likewise extended by the house, fencing one side of the garden. Mrs. Heartwell, a good-looking dark woman, came out into the court, to welcome Amelrosa, and helping her off the horse, expressed great joy at seeing her, and asked a hundred questions in a breath, as her husband had previously done, respecting their daughter Lucy. Her box and trunk being brought in, Mrs. Heartwell bustled to prepare some tea for her, as it was near six o'clock; which having drank, she felt much

much refreshed, and was more enabled to converse with Mrs. Heartwell, who though a good woman, was an incessant gossip; and rejoiced did she feel when the hour arrived for her to retire to rest.

To her bed-chamber she was conducted through a door in the kitchen, that opened on a flight of stairs almost perpendicular. The walls were white-washed; the flooring very much worn, with several holes in it; and as there was no ceiling underneath, she could see in two or three places, into the parlour below, which very much diverted her, as well as the bedstead, which was an ancient half-tester, with scanty curtains that would not draw, and the bed flatter and harder than a good mattrass. These accommodations were not calculated for a luxurious person; but though homely, every thing was perfectly clean, and the lovely Amelrosa, after recommending herself to the protection of her Almighty Father, flung her exhausted frame on this

hard