a collar, he would not have been killed. Poor Hector! I
shall hate Ben Hunt as long as I live for it." "Fy, Charles!"
said my
father. "Hector is dead, sir,” said I; and I did not
then stay to hear any farther. But since that we have talked
a great deal about love and forgiveness, and I find I must
love Ben Hunt, even though I now see poor Hector's tomb
in the garden. For John went to fetch him, and we buried
him under the laylock* tree, on the right hand side, just by
the large sunflower; and we cried a great deal, and made a
card tombstone over his grave; and papa gave us an old
hatband, and we cut it in pieces, and we went as mourners.
His coffin was carried by Tom Wood, the carpenter's son,
whose father was so kind as to make it for us; while Jemmy
Splitlungs, the clerk's nephew, my brother, and I followed
as chief mourners; and old Nurse and Peggy put on their
black hoods, which they had when Jenny Thompson died,
and went with us; and we had the kitchen tablecloth for a
pall, with the old black wrapper put over it which used to
cover the parrot's cage; but we did not read anything, for
that would not have been right; as you know after all he
was but a dog. Papa, however, to please us, wrote the fol-
lowing epitaph, which I very carefully transcribed, and affixed
over his grave:

Here Hector lies, more blest by far
Than he who drove the victor's car;
Who once Patroclus did subdue,
And suffered for the conquest too.
Like him o'ercome by cruel fate,
Stern fortune's unrelenting hate;
An equal doom severe he found,
And Hunt inflicts the deadly wound.
Less cruel than Pelides, he
Permits his manes † interr'd to be;
And satisfied to see him fall,

Ne'er dragg'd him round the Trojan wall.

'I am very sorry for the poor fellow's untimely end; and so, I dare say, you will be. Our rabbit has kindled; and

* We cannot correct this into the modern form of lilac. Our country folk are constant to the pronunciation laylock.—[ED.]

† Mr. Placid must have pronounced this manes, and had a very odd notion of the meaning.-[ED.]

we have one in particular whose skin is white, with black spots, the prettiest I ever saw; and which we have called Jemima, and will give it you when you return. Peggy has sprained her ancle by a fall downstairs. I forgot my wooden horse, and left it in the way; and she came down in the dark, and stumbled over it. I was very sorry, and my papa was much displeased, as it is what he has so often cautioned us against. Jack Dough, the baker's boy, brought me a linnet yesterday, which I have placed in a cage near your canary-bird, who is very well. I don't think I have much more to say, for writing is such tedious work that I am quite tired, though what I have done has been a fortnight in hand. I have a great many things I want to tell you if we could meet; and I should wish to know how you like London. Good bye. William desires his love to you, and

bids me say that he, as well as myself, will ever be
'Your affectionate brother,

'CHARLES PLACID.'

'P.S. Inclosed I have sent you a sketch of Hector's funeral procession, which your favourite, Ned Kindly, who was one of the party, drew on purpose for you.'

You may be sure that the intelligence of Hector's death gave Jemima some uneasiness; more especially as, at the first time Mr. Steward had called, she was out with her aunt, and actually purchased a collar for him, which, before the receipt of her letter, she had contemplated with great satisfaction, in the idea of having so well executed her brother's commission, and the pleasure it would afford them.

When Miss Placid had been in town about four months, and her mamma was returned from Bristol, Mr. Placid came up to fetch her home, and invited her cousins to accompany her to Smiledale, promising to take great care of them, and to teach them to read and write; and that Mrs. Placid would instruct them in every other part of their learning. To which Mr. and Mrs. Piner consented. The pleasure which Jemima felt at seeing her papa after so long an absence can be better imagined than described. She looked

at him with such transport, that the tears started to her eyes; and wanting words to declare the feelings of her heart, could only express her joy by stroking and kissing his hand, as she sat on a stool by his side; and pressing it with fervour between both hers, exclaimed that she was glad to see him. Her uncle and aunt gave her the highest praise for her good behaviour, and assured her papa that they had never, during the whole time of her visit, seen her once out of humour, or at all fretful upon any occasion. Mr. Placid said he was extremely happy to hear so good an account of his little girl; but that he expected everything amiable from the sweetness of her disposition, adding, it would be very strange if she had behaved otherwise with you, as I assure you she is at all times equally tractable and engaging. The evening before her departure, her aunt was so obliging as to present her with a new doll, which she had taken great pains to dress, and had made for it two dimity petticoats, with a nice pair of stays, a pink satin coat, and a muslin frock. She had likewise purchased some cotton stockings, and a pair of red shoes with white roses, white gloves tied with pink strings, and a gauze cap with pink satin ribbons. Jemima, with a graceful courtesy, paid her acknowledgment to Mrs. Piner for that favour, and all the kind attention she had received since she had been in town, and saw it packed up with great care in a box by itself, pleasing herself with the joy it would afford her to show it to her mamma. She then busied herself in putting up the Indian glue and a great quantity of pictures which had been given her; poor Hector's collar, and several books which she had bought at Mr. Marshall's, and had already perused with much delight, particularly his 'Course of Lectures for Sunday Evenings,' 'The Village School,' and 'Perambulation of a Mouse,' two vols. each; together with the 'First Principles of Religion' and the 'Adventures of a Pincushion.' All these mighty volumes she took with her to Smiledale, and Mr. Placid was so much pleased with them, as to send for an additional supply to present his friends with. As to the skates, he had desired her not to think about them, as he should by no means approve of her brothers using them; nor would they have occasion

for a coach-whip; but as he knew Charles had broken his bat, she might carry him one instead. Jemima entreated permission to convey to them a drum, as she thought it would be a plaything they would much enjoy; to this he immediately consented, and went himself to procure one.

Miss Piners, who were in as great a hurry with their preparations as Jemima, behaved with less composure on the occasion: they tossed everything out of their drawers in search of such toys as they could possibly take with them, and wanted to pack up their whole stock of playthings (which, indeed, was a very large one), and then as fast as Dinah put what they desired into their trunk, Miss Nelly snatched it out if it belonged to her sister, and Miss Sally did the same unless it happened to be her own. So that, quite tired with their teasing, naughty behaviour, she turned it topsyturvy, and declared she would not put up any one thing except their clothes; and added, she wished they were gone, with all her heart.

I shall not take up your time with any account of their journey, nor endeavour to describe the places which they passed through in their way to Smiledale, whither they arrived about five o'clock in the afternoon. Jemima ran to her mamma with a degree of rapture which evinced the sincerity of her joy, in returning to her embraces as soon as her brothers would permit her to disengage herself from their caresses; for as they knew the day which was fixed for her return, and could nearly guess at the time she would arrive, they had taken their stand at the very place where they had parted with her; and as soon as the carriage came in sight, they ran with their utmost speed to meet it, and came back again, jumping by the side; and when the coach stopped were so eager to welcome their sister, that they would scarcely leave room for her to get out. They were in such a hurry to show her every new acquisition they had made since her departure, that they would not allow her time to speak to anybody but themselves.

Charles wanted her to go into the hall to look at his linnet, and William was as earnest to take her to his rabbits; while Jemima, who was equally ready to oblige them both, stood

still, without knowing which she should first consent to follow; till Mr. Placid, taking hold of her hand, thus moderated the impatience of his sons:-'My dear boys, I am much delighted to see your mutual affection for each other, and the pleasure you express at your sister's return; but do not be in such a hurry to show her those things which she will to-morrow have sufficient time to inspect. We all wish at present to enjoy her company, and therefore defer your intention of taking her from us to-night, as I hope you will have no occasion to fear a speedy separation; besides, I think you are a little wanting in politeness not to take notice of your cousins.'

Charles said he did not know them, and William declared he did not want them, and both acknowledged they had nothing to say to them.

Mrs. Placid blamed them for the rudeness of such declarations, and took the young ladies and Jemima upstairs to their apartment while tea was getting ready. During this interval, William climbed upon his father's knee, and as Mr. Placid was holding both his hands while he leaned back his head till it nearly touched the ground, he pulled him up, and kissing him said, 'I am surprised, my boys, that you have not more politeness than to neglect Miss Piners in such a manner, and endeavour to excuse it by further rudeness.' 'Why, I don't want them,' replied William, 'and must not I speak the truth? You always tell me that the naughtiest thing I can do is to tell lies; and I am sure I am very sorry they are come, for I like to have Jemima to ourselves; so pray, sir, what would you choose I should do?' 'I would have you, my dear,' returned his papa, 'always endeavour to behave with goodnature and politeness. You cannot think how much it will recommend you to general approbation; nor of how great importance an attention to the trifling graces of your conduct will prove in future life. And although you, William, may not be glad of your cousins' company (which, in my opinion, is rather a churlish speech), yet you might have behaved with civility; might have inquired after your uncle and aunt, have fetched them each a chair to sit down upon; and if you had not (as you cannot do it with truth)