, and determined that I
would be good all the while they were from home.

"When the coach was ready my aunts set out, and I took my books and
went to sit in the arbour with Shock, who was left under my care. I
stayed in the arbour till evening, when one of the maid-servants
brought me my supper. I gave part of it to Shock, and, when I had eaten
the rest, went to bed. As I lay in my bed I felt very glad that I had
gone through that evening without doing anything I thought naughty, and
was sure I should do as well the next day.

"The next morning I was awakened by the bells ringing for church. I got
up, ate my breakfast, and when I was dressed went with the maid to
church. When we came home my dinner was given me. All this while I had
kept my aunts' words pretty well in my memory, but they now began to
wear a little from my mind. When I had done my dinner I went to play in
the garden.

"Behind the garden, on the hill, was a little field full of
cherry-trees. Cherries were now quite ripe. My aunts had given me leave
every day to pick up a few cherries if there were any fallen from the
trees, but I was not allowed to gather any. Accordingly I went to look
if there were any cherries fallen. I found a few, and was eating them,
when I heard somebody call me, 'Miss! Miss!' and, looking up, saw a
little girl who was employed about the house, in weeding the garden,
and running errands. My aunts had often forbid me to play or hold any
discourse with this little girl, which was certainly very proper, as
the education of the child was very different from that which had been
given me. I was heedless of this command, and answered her by saying:
'What are you doing here, Nanny?'

"'There is a ladder, Miss,' she replied, 'against a tree at the upper
end of the orchard. If you please, I will get up into it and throw you
down some cherries.'

"At first I said 'No,' and then I said 'Yes.' So Nanny and I repaired
to the tree in question, and Nanny mounted into the tree.

"'Oh, Miss! Miss!' said she as soon as she had reached the top of the
ladder, 'I can see from where I am all the town, and both the churches;
and here is such plenty of cherries! Do come up! Only just step on the
ladder, and then you can sit on this bough and eat as many cherries as
you please.'"

"And did you get into the tree, mamma?" said Lucy.

"Yes, my dear, I did," said Mrs. Fairchild; "and sat down on one of the
branches to eat cherries and look about me."