us; and I hope the example
of this unhappy woman (which I assure you is a true story) will be
sufficient to warn you for ever, for a single time, being guilty of
so detestable a crime, lest you should, like her, by degrees come to
experience her fatal punishment.'

Just as the lady said these words a bell rang, and all getting up
together, they went out of the room, the young one calling out, 'To
dinner! to dinner! to dinner! here we all go to dinner!'

And I will seek for one too, said I to myself, (creeping out as soon
as I found I was alone) for I feel very faint and hungry. I looked and
looked about a long while, for I could move but slow, on account of the
bruises I had received in the shoe. At last under the table, round which
the family had been sitting, I found a pincushion, which, being stuffed
with bran, afforded me enough to satisfy my hunger, but was excessively
dry and unsavoury; yet, bad as it was, I was obliged to be content at
that time with it; and had nearly done eating when the door opened, and
in ran two or three of the children. Frightened out of my senses almost,
I had just time to escape down a little hole in the floor, made by one
of the knots in the wood slipping out, and there I heard one of the
girls exclaim--

'O dear! who now has cut my pincushion? it was you did it, Tom.' 'No,
indeed I did not,' replied he. 'Then it was you, Mary.' 'No, I know
nothing of it,' answered she. 'Then it was you, Hetty.' 'That I am sure
it was not,' said she; 'I am sure, I am certain it was not me; I am
positive it was not.' 'Ah,' replied the other, 'I dare say it was.'
'Yes, I think it is most likely,' said Mary. 'And so do I too,' said
Tom. 'And pray why do you all think so?' inquired Hetty, in an angry
tone. 'Because,' said the owner of the pincushion, 'you are the only one
who ever tells fibs; you told a story, you know, about the fruit; you
told a story too about the currant jelly; and about putting your fingers
in the butter, at breakfast; and therefore there is a very great reason
why we should suspect you more than anybody else.' 'But I am sure,' said
she, bursting into tears, 'I am very sure I have not meddled with it.'
'I do not at all know that,' replied the other, 'and I do think it was
you; for I am certain if any one else had done it they would not deny
it; and it could not come into this condition by itself, somebody must
have done it; and I dare say it was you; so say no more about it.'

Here