ly sunk
down to their level; to this she could not consent. Having once freed
herself from her thraldom, he immediately sunk down to his level, as she
rose up to a position in which, if she could not ensure more than
civility and protection, she was at all events secure from insult and
ill-treatment.

Such was the state of affairs when I had arrived at the important age of
six years, a comic-looking, laughing urchin, petted by the officers, and
as fall of mischief as a tree full of monkeys. My mother's business had
so much increased, that, about a year previous to this date, she had
found it necessary to have some one to assist her, and had decided upon
sending for her sister Amelia to live with her. It was, however,
necessary to obtain her mother's consent. My grandmother had never seen
my mother since the interview which she had had with her at Madeline
Hall shortly after her marriage with Ben the marine. Latterly, however,
they had corresponded; for my mother, who was too independent to seek
her mother when she was merely the wife of a private marine, now that
she was in flourishing circumstances had first tendered the olive
branch, which had been accepted, as soon as my grandmother found that
she was virtually separated from her husband. As my grandmother found
it rather lonely at the isolated house in which she resided, and Amelia
declared herself bored to death, it was at last agreed that my
grandmother and my aunt Amelia should both come and take up their
residence with my mother, and in due time they arrived. Milly, as my
aunt was called, was three years younger than my mother, very pretty and
as smart as her sister, perhaps a little more demure in her look, but
with more mischief in her disposition. My grandmother was a cross,
spiteful old woman; she was very large in her person, but very
respectable in her appearance. I need not say that Miss Amelia did not
lessen the attraction at the circulating library, which after her
arrival was even more frequented by the officers than before.

My aunt Milly was very soon as fond of me as I was of mischief; indeed
it is not to be wondered at, for I was a type of the latter. I soon
loved her better than my mother, for she encouraged me in all my tricks.
My mother looked grave, and occasionally scolded me; my grandmother
slapped me hard and rated me continually; but reproof or correction from
the two latter were of no avail; and the former, when she wished to pl