story, at the same time that I shall prepare my readers for what
subsequently took place.

I will first speak of myself. Up to the age of nineteen I continued my
career under the care of Bramble; we seldom remained long on shore, for
neither Bramble nor I found home so agreeable since little Bessy had
been sent to school, and Mrs Maddox, assisted by a little girl, had
charge of the house; indeed, Bramble appeared resolved to make all the
money he could, that he might the sooner be able to give up his
profession. Mrs Maddox I have spoken little of, because I had seen but
little of her; now that she was downstairs, I will not say I saw, but I
certainly heard too much of her, for she never ceased talking; not that
she talked loud or screamed out--on the contrary, she was of a mild
amiable temper, but could not hold her tongue. If she could not find
any _one_ to talk, to she would talk to any _thing_; if she was making
the fire she would apostrophise the sticks for not burning properly. I
watched her one morning as she was kneeling down before the grate:--

"Now, stick, you must go in," said she; "it's no use your resisting, and
what's more, you must burn, and burn quickly too,--d'ye hear? or the
kettle won't boil in time for breakfast. Be quick, you little fellow--
burn away and light the others, there's a good boy." Here she knocked
down the tongs. "Tongs, be quiet; how dare you make that noise?" Then,
as she replaced them, "Stand up, sir, in your place until you are
wanted. Now, poker, your turn's coming, we must have a stir directly.
Bless me, smoke, what's the matter with you now? can't you go up the
chimney? You can't pretend to say the wind blows you down this fine
morning, so none of your vagaries. Now, fender, it's your turn--stand
still till I give you a bit of a rub. There, now you're all right.
Table, you want your face washed--your master has spilt his grog last
night--there now, you look as handsome as ever. Well, old chair, how
are you this morning? You're older than I am, I reckon, and yet you're
stouter on your legs. Why, candle, are you burning all this while? Why
didn't you tell me? I would have put you out long ago. Come, now,
don't be making a smell here--send it up the chimney."

Thus would she talk to everything. We only had two animals in the
house--a cat and a canary bird: of course they were not neglected, but
somehow or another the cat appeared to get tired of it, for it would