e fire.
This I did, and swept up the parlour, which I made look as tidy as I
could. After breakfast, of which I had but a very scanty allowance, I
was ordered into the shop, and Mr. Smith sat down, and began teaching me
how to make the covers for umbrellas. The shop-door was open, and my
hands were so cold that I could scarcely hold the needle; but I did as
well as I was able, and worked till I was called to my dinner, which was
not till the rest of the family had dined; then all the bits of fat and
scraps that they did not like were scraped together into a plate for me,
which, with a very small piece of meat in addition, and a few potatoes,
was my dinner. Complaint was useless. I had no choice but to eat it or
to go without. I then returned to my work till the family had taken
their tea, when a small basinful was given to me, and one slice of
bread-and-butter--not a slice all round the loaf, but half round it.
After tea, Mr. Smith went out, and his wife and sister, with two other
women that came in, spent the evening at cards. At nine o'clock the
children had their supper and went to bed. I was in hopes that I should
be allowed to go, too, nine o'clock being the hour when we had been sent
to bed at the workhouse. I accordingly folded up my work and went into
the parlour.

'Well, what do you want?' said Mrs. Smith.

'If you please, ma'am, may I have my supper and go to bed?'

'Supper and go to bed!' exclaimed she. 'Pretty talk for a workhouse
girl! No, miss, you will have no supper. Three meals a day are enough
for you, I should think; and as for bed, you will not go till your
master comes home, and that will not be till twelve o'clock. So now, my
lady, go and sit down to your work again.'

I obeyed in silence, for, indeed, having no choice, I could not do
otherwise; but, being overpowered with sleep, I soon nodded over my
work. This Mrs. Smith observed, for, the upper half of the partition
between the shop and parlour being of glass, she could see all that
passed, and, seeing me nod, she came out, and shook and beat me till I
was thoroughly awake. At ten o'clock the shop was shut up by Mrs. Smith
and her sister, Mrs. Smith telling me that would be my work as soon as I
was tall enough to put up the shutters. I still kept to my sewing,
though two or three times I fell asleep over it, from which I was as
roughly awakened as at the first. At length, to my great relief, twelve
o'clock struck, the two visitors departed,