horror, reflecting that it was the place of my unhappy birth,
and of my mother’s misfortunes, and that I could not bear it,
so I was forced to leave off going to see them.
And oh! could I have but taken warning by their disasters, I
had been happy still, for I was yet free, and had nothing brought
against me; but it could not be, my measure was not yet filled
up.
My comrade, having the brand of an old offender, was executed;
the young offender was spared, having obtained a reprieve,
but lay starving a long while in prison, till at last she got her
name into what they call a circuit pardon, and so came off.
This terrible example of my comrade frighted me heartily, and
for a good while I made no excursions; but one night, in the
neighbourhood of my governess’s house, they cried “Fire.’
My governess looked out, for we were all up, and cried
immediately that such a gentlewoman’s house was all of a light
fire atop, and so indeed it was. Here she gives me a job. ‘Now,
child,’ says she, ‘there is a rare opportunity, for the fire being
so near that you may go to it before the street is blocked up
with the crowd.’ She presently gave me my cue. ‘Go, child,’
says she, ‘to the house, and run in and tell the lady, or anybody
you see, that you come to help them, and that you came from
such a gentlewoman (that is, one of her acquaintance farther
up the street).’ She gave me the like cue to the next house,
naming another name that was also an acquaintance of the
gentlewoman of the house.
Away I went, and, coming to the house, I found them all in
confusion, you may be sure. I ran in, and finding one of the
maids, ‘Lord! sweetheart,’ says I, ‘how came this dismal
accident? Where is your mistress? Any how does she do?
Is she safe? And where are the children? I come from
Madam —- to help you.’ Away runs the maid. ‘Madam,
madam,’ says she, screaming as loud as she could yell, ‘here
is a gentlewoman come from Madam —- to help us.’ The
poor woman, half out of her wits, with a bundle under her arm,
an two little children, comes toward me. ‘Lord! madam,’ says
I, ‘let me carry the poor children to Madam —-,’ she desires
you to send them; she’ll take care of the poor lambs;’ and
immediately I takes one of them out of her hand, and she lifts
the other up into my arms. ‘Ay, do, for God’s sake,’ says she,
‘carry them to her. Oh! thank her for her kindness.’ ‘Have
you anything else to secure, madam?’ says I; ‘she will take
care of it.’ ‘Oh dear! ay,’ says she, ‘God bless her, and thank
her. Take this bundle of plate and carry it to her too. Oh, she
is a good woman. Oh Lord! we are utterly ruined, utterly
undone!’ And away she runs from me out of her wits, and
the maids after her; and away comes I with the two children
and the bundle.
I was no sooner got into the street but I saw another woman
come to me. ‘Oh!’ says she, ‘mistress,’ in a piteous tone, ‘you
will let fall the child. Come, this is a sad time; let me help you’;
and immediately lays hold of my bundle to carry it for me.
‘No,’ says I; ‘if you will help me, take the child by the hand,
and lead it for me but to the upper end of the street; I’ll go
with you and satisfy you for your pains.’
She could not aviod going, after what I said; but the creature,
in short, was one of the same business with me, and wanted
nothing but the bundle; however, she went with me to the
door, for she could not help it. When we were come there I
whispered her, ‘Go, child,’ said I, ‘I understand your trade;
you may meet with purchase enough.’
She understood me and walked off. I thundered at the door
with the children, and as the people were raised before by the