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 do our duty, it was not wonderful that we sometimes broke through them, and sometimes lightly forgot them, considering that the red curtain did not always hang in our sight, and considering that childhood and youth are vanity.

Another Sunday evening came; we learned our lessons in the upper room, and were so quiet and diligent that the presence of no grandmother in the world could have frightened us.

The next morning we were awakened early by the rooks in the trees, close by our windows, and we rose and went out for a ramble before breakfast.

Within the grounds, which were laid out partly in grass and flowers, and partly in shrubbery, there was a walled fruit-garden; and this we were only permitted to enter on the express understanding that we were on no pretence to gather, or to pick up, or to touch any of the fruit; 'not so much' (so 'sister' phrased it) 'as a fallen gooseberry.'

Fruit was always given to us once during the day, but the father of the family was extremely particular about his trees, and suffered no fruit to be gathered but by his own hand.

I was told of this regulation at once by the children, and when Lucy said to her sister, 'Did thee know that Sophia had leave to gather fruit at home?' and I exclaimed, that I did not wish to do it here, and was very happy; she answered with her usual sweet composure, 'Thee need not blush so much, I know thou art in general a reasonable child.'

'I don't wish for anything,' I explained, 'that Lucy does not have.'

Rh