to obey; for you know I never require anything of you that is
impossible."

'After my mamma had made this speech, she went out to take a walk
in the garden, and left me to consider of what she had said.

'The moment I came to reflect seriously, I found it was indeed in
my power to root all melancholy from my heart, when I considered
it was necessary, in order to perform my duty to God, to obey the
best of mothers, and to make myself a blessing and a cheerful
companion to her, rather than a burden, and the cause of her
uneasiness, by my foolish melancholy.

'This little accident, as managed by my mamma, has been a lesson
to me in governing my passions ever since.

'It would be endless to repeat all the methods this good mother
invented for my instruction, amendment, and improvement. It is
sufficient to acquaint you, that she contrived that every new day
should open to me some new scene of knowledge; and no girl could
be happier than I was during her life. But, alas! when I was
thirteen years of age, the scene changed. My dear mamma was taken
ill of a scarlet fever. I attended her day and night whilst she
lay ill, my eyes starting with tears to see her in that condition;
and yet I did not dare to give my sorrows vent, for fear of
increasing her pain.'

Here a trickling tear stole from Miss Jenny's eyes. She
suppressed some rising sobs that interrupted her speech, and was
about to proceed in her story, when, casting her eyes on her