back, and told me to follow him. He took me into a room, and there I found
a very grand lady--at least she looked like one then. She asked me if I
would like to come and be Britannia in the circus and ride on the gilt
car.'

'And what did you say?' asked Rosalie.

'I thought it was a great chance for me, and I told her I would stay. I was
so excited about it that I hardly knew where I was; it seemed just as if
some one was asking me to be a queen. And it was not till I got into bed
that I let myself think of my mother.'

'Did you think of her then?' said Rosalie.

'Yes; I couldn't help thinking of her then; but there were six or seven
other girls in the room, and I was afraid of them hearing me cry, so I hid
my face under the bedclothes. The next day we moved from that town; and I
felt very miserable all the time we were travelling. Then the circus was
set up again, and we went in the procession.'

'Did you like that?' asked the child.

'No; it was not as nice as I expected. It was a cold day, and the white
dress was very thin, and oh, I was so dizzy on that car! it was such a
height up; and I felt every moment as if I should fall. And then they were
so unkind to me. I was very miserable because I kept thinking of my mother;
and when they were talking and laughing I used to cry, and they didn't like
that. They said I was very different to the last girl they had. She had
left them to be married, and they were looking out for a fresh girl when
they met with me. They thought I had a pretty face, and would do very well.