190 A DAY OF DISTRESS. 



Kate Leslie, namely, that in my desk were two important letters, one 

 triple, and franked for that very night ; as well as a corrected proof- 

 sheet, for which the press was waiting ; and that all these dispatches 

 were to be sent off by post that evening. 



Roused by this extremity, I carried my troubles and my writing- 

 desk to my good friend the blacksmith a civil, intelligent man, 

 who sympathized with my distress, sighed, shook his head, and ut- 

 tered the word Bramah ; and 1 thought my perplexity was nearly 

 at its height, when, as I was slowly wending homeward, my sorrows 

 were brought to a climax by my being overtaken by one of the 

 friends whom I admire and honour most in the world a person 

 whom all the world admires who told me in her prettiest way, 

 that she was glad to see me so near my own gate, for that she was 

 coming to drink tea with me. 



Here was a calamity ! The Lady Mary H., a professed tea-drink- 

 er a green tea-drinker, one (it was a point of sympathy between us) 

 who took nothing but tea and water, and, therefore, required that 

 gentle and lady-like stimulant in full perfection. Lady Mary come 

 to drink tea with me ; and I with nothing better to offer her than 

 tea from the shop the village shop bohea, or souchong, or what- 

 ever they might call the vile mixture. Tea from the shop for Lady 

 Mary ! Ill luck could go no further : it was the very extremity of 

 small distress. 



Her ladyship is, however, as kind as she is charming, and bore 

 our mutual misfortune with great fortitude ; admired my garden, 

 praised my geraniums, and tried to make me forget my calamity. 

 Her kindness was thrown away. I could not even laugh at myself, 

 or find beauty in my flowers, or be pleased with her for flattering 

 them. I tried, however, to do the honours, by my plants ; and in 

 placing a large night-scented stock, which was just begining to emit 

 its odour, upon the table, I struck against the edge, and found some- 

 thing hard under my belt. 



" My keys ! my keys ! " cried I, untying the ribbon, as I heard 

 a most pleasant jingle on the floor; and the lost keys, sure enough, 

 they were ; deposited there, of course by my own hand ; unfelt, un- 

 seen, and unsuspected, during our long and weary search. Since 

 the adventure of my dear friend, Mrs. S., who hunted a whole morn- 

 ing for her spectacles whilst they were comfortably perched upon 

 her nose, I have met with nothing so silly and so perplexing.' 



But my troubles were over my affliction was at an end. 



The strawberries were sent to the dear little girls; and the Schi- 

 edam to the good farmer; and the warrants to the clerk. The tax- 

 gather called for his money ; letters and proofs went to the post ; 

 and never in my life did I enjoy a cup of Twining's green tea so 

 much as the one which Lady Mary and I took together after my 

 day of distress. 



By Miss Mitford, in the Amulet. 



