9Q6 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



this TJsit was under preteivpe of be- 

 speaking some linen, or that the 

 coast ^vas already clear, I know 

 not ; but 1 perceived that the door 

 ^vas opened bj' the mother herself,' 

 and brother and sister entered, the 

 latter a iittic startled, the former as 

 pale as death, and doubtless with a 

 palpitating heart. After they had 

 staid about an hour, I could hear 

 tliat they rose to depart, and I went 

 immediately to my window. When 

 the door opened I heard the mother 

 say : well then, Agnes, 'tis charm- 

 ing weather, I have no objection, 

 child; but do not stay out long. 

 No, mother, was the answer, as 

 Kitty desires me, we shall only take 

 a turn, and be back in half an 

 hour. On this they marched olf, 

 and really returned within the time. 

 Agnes was going to knock, but 

 was prevented hy hcr'gallant, who, 

 in the most moving tone, begged to 

 take leave with a single kiss. Not- 

 withstanding he appeared to have 

 greatly forwarded his suit, I doubt 

 whether he Avould havO succeeded, 

 if sister Kitty had not interfered. 

 Well,* my dear Agnes, «aid the 

 friendly giri, (hat is no such great 

 matter ; any young lass will readily 

 grant so slisiht a favour, even to a 

 stranger who had seen her safe 

 home : besides, a kiss is nothing ; if 

 you don't like it, wipe it ofif. Upon 

 this Agnes submitted, and I counted 

 distincljj', by the smacking, (hat it 

 cost her three kisses, the first, as I 

 lirmly believe, she. nad ever granted 

 to a man, and which I do not think 

 the enraptured James xvould have 

 missed for three thousand florins. 

 Since that day Kitty visits her new 

 friend at least three times a week ; 

 her brother never fails coming to 

 fetch her home, and when the wea- 

 ther permits, takes a wiilk with his 



sweetheart: pleading the cause ofhU 

 honest love, even in presence of his 

 sister. Not only my maid-servantsj 

 but also all the women in the neigh- 

 bourhood, have discovered the whole 

 afl'air, and knowing James to be a 

 sober young man, and in circum- 

 stances that the girls would be glad 

 of him for themselves, as well as the 

 mothers for their daughters, speak 

 spitefully of the imprudence of my 

 neighbour, who suffers such art iti- 

 terconrse. One of my maids even 

 told me that some of them, under 

 pretence of friendship, had been try- 

 ing to persuade Agnes's mother that 

 James could not mean honourably, 

 and that, if he did, his father, who is 

 proprietor of several houses, and 

 master of a lucrative profession, 

 would never permit his only son to 

 marry a girl without any fortune : 

 but our dame, who docs not want 

 sense, coolly thanked them for their 

 advice, begging that they would 

 not trouble themselves about her 

 afiairs, which she was very able to 

 manage without their interference. 



It is hardly to be imagined how 

 much our young man is altered, 

 since his suitgoes on so swimmingly. 

 He is as close as a rose-bud, and 

 though he was formerly a mere 

 milk-sop, with his head hanging, his 

 arms and legs used for no other pur- 

 pose than to work, 'and change his 

 place, he now marches as erect, and 

 with as easy an air as most young 

 men : his hair is neatly and fashion- 

 ably cut, his hat cocked, and al- 

 tliouffh he wears the same clothes, 

 they appear to lit him very different- 

 ly. His method of speaking is no 

 longer the same, and his tongue is 

 loosened and voluble. 



It is exactly the same with* Agnes : 

 all her features, however beautiful, 

 ■vuere dull and unmeaning, from her 



innocence 



