10 MY CLOUDY LIFE BRIGHTENS. 



suit of black for his funeral, and we had a 

 few days together again. Our next meet- 

 ing will be in heaven, I expect ; for they 

 had no schooling, and I was a poor writer, 

 and letters cost eightpence a piece for post- 

 age ; so that the sight of one almost fright- 

 ened me when I was so poor. I have heard 

 they both married, and after a while went to 

 America. They were both nice singers, and 

 father and mother and we three have had 

 many a pleasant evening with our harmony; 

 for it wonderfully helps to bind up a family 

 does a little simple music and singing toge- 

 ther. 



But a change in my hard kind of life was 

 oddly brought about. One November night 

 I was fast asleep, when I woke and thought 

 the world was come to an end. . A furious 

 gust of wind had blown the top off a great 

 elm that hung over the furnace-shed where I 

 slept, and crushed in one end of the roof, 

 smashed the glass of the greenhouse, and 

 ruined the whole concern. This worked my 

 deliverance ; for the squire, coming with my 

 lady to look at the mischief in the morning, 

 saw my crib, and said, " What's that hole 

 for ?" (His sporting dogs' kennel was a 



