30 ELIZABETH AND HER TROUBLES. 



look at it, and so white it was and so small, 

 that it set me thinking a deal more than I 

 care to tell ; but this I did, I went a few 

 miles, and bought a golden hoop to have a 

 leap through. 



" You might have called before this," 

 said Elizabeth, " to see an old friend," as I 

 opened her door one evening. " I saw you 

 pass ; and I did think you'd have looked 



in." 



I made some excuse, and we sat down, 

 and talked over old times, over those dead 

 and gone, and those still about ; and we felt 

 more like brother and sister than any thing 

 else. She told me all her troubles how 

 hard she had to work, and how she'd lost 

 part of the washing at the Hall through the 

 lady's-maid, though she couldn't learn why, 

 only it was so ; and then she said she meant 

 to go to service ; and if I should hear of any 

 thing likely to suit her, she'd thank me to 

 let her know: she wasn't afraid of work, 

 only she wanted to be comfortable, for she 

 wasn't at all so as things were. 



" Well," said I, " I know just the place 

 for you, if you'll take it ; but you'll have 

 to work hard and live hard, and sometimes 



