BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. xiii 



brothers were attending Dr. Valpy's school, the two elder 

 sisters and Katie remained there. Elizabeth, having been her 

 father's amanuensis and confidante, had much to do in con- 

 nection with business matters. Agnes was not strong, and 

 requiring frequent change of air, was much away visiting 

 friends. Katie was thus left very much to herself. 



" I had access to the city library, so that I had no lack 

 of reading matter, and my needle, varied by a daily walk to 

 the garden below the city wall, occupied a good deal of my 

 time. The garden was shut in by a high paling and was quite 

 private. I spent many hours in this retreat with my books, 

 and it was at this time that I ventured once more to indulge 

 the scribbling fever which had been nipped in the bud by 

 adverse criticism the preceding year. I was a great lover of 

 , the picturesque, and used to watch with intense interest the 

 Highland drovers as they passed to the great Norwich market. 

 I admired their blue bonnets and the shepherd's plaids they 

 wore so gracefully across breast and shoulder, and the rough 

 coats of the collie dogs that always accompanied them, and 

 often listened to the wild notes of the bagpipes. Scotland 

 was the dream of my youth. Its history and poetry had taken 

 a strong hold on my fancy, and I called the first story I wrote 

 at this time, ' The Blind Highland Piper.' The next was 

 inspired by a pretty little lad with an earnest face and bright 

 golden curls peeping from under a ragged cap. He carried a 

 wooden yoke on his shoulders, from which were suspended 

 two water-pails. He passed the window so often to and fro 

 that I grew to watch for him, and give him a little nod and 

 smile to cheer his labors day by day. I never knew his 

 history, so I just made one for him myself, and called my 

 story after him, ' The Little Water-Carrier.' Thus I amused 

 myself until my collection comprised some half-dozen tales. 

 One day I was longer than usual absent at the city wall 

 garden gathering red currants, and had unwittingly left my 

 manuscript on the writing-table. On my return, to my con- 



