Early in the morning, after the public prayers which Mrs.Teachum read every day, our little company took a walk in the garden whilst the breakfast was preparing.
The fine weather, the prospects round them, all conspired to increase their pleasure.They looked at one another with delight; their minds were innocent and satisfied; and therefore every outward object was pleasing in their sight.
Miss Jenny Peace said, she was sure they were happier than any other society of children whatever, except where the same harmony and love were preserved, as were kept up in their minds: 'For (continued she) I think now, my dear companions, I can answer for you all, that no mischievous, no malicious plots disturb the tranquility of your thoughts; plots, which in the end, constantly fall on the head of those who invent them, after all the pains they cost in forming, and endeavouring to execute.'
Whilst Miss Jenny Peace was talking, Miss Dolly Friendly looked at her very earnestly.She would not interrupt her; but the moment she was silent, Miss Dolly said, 'My dear Miss Jenny, what is the matter with you? your eyes are swelled, and you look as if you had been crying.If you have any grief that you keep to yourself, you rob us of the share we have a right to demand in all that belongs to you.'
'No, indeed (answered Miss Jenny), I have nothing that grieves me; though, if I had, I should think it increased, rather than lessened, by your being grieved too; but last night, after I went upstairs, I found amongst my books the play of the Funeral, or, Grief-a-la-mode; where the faithful and tender behaviour of a good old servant, who had long lived in his lord's family, with many other passages in the play (which I cannot explain, unless you knew the whole story) made me cry, so that I could hardly stop my tears.'
'Pray, Miss Jenny, let us hear this play, that had such an effect on you,' was the general request; and Miss Jenny readily promised, when they met in their arbour, to read it to them.
They eagerly ran to their arbour as soon as school was over, and Miss Jenny performed her promise, and was greatly pleased to find such a sympathy between her companions and herself; for they were most of them affected just in the same manner, and with the same parts of the play, as had before affected her.
By the time they had wiped their eyes, and were rejoicing at the turn at the end of the play, in favour of the characters with which they were most pleased, Mrs.Teachum entered the arbour, and inquired what they had been reading.Miss Jenny immediately told her, adding, 'I hope, Madam, you will not think reading a play an improper amusement for us; for I should be very sorry to be guilty myself, or cause my companions to be guilty, of any thing that would meet with your disapprobation.' Mrs.Teachum answered, that she was not at all displeased with her having read a play, as she saw by her fear of offending, that her discretion was to be trusted to.'Nay (continued this good woman), I like that you should know something of all kinds of writings, where neither morals nor manners are offended; for if you read plays, and consider them as you ought, you will neglect and despise what is light and useless, whilst you will imprint on your mind's every useful lesson that is to be drawn from them.I am very well acquainted with the play you have been reading; but that I may see whether you give the proper attention to what you have heard, I desire, my little girls, that one of you will give me an account of the chief incidents in the play, and tell me the story, just as you would do to one of your companions that had happened to have been absent.'
Here they all looked upon Miss Jenny Peace, as thinking her the most capable of doing what their governess required.But Mrs.Teachum, reading their thoughts in their looks, said, 'I exclude Miss Jenny in this case; for as the play was of her choosing to read to you, I doubt not but she is thoroughly enough acquainted with every part of it; and my design was to try the memory and attention of some of the others.'
They all remained silent, and seemed to wait for a more particular command, before any one would offer at the undertaking; not through any backwardness to comply with Mrs.Teachum's request, but each from a diffidence of herself to perform it.
Miss Jenny Peace then said, that she had observed a great attention in them all; and she did not doubt but every one was able to give a very good account of what they had heard.'But, as Miss Sukey Jennet is the eldest, I believe, madam, (continued she), if you approve it, they will all be very ready to depute her as their speaker.'
Each smiled at being so relieved by Miss Jenny; and Mrs.Teachum, taking Miss Sukey Jennet by the hand, said, 'Come, my dear, throw off all fear and reserve; imagine me one of your companions, and tell me the story of the play you have been reading.'
Miss Sukey, thus encouraged by her kind governess, without any hesitation, spoke in the following manner:
'If I understand your commands, madam, by telling the story of the play, you would not have me tell you the acts and scenes as they followed one another for that I am afraid I can hardly remember, as I have heard it only once but I must describe the chief people in the play, and the plots and contrivances that are carried on amongst them.'
Mrs.Teachum nodded her head, and Miss Sukey thus proceeded:
