Lucy (Chapter_13)

with nothing but hard names for her wages. To be sure Miss Lucy, tell her you don't know how to wash, or do hard work, is belike you'd get as bad as ever." These rich folks, forget that if a poor body, loses their health and strength, they lose all they've got to support the life in their bodies--Now christians, that calls themselves christians, ought to consider if they put their sarvints a the way o' getting sick, they're robbing them, just the same as if any one took their money from 'em. Altho' Lucy felt much discouraged she knew not what else to do, and tying on her bonnet, she wrapped her child up in her shawl, and with scarcely any covering herself, prepared to set off with Richard for her guide. "Law Miss Lucy, you'll freeze to death, this bitter cold day," said Becky, "if you won't be ashamed of such an old rag of a cloak as mine, you'll be

heartily welcome to it." Lucy, did feel ashamed, accustomed as she always had been to extreme neatness, to be seen in a cloak, dirty and ragged, but she looked at her sleeping babe, and the thought that he might suffer from the bitter, piercing blast, conquered all the honest pride she felt. She gratefully accepted the cloak, and followed her friendly guide. She traversed the open, unsheltered common and entered the Pennsylvania Avenue, along which were scattered a few houses, but not enough to screen her from the cold-high wind that blew from the north-west. The highlands of Scotland, could scarcely more deserve the epithet of the "land of roaring winds," than the city of Washington, thro' whose unpeopled avenues and streets, they swept with a force, which the poor pedestrian with difficulty withstood. After a walk of two miles

Lucy reached the place of her destination, out of breath and almost sinking with fatigue. Richard pointed to the door of an elegant house and said he must now leave her, as he was engaged that day to wait a large dinner, and should give offence if he was not punctual. Terrified as Lucy felt at the idea of being left alone, she did not raise a single objection and with a trembling hand, knocked feebly at the door. To such knock the servants of the rich pay little attention and she might have long stood shivering there with fear and cold, if a carriage had not driven up. The footman, running up the steps, rang the bell with such violence, that the servants soon came and opened the door. Mrs Dayton was at home and two elegantly dressed ladies, were shown in; as he was closing the door, the servant put out his head to bow to the footman, and discerned our poor wanderer. To her humble request to see

his mistress, he replied she was engaged and could'nt be seen. Lucy, offered to wait, and he told her she might come in and stand in the entry Hall. While she stood here, leaning against the wall, her child awoke and not being able to sit down to nurse him, he cried most pitieously. She was so much ashamed of the disturbance this might occasion, that she would have retreated could she have opened the door, but it resisted all her endeavours; Mrs Dayton hearing the noise, opened the parlour door, at this very instant, and seeing a miserably dressed woman trying to get out, she perhaps not unreasonably suspected her of some bad design. In an angry tone she demanded, who she was? and what business she had there? The screams of the child, almost overpower'd Lucy's feeble voice, as she attempted to explain, her hesitation and embarrassment, confirmed Mrs Dayton's suspicions and she had just raised her angry voice to call a servant

to turn her out of doors, when the ladies coming out; instantaneously her voice sank into a milder tone, while she said, she was detained by a poor young woman in great distress; they bade her good morning, but she so earnestly begged them to return into the parlour, that they could not resist, and with an air of great kindness she bade Lucy follow. "You will excuse me ladies," said she,"you know it is my rule never to turn any unfortunate fellow creature from the door and who knows but you, as well as myself may be able to serve this poor creature." They both declared their willingness and Lucy abashed and unable to stand, sunk into a chair. The exercise and high wind had restored a colour, which sickness and sorrow had long banished from her cheeks, now increased her excessive timidity; her long dark eyelashes, concealed her down cast eyes, and her black hair blown