第18部分(第1/7 页)

you　have；　into　the　post　at　Lowton；　answers　must　be　addressed　to　J。E。；　at　the　post…office　there；　you　can　go　and　inquire　in　about　a　week　after　you　send　your　letter；　if　any　are　e；　and　act　accordingly。”

This　scheme　I　went　over　twice；　thrice；　it　was　then　digested　in　my　mind；　I　had　it　in　a　clear　practical　form：　I　felt　satisfied；　and　fell　asleep。

With　earliest　day；　I　was　up：　I　had　my　advertisement　written；　enclosed；　and　directed　before　the　bell　rang　to　rouse　the　school；　it　ran　thus：—

“A　young　lady　accustomed　to　tuition”　（had　I　not　been　a　teacher　two　years？）　“is　desirous　of　meeting　with　a　situation　in　a　private　family　where　the　children　are　under　fourteen　（I　thought　that　as　I　was　barely　eighteen；　it　would　not　do　to　undertake　the　guidance　of　pupils　nearer　my　own　age）。　She　is　qualified　to　teach　the　usual　branches　of　a　good　English　education；　together　with　French；　Drawing；　and　Music”　（in　those　days；　reader；　this　now　narrow　catalogue　of　acplishments；　would　have　been　held　tolerably　prehensive）。　“Address；　J。E。；　Post…office；　Lowton；—shire。”

This　document　remained　locked　in　my　drawer　all　day：　after　tea；　I　asked　leave　of　the　new　superintendent　to　go　to　Lowton；　in　order　to　perform　some　small　missions　for　myself　and　one　or　two　of　my　fellow…teachers；　permission　was　readily　granted；　I　went。　It　was　a　walk　of　two　miles；　and　the　evening　was　wet；　but　the　days　were　still　long；　I　visited　a　shop　or　two；　slipped　the　letter　into　the　post…　office；　and　came　back　through　heavy　rain；　with　streaming　garments；　but　with　a　relieved　heart。

The　succeeding　week　seemed　long：　it　came　to　an　end　at　last；　however；　like　all　sublunary　things；　and　once　more；　towards　the　close　of　a　pleasant　autumn　day；　I　found　myself　afoot　on　the　road　to　Lowton。　A　picturesque　track　it　was；　by　the