Anna, having obtained leave of her mistress, soon found herself at the
door of Mrs. West. The servant girl came to the door, and Anna followed
her into the sitting-room, where every thing was nicely arranged. Soon a
gentle looking lady came into the room, with a babe in her arms, and
asked her, in a pleasant voice, "if she was the girl who advertised? You
look hardly strong enough to handle such a boy as this," said she, as
she placed on her lap a plump, black-eyed little fellow of eight months
old. "Let me see if you can lift him easily."
Anna gave the little fellow a hug and a kiss, and then playfully tossed
him up a few times, but he was so heavy that she soon placed him on her
knee, saying, "I am not used to holding children, but think I shall soon
get accustomed to it." The lady agreed to have Anna come and enter upon
her duties the next week.
Weeks rolled away, and Anna's face looked joyous, for peace was in her
heart. She loved her mistress because she was so thoughtful and would
not even let her carry the babe half so much as she wished, but would
tell her to amuse him on the floor. Mrs. West would often bring her work
and sit with Anna in the nursery, and talk with her about her mother and
Willy. Oh, how Anna loved Mrs. West!
Willy was now learning a trade with an honest carpenter, who gave him
permission to visit his sister once a week, and many happy hours did
they pass together in the nursery with the little pet Charley.
As the summer months came on, Mrs. West prepared to visit her mother,
who lived a few miles in the country. Anna went with her. Charley was
now old enough to go into the woods and run about, while Anna gathered
flowers, chased butterflies, and amused him with infant stories. Little
Charley would often fall asleep to the sweet tones of Anna's voice, and
then she would take him up and bear him to the house.
Three years passed away, and Charley needed no other nurse than his
mother, and Anna's heart ached at the thought of leaving Mrs. West and
little Charley. She had been so happy there that she dreaded to go out
among strangers to look for a new place.
Mrs. West made arrangements for Anna to live with her parents, who in a
short time made her their adopted child. It was a beautiful country
home, and she became as a dear child to Mr. and Mrs. Warren.