As soon as school was over in the morning, our little company were
impatient to go into the arbour, to hear Miss Dolly’s story: but
Mrs. Teachum told them they must be otherwise employed; for their
writing-master, who lived some miles off; and who was expected in the
afternoon, was just then come in, and begged that they would give him
their attendance, though out of school-time; because he was obliged to
be at home again before the afternoon, to meet a person who would confer
some favour on him, and would be highly disobliged should he not keep
his appointment: ‘And I know (said Mrs. Teachum) my little dears, you
would rather lose your own amusement, than let any one suffer a
real inconvenience on your accounts.’ They all readily complied, and
cheerfully set to their writing; and in the afternoon Mrs. Teachum
permitted them to leave off work an hour sooner than usual, as a reward
for their readiness to lose their amusement in the morning: and being
met in their arbour, Miss Dolly read as follows: