Accordingly, the next morning I dress'd myself as clean
and as neat as my rustic wardrobe would permit me; and
having left my box, with special recommendation, with the
landlady, I ventured out by myself, and without any more
difficulty than can be supposed of a young country girl,
barely fifteen, and to whom every sign or shop was a gazing
trap, I got to the wish'd-for intelligence office.
It was kept by an elderly woman, who sat at the
receipt of custom, with a book before her in great form and
order, and several scrolls, ready made out, of directions
for places.
I made up then to this important personage, without
lifting up my eyes or observing any of the people round me,
who were attending there on the same errand as myself, and
dropping her curtsies nine-deep, just made a shift to
stammer out my business to her.
Madam having heard me out, with all the gravity and
brow of a petty minister of State, and seeing at one glance
over my figure what I was, made me no answer, but to ask
me the preliminary shilling, on receipt of which she told
me places for women were exceedingly scarce, especially as
I seemed too slight built for hard work; but that she
would look over her book, and see what was to be done for
me, desiring me to stay a little till she had dispatched
some other customers.
On this I drew back a little, most heartily mortified
at a declaration which carried with it a killing uncertainty
that my circumstances could not well endure.
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