ANNA WITH A PLEASANT HOME.


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 asking 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 s
e, 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.



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