THE EXPLANATION.
Lettice's father was a man of education, a scholar, a gentleman, and
had much power in preaching. He received one hundred and ten pounds
per year for his services. Her father's illness was long and painful,
and the family were dependant on others for assistance.
"We at last closed his eyes," said Lettice, "in deep sorrow." He used
to say to himself, "It is a rough road, but it leads to a good place."
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After his funeral, the expenses exhausted all that was left of their
money--only a few pounds were left when the furniture was sold, and
"we were obliged," said Lettice, "to give up the dear little
parsonage. It was a sweet little place. The house was covered all over
with honeysuckles and jessamines; and there was the flower garden in
which I used to work, and which made me so hale and strong, and aunt
Montague used to say I was worth a whole bundle of fine ladies.
"It was a sad day when we parted from it. My poor mother! How she kept
looking back, striving not to cry, and poor Myra was drowned in tears.
"Then we afterwards came to London. A person whom we knew in the
village had a son who, was employed in one of the great linen
warehouses, and he promised to try to get us needlework. So we came to
London, took a small lodging, and furnished it with the remnant of our
furniture. Here we worked fourteen hours a day apiece, and we could
only gain between three and four shillings each. At last mother died,
and then all went; she died and had a pauper's funeral."
From this room the orphan girl removed soon after their mother's
deceased, and located among the poor of Marylebone street, where Mrs.
Danvers accidently met with the two sisters, in one of her visits
among the poor, and for whom she obtained the work which led to the
unexpected meeting related in the previous story.