Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-12-25

DEALINGS WITH TIE FIRM OF
DOMSEY AND SON,
Wholesale, Retail ana for Expectation
Par; H..
CHAPTER VI.

(CJRc'uded

tIi-Ai J In ' !.
They had not gone very far. but had gone by
some very uncomfortable places, such As brick
fields and tie-yards when the old woman turned
down dirty lane, where the mud Law in deep
black ruts in the middle of the road. She stop
ped before a shabby little house, as closely shut
as a house that was fall of cracks and creviccs
would b.. Opening the door with key she took
out Of her bonnet, she pushed the child before
her into a back room, whore there was a great
heap of rags Of different color, living on the floor
a heap of bones, and heap OF siitcd dust or Gin
ders but there was no furniture at all, and the
wall, and ceiling were quite black.
The child became 50 terrified that she was
stricken speechlcss, and looked a though about
to sWoon,
Now don't be Young mule. said Good Mrs
Brown. revivng her with a shake. I'm not a
going to hurt you. Sit upon the rags
Florcnc, ob,ycd her. holding out her folded
hands in mute duplication.
I'm not going to keep you even, above an
hour said Mrs. Browa. Dye understand VIVA,
say!'
The chill answered with great difficulty, Yes.
Then said Good Mrs. Brown. taking her
own seat Oh the bones. don't vox mo. If YOU
DON'T tell you ] won't hurt YOU But if YOU
h'; "a MIL Npus Cbhlu nave Nbu Elllcu III any
time-2ycn if You was in your own bed al
home. Now let's know who you are, and VIVA,
you are, and all about it,
The old woman's threats and promises the
dread of giving her offence and the habit un
usual to IA child, but almost natural to Florenc,
now, of being quiet, and REFRESHING what she
felt and feared, and hoped enabled her to dc
this bidding. and to tell her little history or wha
she knew Of it. Mrs Brown listened attentive
~, until she had finished
So your names Dombey, ell p said Mrs
Brown.
Yes, Ma'am,'
Il want that pretty irock Miss Dombav.' sal
Good Mrs. Brown, and that little bonnet. and
petticoat ortwo, and anything else You can spare
Come, Take EN- of
Florence obeycd. as fast as her trembling hand
would ALLOW; keeping, all the while, a fright
ened eye on Mrs. Brown. When she had d
vested herself of all the articles of apparel mel
toned by that lady, Mrs, b, examined them ;
leisure, and seemed tolerably well satisfied wi,
their quality and value.
'Humph!' she said, running her eyes ov,
the chids slight figure. Il don't see anythin
else-nxcept the shoes ] must have the shoe
Miss Dombey.'
Poor little Florence took them off with equ
alacrty, only too glad to have any more mcal
of cancellation about her. The old woman the
produced some wretched substitutes from Il
r bottom of the heap of rags, which she turned ,
! for that purpose together with girls cloa
7 quite worn out and very old and the crush,
remains ola bonnet that had probably been pic
: ed up from some ditch or dunghill. In this dai
< ty ralment, she instructed Florence to dress he
e self; and as such preparation seemed prelu
J to her release the child complied with increas
. readiness, if possible.
d In hurriedly putting on the bonnet, if that m
be called bonnet which was more like a pad
J carry loads on, she caught it in her hair viii
= grew luxurantly, and could not immediate
i dlsentangle 1t. Good Mrs Brown whipped o