A plague on such colours, I say."
"Poor little things!" whispered Aurelia.
"You'll be good to them, won't you miss?"
"Indeed I hope so! I am only just come from home, and they will be
all I have to care for here."
"Ay, you must be lonesome in this big place; but I'm right glad to
have seen you, miss; I can part with the little dear with a better
heart, for Mrs. Aylward don't care for children, and Jenny Bowles
is a rough wench, wrapped up in her own child, and won't be no good
to the others. Go to the lady, my precious," she added, trying to
put the little girl into her cousin's lap, but this was met with
struggles, and vehement cries of--
"No; stay with mammy!"
The little sister, who had not brought her nurse, was, however, well
contented to be lifted to Aurelia's knee, and returned her caresses.
"And have you not a name, my dear? We can't call you all missie."
"Fay," the child lisped; "Fayfiddly Wayland."
"Lawk-a-daisy!" and Mrs. Wheatfield fell back laughing. "I'll tell
you how it was, ma'am. When no one thought they would live an hour,
Squire Wayland he sent for parson and had 'em half baptised Faith,
Hope, and Charity. They says his own mother's was called Faith, and
the other two came natural after it, and would do as well to be buried
by as aught.
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