A PRETTY PICTURE.
Our ride this morning was on the Turnpike Road to the Hill beyond Upway where We left it & got upon the Downs. descending afterwards to Monkton at the corner of the Village His M. saw a Poor Woman returning over the Downs from the Fields with a Barrow on which was a Cradle curiously filled with three Little Children. One sat at the Head of the Cradle, the other two fronted it at the foot. The King stopped & asked Her whence She was come ; She answer'd from gleaning in the Feilds, & that She carried the little Babies with Her having nobody to take care of them at home in Her absence. Two of them were Her Children the Third belonged to a First Cousin of Hers. At this time the group was improved by the arrival of the Cousin, with a large Bundle of Wheat on Her head. The King was pleased with the whole arrangement & taking out a Guinea front His purse gave it the Women for the Children on which they resumed their journey with the greatest cheerfullness.
* * * *
Previous page
