I then descended, and ran out of the orchard as fast as I could, till I found myself so hungry, I determined to trust myself once more to somebody that looked good-natured, if I could see any body I thought looked so. While I was thinking, a stage came by, so (at random) I gave a leap into the basket, where I found a few crumbs of bread. I remained very quiet till the stage suddenly broke down. I thought it high time to quit my seat, so jumped out, and crept into an old lady's pocket, who was lying amongst the rest on the road. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, and the coachman sent somebody for a post chaise, which soon arrived. We all crowded in, till it was full. My mistress happened to get an inside place, and we went off laughing at the disaster. At last we came to London, where I did not dare stir from the pocket of the lady, so kept my place with
great composure. My mistress, for so I shall call her, was then put into another stage, and after a journey of about four miles, she stopped at a very handsome house. My mistress being in a great hurry to get out and compose herself, opened the coach door herself, but not having sufficient power, her foot slipped and she fell out. I was so alarmed at this, that I scrambled out of her pocket, and made the best of my way towards the house door, where I certainly should have entered, had I not heard the different mews of half a dozen cats. Those sounds were not very pleasing to me, so I ran off unperceived; for the confusion at the garden door was not yet at an end. I had not run far, before I met a man with a pair of very large boots in his hand. He unfortunately spied me, and taking me up, put me into one of them, and thrust me down into the foot. He had walked within a mile of the fields where you were when you first became possessed of me, when he set the boots down, and began fighting with
a man he had been quarrelling with some part of the way, I jumped out of my place of confinement, and ran till I came to the place where you were sitting, and being very hungry, I ventured to creep into your pocket, and trust to your generosity. Here the pretty fellow ceased. "And you shall find," said I, "I will endeavour to deserve that trust, by making you as happy as I possibly can."
Now, my dear Anne, I presume it will be unnecessary for me to inform you, that the foregoing history is only an imaginary one of my own invention; but such as we may suppose a squirrel might relate, if he were endowed with reason and speech. Your good sense will suggest to you that the amiable characters herein depicted are meant as examples for imitation; and that the conduct of the vicious is to be disapproved of and avoided.
I remain your affectionate friend,
R. S. S.
Printed by Darton and Harvey, Gracechurch-street.
