As the Dedication may seem to suggest that the character of Mrs. Bundle is a portrait, I may be allowed to say that, except in faithfulness, and tenderness, and high principle, she bears no likeness to my father's dear old nurse.

It may interest some of my child readers to know that the steep street and the farthing wares are real remembrances out of my own childhood. Though whether in these days of "advanced prices," the flat irons, the gridirons with the three fish upon them, and all those other valuable accessories to doll's housekeeping, which I once delighted to purchase, can still be obtained for a farthing each, I have lived too long out of the world of toys to be able to tell.

J. H. E.

CONTENTS

CHAP.PAGE
I. [Motherless][1]
II. "[The Look"—Rubens—Mrs. Bundle Again][6]
III. [The Dark Lady—Trouble Impending—Beautiful, Golden Mamma][12]
IV. [Aunt Maria—The Enemy Routed—London Town][20]
V. [My Cousins—Miss Blomfield—The Boy in Black][31]
VI. [The Little Baronet—Dolls—Cinder Parcels—The Old Gentleman Next Door—The Zoological Gardens][40]
VII. [Polly and I Resolve to be "Very Religious"—Dr. Pepjohn—The Alms-Box—The Blind Beggar][52]
VIII. [Visiting the Sick][61]
IX. ["Peace be to this House"][67]
X. [Convalescence—Matrimonial Intentions—The Journey to Oakford—Our Welcome][72]
XI. [The Tinsmith's—The Beaver Bonnets—A Flat Iron for a Farthing—I Fail to Secure a Sister—Rubens and the Doll][80]
XII. [The Little Ladies Again—The Meads—The Drowned Doll][86]
XIII. [Polly—The Pew and the Pulpit—The Fate of the Flat Iron][93]
XIV. [Rubens and I "drop in" at the Rectory—Gardens and Gardeners—My Father Comes for me][102]
XV. [Nurse Bundle is Magnanimous—Mr. Gray—An Explanation with my Father][111]
XVI. [The real Mr. Gray—Nurse Bundle regards him with Disfavour][120]
XVII. [I fail to teach Latin to Mrs. Bundle—The Rector teaches me][129]
XVIII. [The Asthmatic Old Gentleman and his Riddles—I play Truant again—In the Big Garden][139]
XIX. [The Tutor—The Parish—A new Contributor to the Alms-box][144]
XX. [The Tutor's Proposal—A Teachers' Meeting][151]
XXI. [Oakford once more—The Satin Chairs—The Housekeeper—The Little Ladies Again—Family Monuments][155]
XXII. [Nurse Bundle finds a Vocation—Ragged Robin's Wife—Mrs. Bundle's Ideas on Husbands and Public-Houses][164]
XXIII. [I go to Eton—My Master—I serve him well][173]
XXIV. [Collections—Leo's Letter—Nurse Bundle and Sir Lionel][180]
XXV. [The Death of Rubens—Polly's News—Last Times][185]
XXVI. [I hear from Mr. Jonathan Andrewes—Yorkshire—Alathea alias Betty—We bury our Dead out of our Sight—Voices of the North][196]
XXVII. [The New Rector—Aunt Maria tries to find him a Wife—My Father has a similar care for me][204]
XXVIII. [I believe myself to be broken-hearted—Maria in Love—I make an Offer of Marriage, which is neither accepted nor refused][210]
XXIX. [The Future Lady Damer—Polly has a Secret—Under the Mulberry-Tree][219]
XXX. [I meet the Heiress—I find myself mistaken on many points—A new Knot in the Family Complications][226]
XXXI. [My Lady Frances—The Future Lady Damer—We understand each other at last][230]
XXXII. [We come home—Mrs. Bundle quits Service][234]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS