CHAPTER IX.
THE SEASHORE.
My mother Celeste once took me down to Ramsgate, thinking, as she said, that I needed sea-bathing. She packed her clothes and mine, and ordered my house (the baby-house) to be carried behind her. The next morning my mother rode in her carriage, which was made expressly for herself and me, to the water-side, where we went into a little house, and putting on our bathing clothes, jumped into the water. My mother had fastened me by a string to her waist, and so could swim without being troubled by me. She then showed me how to keep myself above water and how to swim, for she said that soon she was going to let me bathe alone. I enjoyed the water very much, and thought what a great loss it must be to some dolls, who cannot go into the water because their complexion will not allow them to be washed in any thing but sweet oil or butter. I thought how sticky it must feel during the process, and how uncomfortable it must be afterwards. We went into the little house again, after bathing, and put on our skirts and dresses. All day it was very hot, and we remained in the house reading, until evening, when we went to bathe again. While bathing, I saw several large birds fly over the water, and several times dip down into the waves. I asked my mother what they were, and she said they were sea-gulls.
The next morning, when we were in the midst of bathing, there was the cry of "A shark! a shark!" As soon as this was said, every one started for the shore, and all got there safely, except one little girl, about nine years of age, who was so frightened that she could not swim. The shark was nearing to her every moment. At last a strong and brave man jumped into the water, and swimming up to the shark, killed him with a long knife which he carried in his belt. After a couple of weeks spent in this manner, we went home.
CHAPTER X.
AN ACCIDENT.
In about a month I had a terrible accident, which I am about to relate. One summer afternoon, as I was looking out the window, I fell out of it into a winding stream, where I lay floating down I don't know where. I was so stunned by the fall that I fainted, and did not recover myself till I had floated some miles. When I recovered, I found that I was in the hands of some fishermen, (they were not regular fishermen, but only angling for sport,) who examined me very attentively. At last one said, "I'm sure I don't know what to do with this little doll." "Oh!" said the other one, "there goes a little milk-maid, let's give it to her." "So I say," said the first. "Here little girl, don't you want a doll? if you do, here is one." "Thank you, Sir," said my new mother, whose name was Agnes Earl, "I'm very much obliged to you." So Agnes took me home. She was a very pretty little girl. She had black eyes, black hair, and a dark complexion. I passed a very pleasant life with my new mother. She used often to talk to me in a very motherly way; such as this: "My dear Josephine, I am very glad to see you behave so well, and I am very sorry that I cannot bring you into better society than I can. However, I think that we had better not worry about it, as you are almost polished enough." My mother used to talk to me in this way of evenings, and I hope I profited by some of her lectures to me on goodness. My mother used often to give me baths, to which I think I owe my good health. One afternoon, after my mother had bathed me, as was her usual custom, and had laid me in the sun to dry, two little girls came along and picked me up.
CHAPTER XI.
QUARRELSOME MOTHERS.
"Holloa! here's a doll, I'll have it," said the biggest girl, whose name was Martha Griggs.
"No you won't, either, so there you told a lie," said Madge Griggs.