I I - American Memory

iliiii finding I had not been there, concluded that I was gone
another Way, and were returned. We all wond'red
that they neither faw me, nor I them, for I came along
the main Road : They faid, they fancy'd it was me as
foon as they heard the Noife of my Boots, advifing me
not to Hay near the Town, but make the beft of my
Way for London, I faid that was my Intent, and fo
took my Leave of them.
But going not far out of Town, I hid myfelf till
Night, and then return'd into Town again, and getting
into a farm-houfe I took away two or three Books, a
Knife and Fork, a Penknife, a pair of ScifTars, a Silver
Spoon, a couple of Handkerchiefs, and fome other
Trifles, and fome Victuals, and fo in the Morning pur-
fu'd my Journey for London; but raining hard moft part
of that Day, prevented my reaching London that Night,
but coming to a Place call'd Stockiijell, where my Mo-
ther-in-law's Father kept a Publick Houfe, I went in-
to the back Yard, where was a Barn, in which they had
been threftiing Wheat that Day, and had lain the Straw
in Trufles under a Penthoufe, I got iO among them, and
lay very warm that Night; about the middle of the
Night I heard fomething alive as I thought, among the
Straw, I liften'd attentively, and at lad perceiv'd it to
be very near me, fo that I had hold of it, and per-
ceiv'd that it was one of the Female Sex, who fright'ned
at finding fomebody there, cry'd out. Who is there ! I
reply'd, Here^s no Body that 1)0111 hurt you ; Ihe then
began to tell me that fhe was put Apprentice to a Man-
tua-maker, who becaufe her Friends lived a great Way
off, ufed her fo hard, which oblig'd her to leave them,
and that fhe was going down to her Friends who liv'd
at Canterbury. It being very cold we crept clofe to-
gether, and in fhort, I found her to be a good na-
tur'd traftable Girl, and having tir'd ourfelves, we by
Confent fell to fleep, and in the Morning when I a«
woke I found my Bed-fellow gone, and the Threfhers
came to Work, by Reafon whereof I was forc'd to lie
ftill till Night.
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