It was then agreed
that she was to call on me the next morning, and return the
silver spoons; but, your Worship,' said the poor girl, 'she never
came; and as I was afraid my mistress would soon want them, I
asked the advice of a woman in our neighbourhood, as to what I
had better do, and to whom I related all the circumstances I have
told your Worship; when the woman asked me how I could have been
such a fool as to be duped by that old cheat at the bar,--that
she was a notorious old woman, that she had in her employ some
young man, who was always hid in the room, to overhear the
conversation, and to run from out of the hiding-place before the
mirror; and that I ought to be thankful I came away as well as I
did, as many young girls had been ruined through going to this
old creature; that, from her acquaintance with so many servant
girls, she always contrived to get from them such intelligence as
enabled her to answer those questions that might be put to her,
as to the business, name, place of abode, country, and other
circumstances of the party applying, the answering of which
always convinced the credulous creatures who went to her, of her
great skill in the art of astrology; and when she was right in
her guessing, she always took care to have it well published.
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