and Adoration, ſhe gained nothing but Hatred and Abuſe, by her Finery. The whole Pariſh declared ſhe could not come honeſtly by ſuch Things; and Parents, inſtead of wiſhing their Daughters the ſame, felicitated themſelves that their Children had them not.
Hence perhaps it was, that the good Woman firſt mentioned the Name of this poor Girl to Mrs. Wilkins; but there was another Circumſtance that confirmed the latter in her Suſpicion: For Jenny had lately been often at Mr. Allworthy’s Houſe. She had officiated as a Nurſe to Miſs Bridget, in a violent Fit of Illneſs, and had ſat up many Nights with that Lady; beſides which, ſhe had been ſeen there the very Day before Mr. Allworthy’s Return, by Mrs. Wilkins herſelf, tho’ that ſagacious Perſon had not at firſt conceived any Suſpicion of her on that Account: For, as ſhe herſelf ſaid, ‘She had always eſteemed Jenny as a very ſober Girl, (tho’ indeed ſhe knew very little of her) and had rather ſuſpected ſome of thoſe wanton Trollops, who gave themſelves Airs becauſe, forſooth, they thought themſelves handſome.’
Jenny
