ce.

"Violet is at school," said he, "and all the rest."

"Best place for them," said Miss Bethia. "Where is Debby?"

"She has gone home for a day or two. Her sister is sick."

"She is coming back, is she? I heard your mother was going to try and
get along without her this winter. That won't pay. `Penny wise and
pound foolish' that would be," said Miss Bethia.

David said nothing to this.

"Better pay Debby Stone, and board her, too, than pay the doctor.
Ambition ain't strength. Home-work, and sewing-machine, and parish
visiting--that's burning the candle at both ends. That don't _ever_
pay."

"Mamma knows best what to do," said David, with some offence in his
voice.

"She knows better than you, I presume," said the visitor. "Ah! yes.
She knows well enough what is best. But the trouble is, folks can't
always do what they know is best. We've got to do the best we can in
_this_ world--and there's none of us too wise to make mistakes, at that.
She got the washing done and the clothes sprinkled before she went, did
she? Pretty well for Debby, so early in the week. Letty ought to
calculate to do this ironing for her mother. Hadn't you better put on
the flats and have them ready by the time she gets home from school?"

"Mamma said nothing about it," said David.

"No, it ain't likely. But that makes no difference. Letty ought to
know without being told. Put the flats on to heat, and I'll make a
beginning. We'll have just as good a visit."

David laughed. He could not help it. "A good visit," said he to
himself. Aloud he said something about its being too much trouble for
Miss Bethia.

"Trouble for a friend is the best kind of pleasure," said she. "And
don't you worry. Your mother's clothes will bear to be looked at.
Patches ain't a sin these days, but the contrary. Step a little spryer,
can't you! We can visit all the same."

It was Miss Bethia's way to take the reins in her own hand wherever she
was, and David could not have prevented her if he had tried, which he
did not. He could only do as he was bidden. In a much shorter time
than Debby would have taken, David thought, all preliminary arrangements
were made, and Miss Bethia was busy at work. Little Mary stood on a
stool at the end of the table, and gravely imitated her movements with a
little iron of her own.

"Now this is what I call a kind of pleasant," said Miss Bethia. "Now
let's have a good visit before the children come