fortnight; and I have been nearly crazed with noise;
but, the truth is, Father Brighthopes, girls are generally worse than no
help at all. Not once in a dozen times do we ever get a good one. I have
had experience; besides, Hepsy is _very_ willing and industrious."

"She works too hard even now, wife--you _must_ see it. She is weakly;
before you think of it, she goes beyond her strength."

"I don't mean she shall hurt herself," observed Mrs. Royden,
incredulously. "Sarah will apply herself more than she has done; and,
for at least a week, Samuel will be too lame to go into the field, and
he can help around the house."

Her husband laughed heartily.

"With your experience, I should not think you would expect to get much
out of him," said he.

"To tell the plain truth, then," added his wife, "we cannot very well
afford the expense of a girl."

"What's a dollar and a quarter a week?"

"We cannot get a good girl for less than a dollar and a half, at this
season of the year; and that is a good deal. It runs up to fifty dollars
in a few months. I don't mean to be close, but it stands us in hand to
be economical."

"There are two ways of being economical," said Mr. Royden.

"It is not the right way to be running up a bill of expense with a girl
who does not, in reality, earn more than her board, which is to be taken
into consideration, you know. We have kept either Sarah or Chester at a
high-school now for two years; in a little while, James will be
going--then Lizzie--then--nobody knows how many more."

"The more the better!"

Mrs. Royden answered her husband's good-natured sally with a sigh.

"You would bring us to the poor-house, some day, if you did not have me
to manage, I do believe," she said.

"Somehow," replied Mr. Royden, "we have always been able to meet all our
expenses, and more too, although you have never ceased to prophesy the
poor-house; and I see nothing rotten in the future. Come, now, I am sure
our old and experienced friend, here, will counsel us to rely a little
more than we have done upon an overruling Providence."

"We must help ourselves, or Providence will not help us," retorted Mrs.
Royden.

"There is a middle course," remarked Father Brighthopes, mildly.

"Define it," said Mr. Royden.

"Have a reasonable care for the things of this world; but there is such
a thing as a morbid fear of adversity. I am convinced that we please God
best when we take life easily; when we are thankful