ich she was sitting open. The person who
entered, a tall and beautiful girl, also in mourning, came and sat down
by her side, and leaned her head, with a pensive, troubled air, down
upon her shoulder.

"We must decide upon something, Edith, and that with as little delay as
possible," said the elder of the two ladies, soon after the younger one
entered. This was said in a tone of great despondency.

"Upon what shall we decide, mother?" and the young lady raised her head
from its reclining position, and looked earnestly into the eyes of her
parent.

"We must decide to do something by which the family can be sustained.
Your father's death has left us, unfortunately and unexpectedly, as you
already know, with scarcely a thousand dollars beyond the furniture of
this house, instead of an independence which we supposed him to
possess. His death was sad and afflictive enough--more than it seemed I
could bear. But to have this added!"

The voice of the speaker sank into a low moan, and was lost in a
stifled sob.

"But what _can_ we do, mother?" asked Edith, in an earnest tone, after
pausing long enough for her mother to regain the control of her
feelings.

"I have thought of but one thing that is at all respectable," replied
the mother.

"What is that?"

"Taking boarders."

"Why, mother!" ejaculated Edith, evincing great surprise, "how can you
think of such a thing?"

"Because driven to do so by the force of circumstances."

"Taking boarders! Keeping a boarding-house! Surely we have not come to
this!"

An expression of distress blended with the look of astonishment in
Edith's face.

"There is nothing disgraceful in keeping a boarding-house," returned
the mother. "A great many very respectable ladies have been compelled
to resort to it as a means of supporting their families."

"But to think of it, mother! To think of _your_ keeping a
boarding-house! I cannot bear it."

"Is there any thing else that can be done, Edith?"

"Don't ask _me_ such a question."

"If, then, you cannot think for me, you must try and think with me, my
child. Something will have to be done to create an income. In less than
twelve months, every dollar I have will be expended; and then what are
we to do? Now, Edith, is the time for us to look at the matter
earnestly, and to determine the course we will take. There is no use to
look away from it. A good house in a central situation, large enough
for the purpose, can no doubt be obtaine