mond sighed
again as she thought of her eldest daughter,--Mattie was thirty; and
her mother felt she would never marry. It was not that she was so
absolutely plain,--people who liked her said Mattie had a nice
face,--but she was so abrupt, so uncouth in her awkwardness, such a
stranger to the minor morals of life, that it would be a wonder indeed
if she could find favor in any man's eyes.

"I do think you are too hard on your sisters," returned Mrs. Drummond,
stung by her son's remark. "Isabel was very much admired at her first
party last week. Mrs. Cochrane told me so, and so did Miss Blair." She
could have added that her maternal interest had been strongly stirred
by the mention of a certain Mr. Ellis Burton, who she had understood
had paid a great deal of attention that evening to Isabel, and who was
the eldest son of a wealthy manufacturer in Leeds. But Mrs. Drummond
had some good old-fashioned notions, and one of these was never to
speak on such delicate subjects as the matrimonial prospects of her
daughters: indeed, she often thanked heaven she was not a match-making
mother,--which was as well, under the circumstances.

"Well, well, we are not talking about Isabel," returned her son,
impatiently. "The question is about Grace, mother. I really do wish
very much that you and my father would stretch a point for me here. I
want her more than I can say."

"But, Archie, you must be reasonable. Just think a moment. Your father
cannot afford to send the girls to school, or to pay for a good
finishing governess. We have given Grace every advantage; and just as
she is making herself really useful to me in the school-room, you want
to deprive me of her services."

"You know I offered to pay for Clara's schooling," returned her son,
reproachfully. "She is more than sixteen, is she not! Surely Mattie
could teach the others?"

But Mrs. Drummond's clear, concise voice interrupted him:

"Archie, how can you talk such nonsense? You know poor Mattie was
never good at book-learning. She would hardly do for Dottie. Ask
Grace, if you doubt my word."

"Of course I do not doubt it, mother," in rather an aggravated voice,
for he felt he was having the worst of the argument.

"Then why do you not believe me when I tell you the thing you ask is
impossible?" replied his mother more calmly. "I am sorry for you if
you are disappointed, Archie; but you undervalue Mattie,--you do
indeed. She will make you a nice little housekeeper, an