by the expression of her
features until she said, "Your father and I will talk the matter over,
children, and to-morrow you shall hear what we think of it." Without
the least idea of the decision which would be made, James was obliged
to subdue his impatience; and the evening passed wearily enough in
listening to his father's plans for repairing the barn, and making a
new ox-sled. Little did the boy hear, though he seemed to give
undivided attention.

"Have you well considered all this, my child," said Mrs. Gordon, as
she put her hand tenderly upon her daughter's forehead, and looked
earnestly into her sweet blue eyes. "James is in his own room, so do
not fear to speak openly. Are you not misled by your love for him, and
your wish that he should succeed."

"No, mother, I have thought again and again, and I know I could work
from morning till night without complaining, if I thought he was
happy. Then it will be but three or four years at the farthest, and I
shall be hardly nineteen then. I can study, too, in the evenings and
mornings, and sometimes I can get away for whole weeks, and come up
here to see you all; Lowell is not very far, you know."

"But there is another thing, Mary. Do you not know that there are many
people who consider it as a disgrace to toil thus--who would ridicule
you for publicly acknowledging labor was necessary for you; they would
perhaps shun your society, and you would be wounded by seeing them
neglect, and perhaps openly avoid you."

"I should not care at ail for that, mother. Why is it any worse to
work at Lowell than at home; and you tell me very often that I support
myself now. People that love me would go on loving me just as well as
ever; and those who don't love me, I'm sure I'm willing they should
act as they like."

"I think myself," replied her mother, pleased at the true spirit of
independence that she saw filled her daughter's heart, "that the
opinion of those who despise honest labor, is not worth caring for.
But you are young, and sneers will have their effect. You must
remember this--it is but natural. There is one thing else--we may both
be mistaken about James' ability; he may be himself--and you could not
bear to see him fail, after all. Think, it may be so; and then all
your time and your earnings will be lost."

"Not lost, mother," said the young girl, her eyes sparkling with love
and hope, "I should have done all I could to help James, you know."

Mrs. Gordon kiss