he express on them was fifty cents."

"They are beautiful," cried the doctor with enthusiasm.

"Beautiful! What have we got to do with the beautiful? We've done with
the beautiful for ever. I feel as if I never wanted to see anything
beautiful again. And you'll have to spend your time collecting geodes
to send back for the miserable trash. I hate those old sea-weeds. You
left everything we owned to perish in that fire, and brought away only
that case of sea-weeds. I'll take it some time to start the fire in
the stove. Beautiful! What right have you to think of the beautiful?
It's a disgrace to be as poor as we are. The very bread for this
supper isn't paid for, and never will be. Come to supper!" She snapped
out these last words in a way inimitable and indescribable.

"Priscilla," said the husband in a sad, solemn way, "I never knew
anybody in my life who seemed so utterly exasperated by poverty as
you."

"You never knew anybody else that was tried by such poverty."

"I saw thousands after the Chicago fire."

"Yes, when they had the excitement all about them."

"And who is the object of your exasperation? Who is responsible for
your circumstances? Who but God?"

"God didn't lose that sixty dollars, and He didn't lose that money in
Chicago."

"Well, now, my dear, I'm working hard at my book, and I think I'm
making a good thing of it. I hope it'll bring us a lift."

"A book on that horrid subject isn't going to sell. I wouldn't touch
it with a pair of tongs: I'd run from it. Nobody'll read it but a
few old long-haired geologists. I'd like to know what good all your
geology and botany and those other horrid things ever did you. You
couldn't make a cent out of all them put together. You're always
paying expressage on fossils and bugs and sea-weeds and trash. All
that comes of it is just waste."

"Does anything but waste come of your fault-finding?"

"Now, who's finding fault?"

Dr. Lively left the table and took down his case of sea-weeds, and
turned it over in his hand.

"The only thing that came through the fire," he said musingly.

"And of what account is it?" said Mrs. Lively.

"It may prove to be of value," he said. "To-night's addition will make
my collection very fine. I may take some premiums on it at fairs."
He sat down and began to compare the specimens just received with his
previous collection.

"What is the use of looking over those things--miserable sea-weeds?
You'd better bring in some w