," and understands. Yet always with a slow
surprise, and a wonder at women's ways, since both the men were, to his
idea, failures in the world and their generation.

Any other woman of Miss Lois's age and strict prudence, having general
charge of the Douglas household, would have required from Anne long ago
that she should ask her father plainly what were his resources and his
income. To a cent were all the affairs of the church-house regulated and
balanced; Miss Lois would have been unhappy at the end of the week if a
penny remained unaccounted for. Yet she said nothing to the daughter,
nothing to the father, although noticing all the time that the small
provision was no larger, while the boys grew like reeds, and the time
was at hand when more must be done for them. William Douglas's way was
to give Anne at the beginning of each week a certain sum. This he had
done as far back as his daughter could remember, and she had spent it
under the direction of Miss Lois. Now, being older, she laid it out
without much advice from her mentor, but began to feel troubled because
it did not go as far. "It goes as far," said Miss Lois, "but the boys
have gone farther."

"Poor little fellows! they must eat."

"And they must work."

"But what can they do at their age, Miss Lois?"

"Form habits," replied the New England woman, sternly. "In my opinion
the crying evil of the country to-day is that the boys are not trained;
educated, I grant you, but not trained--trained as they were when times
were simpler, and the rod in use. Parents are too ambitious; the
mechanic wishes to make his sons merchants, the merchant wishes to make
his gentlemen; but, while educating them and pushing them forward, the
parents forget the homely habits of patient labor, strict veracity in
thought and action, and stern self-denials which have given _them_ their
measure of success, and so between the two stools the poor boys fall to
the ground. It is my opinion," added Miss Lois, decisively, "that,
whether you want to build the Capitol at Washington or a red barn, you
must first have a firm foundation."

"Yes, I know," replied Anne. "And I _do_ try to control them."

"Oh, General Putnam! _you_ try!" said Miss Lois. "Why, you spoil them
like babies."

Anne always gave up the point when Miss Lois reverted to Putnam. This
Revolutionary hero, now principally known, like Romulus, by a wolf
story, was the old maid's glory and remote ancestor, and helped her o