informing her that, owing to their
own early friendship, she would be most happy to fill a mother's place
to me, so long as I should wish to remain at school. I should have been
much elated at the proposed journey had it not been for the thought of
leaving my mother, who had ever been my confidant and adviser. My mother
also felt keenly the coming departure, although she strove to conceal
her feelings as much as possible. I strongly objected to leaving her
alone, but we had as yet been unable to devise any plan to avoid so
doing. My mother would have rented a portion of our dwelling, but it was
not adapted for the convenience of two families, neither could she
endure the disquiet of keeping boarders.

"Clara," said my mother one day, as we sat at work, "I think I will send
for Aunt Patience to come and stay with me during your absence."

She laughed outright at the look of dismay with which I regarded her,
occasioned by the recollection which I retained of a visit she paid us
when I was eight years of age. She was a maiden lady somewhat advanced
in years, possessed of a very kind heart and many excellent qualities;
but the name of Patience seemed to me a misapplication in her case, for
she certainly possessed but a small quantity of that valuable article.
Early in life she had passed through many trials, which might have
tended to sour her disposition. I remember that during the visit
referred to, my mother had occasion to spend a day from home, leaving me
in care of Aunt Patience. It seemed a very long day to me. Like all
children, I was restless and troublesome, and to one unaccustomed to the
care of children it was doubtless very annoying. During the day I
received a severe box on the ear from Aunt Patience, for saying to her
in an outburst of childish anger, when provoked by her continued
fault-finding,

"I don't know what makes them call you Aunt Patience, for you scold all
the time."

She informed my mother of it upon her return, and she gave me a reproof
for allowing myself to speak disrespectfully to my relative; although,
while listening to the relation of the difficulty by Aunt Patience, she
found it extremely difficult to repress a smile. However, my mother both
loved and respected her, and thought she could live very comfortably
with her during my absence; indeed my mother thought her quite a
desirable companion, for, setting aside her irritability at petty
annoyances, she was a woman of good sense, and