Although Mary knew very well that her fortune, for good
or for evil, depended wholly upon herself, yet she thought it
unnecessary to take any pains to acquire industrious habits, or to learn
the business of housekeeping. While she was yet a very little girl, she
was obstinate and self-willed, and thought herself too good to work, or
to learn any useful art. While the rest of the family were engaged in
necessary labor, she was amusing herself; and if called upon to do the
least thing, she complained bitterly as if some great injury had been
done to her. She thought it very much beneath her to learn to sew or to
make bread, or to milk one of the cows, and could talk half an hour and
make very fine excuses in order to get rid of any such little exercise.
When she was twelve years old, she supposed that she was born to be a
lady, and she took this notion into her head, merely because she did not
know how to do a single useful thing. If her mother or sisters said
anything to her about her dress, which was never put on as it should be,
or about her hair, which was never done up neatly, she flouted at them
with disdain, and said that clothes did not make the woman; which was
very true of itself, but nevertheless, neatness in dress is always
required to make a respectable woman. One may be ever so poor and may
have ever so little clothing, but one can always tell by a girl's
appearance, what is to be laid to the account of poverty, and what is to
be laid to the account of sluttishness.

Mary grew up in this way, and as she did not improve herself by useful
occupation, she found other employments which did her no good. She read
every foolish and extravagant story and novel which give false ideas of
life, and which poison the mind by unreasonable views of love and of
married life. She now thought that she was becoming very accomplished,
but no young man who knew her history desired to unite himself with such
a partner. At last, however, a stranger who entirely misapprehended her
character offered her his hand, and she professed to love him very much.
But her professions were all frothy and vain; for she had read so many
extravagant fictions, and knew so little of real life, that she did not
know her own mind, and supposed that she was very much in love, when
she did not even know how to form a serious attachment. The man whom she
married was very respectable and well disposed, and if he had married a
smart and industrious woman wo