says you need wine."

"Dear child, I want to see you take some comfort of your money
yourself."

"Well, I do take comfort of it, mother. It is more comfort to be able to
help you than to wear all the finest dresses in the world."

* * * * *

Two months from this dialogue found our little family still more
straitened and perplexed. Mrs. Ames had been confined all the time with
sickness, and the greater part of Ellen's time and strength was occupied
with attending to her.

Very little sewing could the poor girl now do, in the broken intervals
that remained to her; and the wages of Mary were not only used as fast
as earned, but she anticipated two months in advance.

Mrs. Ames had been better for a day or two, and had been sitting up,
exerting all her strength to finish a set of shirts which had been sent
in to make. "The money for them will just pay our rent," sighed she;
"and if we can do a little more this week----"

"Dear mother, you are so tired," said Ellen; "do lie down, and not worry
any more till I come back."

Ellen went out, and passed on till she came to the door of an elegant
house, whose damask and muslin window curtains indicated a fashionable
residence.

Mrs. Elmore was sitting in her splendidly-furnished parlor, and around
her lay various fancy articles which two young girls were busily
unrolling. "What a lovely pink scarf!" said one, throwing it over her
shoulders and skipping before a mirror; while the other exclaimed, "Do
look at these pocket handkerchiefs, mother! what elegant lace!"

"Well, girls," said Mrs. Elmore, "these handkerchiefs are a shameful
piece of extravagance. I wonder you will insist on having such things."

"La, mamma, every body has such now; Laura Seymour has half a dozen that
cost more than these, and her father is no richer than ours."

"Well," said Mrs. Elmore, "rich or not rich, it seems to make very
little odds; we do not seem to have half as much money to spare as we
did when we lived in the little house in Spring Street. What with new
furnishing the house, and getting every thing you boys and girls say you
must have, we are poorer, if any thing, than we were then."

"Ma'am, here is Mrs. Ames's girl come with some sewing," said the
servant.

"Show her in," said Mrs. Elmore.

Ellen entered timidly, and handed her bundle of work to Mrs. Elmore, who
forthwith proceeded to a minute scrutiny of the articles; for she prided
herself on