e two
thin, sharp faces close beside it, while the antique furniture looked
more grotesque and grim than ever in the deep shadow, and the
never-wearying clock still ticked calmly on, regardless alike of the
contending elements without and the wordy warfare within; true it is
that the conversation between the sisters was divested of one half its
wonted acrimony.

"To be sure," said Miss Simpkins the younger, at length, after a
pause, in which the half-awakened better nature seemed strongly
disposed to resume its slumbers again, "little civility has the Widow
Layton to expect from any body with her distant bows and uppish airs,
when one ventures to express an interest in her; and if I hadn't a
very forgiving disposition, oh! Jerusha! Jerusha! I don't think I'd
trouble myself to call upon her again. But I feel it to be my duty to
advise her to put little Fanny to school, for she's a good child and
winsome-like, and running at large so will just be the spoiling of
her."

"Well, Jerusha," responded Miss Nancy, who had, perhaps, a little
leaven more than her sister, of tartness in her disposition, and on
whose face an habitual expression of acidity was rapidly increasing,
"you know very well that the widow considers herself a little above
every body else in Aberdeen, and you might as well talk to a stone
wall as to her about sending the child to school. Why haven't I done
my best at talking to her? Haven't I told her of Miss Birch's school,
where the children don't so much as turn round without their teacher's
leave, and where you might hear a pin drop at any time. Haven't I told
her that she might easily save a good deal in the year, by renting one
half of that snug little cottage--and what thanks did I get? A reply
as haughty as if she were the greatest lady in the land, instead of
being, as she is, a nameless, homeless stranger, who cannot be 'any
better than she should be,' or she would never make such a mighty
mystery about her past life, that she 'trusted Miss Simpkins would
allow her to be the best judge as to the proper method of educating
her child, and also as to the means of retrenching her own expenses if
she found it needful.'"

Unkind, unjust, unfeeling Nancy Simpkins! and has not that settled,
ever-present sorrow upon those pale features; have not those
grief-traced lines around the compressed mouth, and across the once
smooth and polished brow; has not the sad garb of the mourner, which
speaks of the lone